LOL! I do know what you mean, Wyvern. It's not the most beautiful thing I've ever drawn, but it seems to be closer to what people want - at least, over on the FB Group page it's getting a few more appreciative comments than the last one.
I am torn on the glowy eye. It probably depends on what the rest of the map is (which will differ by each person) as to which one I prefer. The skull does look a lot better that the earlier version.
Looking good. But those elven buildings, they are meant to be treehouses as far as I understand, but right now, they look a bit on to of the forsst and not part of it. Have you considered having some branches enveloping the buildings a bit as part of the symbol?
I didn't want to limit them to only ever being used in dense forest, so I didn't draw any trees in the symbols. To start with I put them on the same sheet as the tree symbols, but found they were being obliterated a bit too much by the trees after using Sort symbols in Map. There is no reason why they can't be more carefully placed (the trees that is) so that they aren't as obscured, but I lifted them above the canopy so that you could see what they really looked like.
They might do, but I haven't been checking it against Spectrum, and I know for certain that I have used a slightly lower angle to do this set where I sometimes find Spectrum a little too steep. It might work. You will have to try it.
Thank you, Medio. It's a very small set - none of the really special mountains like you have in yours. Heck, I haven't even done any cliffs for this one yet. We'll see what I can do about the natural features in the time I have left.
They don't though look very grim or dark to my eye. I did wonder though if that's because the final maps for this style are intended to have a darkening screen over the whole, or something like a whole map effect, such as an RGB Matrix Process, to alter the colour balance. (Looking at that fading purple overlay at the left-hand edge of your first image made me think of this, though I suspect that's an area boundary effect because of the red line and Edge Fade, Inner (?) Effect on the purple "staining".)
Thank you, Wyvern... I can see I've managed to spark off your creative streak, so I think I will leave it to you to devise a cunning plan. You are always much better at them than I am. The overall colour scheme was inspired by one of the Warhammer maps, but since my muse only had place spots rather than symbols I had to make up the rest ;)
The overall colour scheme was inspired by one of the Warhammer maps, but since my muse only had place spots rather than symbols I had to make up the rest ;)
That figures. I know we discussed from early in this topic that nobody seems to know what grimdark is really supposed to look like anyway, so... ?
That's good. I'm hoping you will enjoy playing with the colour palette. All the terrain colours are palette colours heavily blurred into one another and then blended onto the one parchment background by Linear Burn, so you could use any colour really. Limited I think by the symbols themselves where none are varicolour (yet) except the hills, but the greens can very easily be toned down even further if you want.
An interesting point of colour theory here... those greens are already quite dull - about half saturation. One of the reasons they look bright is because they are juxtaposed by the dull reddish purple of the mountain and border colours. The Linear Burn makes them slightly brighter, but I hope you can see it's not a huge difference.
That's good news to me, Medio, because there are 20 of each type. I did think that I was going a bit over the top with numbers, but I like there to be none that are obviously the same tree too close to each other.
Murky swamps and toxic areas needed - current earth could help in the latter.
I agree with you about the elven houses. Hope we get goblin/orc dwelling as well, and perhaps symbols for slum cities.
The more cliffs, rock fall and waterfalls we have in any annual, the better. and you do the best. I have even used your geyser in Specrum, turned upside down , with the earth bit hidden, as a waterfall in my latest map - regional Ensom. Tell me what you think of that.
Well, I might and I might not. Let's see how it goes. Just changing the colours can make quite a dramatic difference, and that's easy because it's all controlled by the palette colours blended to a single parchment background, so you could have a range of palettes to suit your mood with the map. Here is a much darker, greyer version I tested this morning.
Or... I could just admit that I like it the way it is and call it something else - leaving the gap available for someone else to fill. I have a very flexible style, but as with all things there are limits. Maybe it would be better to leave this niche for someone else to fill, and call the style something else?
And then the next question is - what should I call it?
By the way - those settlements in the bottom left are meant to be orc ;)
As for the upside down geysers... it looks fine to me, and I wouldn't have known what it was if you hadn't told me.
Or... I could just admit that I like it the way it is and call it something else - leaving the gap available for someone else to fill. I have a very flexible style, but as with all things there are limits. Maybe it would be better to leave this niche for someone else to fill, and call the style something else?
And then the next question is - what should I call it?
Well, if you're seriously thinking of doing this Sue, just looking at your more recent postings above here (from March 7), maybe "Brightlands"? As A) the opposite of "Grimdark", sort of; and B) To my eye at least, Suitable!
Comments
LOL! I do know what you mean, Wyvern. It's not the most beautiful thing I've ever drawn, but it seems to be closer to what people want - at least, over on the FB Group page it's getting a few more appreciative comments than the last one.
Fantastic - in every sense of the word.
Thank you, Quenten :)
I am torn on the glowy eye. It probably depends on what the rest of the map is (which will differ by each person) as to which one I prefer. The skull does look a lot better that the earlier version.
Thanks Julian. I think the glowy eye is possibly a bit strange. I will do two versions for the final set :)
I LOVE the glowy eye.
Me to, glowy eye for certain.
Nope, not going to ask for a vari-color glowy eye...
LOL! I don't think I can do a varicolour glowy eye anyway. It's tricky the way it affects the glow colour on the bone of the socket.
I love all of it! I can't wait to use this style :)
Cal
Thank you, Calibre :)
Here is the latest extract of the style showing some of the structures I've been working on.
Looking good. But those elven buildings, they are meant to be treehouses as far as I understand, but right now, they look a bit on to of the forsst and not part of it. Have you considered having some branches enveloping the buildings a bit as part of the symbol?
Some (lots) of this will go well with Spectrum to create darker lands where all the politicians of the world live dressed as orcs.
Thank you, Remy :)
I didn't want to limit them to only ever being used in dense forest, so I didn't draw any trees in the symbols. To start with I put them on the same sheet as the tree symbols, but found they were being obliterated a bit too much by the trees after using Sort symbols in Map. There is no reason why they can't be more carefully placed (the trees that is) so that they aren't as obscured, but I lifted them above the canopy so that you could see what they really looked like.
They might do, but I haven't been checking it against Spectrum, and I know for certain that I have used a slightly lower angle to do this set where I sometimes find Spectrum a little too steep. It might work. You will have to try it.
Going great. I specially love the mountain symbols. Way to go!
Thank you, Medio. It's a very small set - none of the really special mountains like you have in yours. Heck, I haven't even done any cliffs for this one yet. We'll see what I can do about the natural features in the time I have left.
Yeah well I like the looks of it, they're really fitting the style. Like the Mountains of Madness
Beautiful new structure symbols, Sue!
They don't though look very grim or dark to my eye. I did wonder though if that's because the final maps for this style are intended to have a darkening screen over the whole, or something like a whole map effect, such as an RGB Matrix Process, to alter the colour balance. (Looking at that fading purple overlay at the left-hand edge of your first image made me think of this, though I suspect that's an area boundary effect because of the red line and Edge Fade, Inner (?) Effect on the purple "staining".)
Thanks again, Medio :)
Thank you, Wyvern... I can see I've managed to spark off your creative streak, so I think I will leave it to you to devise a cunning plan. You are always much better at them than I am. The overall colour scheme was inspired by one of the Warhammer maps, but since my muse only had place spots rather than symbols I had to make up the rest ;)
@Loopysue noted:
The overall colour scheme was inspired by one of the Warhammer maps, but since my muse only had place spots rather than symbols I had to make up the rest ;)
That figures. I know we discussed from early in this topic that nobody seems to know what grimdark is really supposed to look like anyway, so... ?
That's good. I'm hoping you will enjoy playing with the colour palette. All the terrain colours are palette colours heavily blurred into one another and then blended onto the one parchment background by Linear Burn, so you could use any colour really. Limited I think by the symbols themselves where none are varicolour (yet) except the hills, but the greens can very easily be toned down even further if you want.
An interesting point of colour theory here... those greens are already quite dull - about half saturation. One of the reasons they look bright is because they are juxtaposed by the dull reddish purple of the mountain and border colours. The Linear Burn makes them slightly brighter, but I hope you can see it's not a huge difference.
The close-look of the forests makes me realize they´re fantastic, Sue! I like them very much, both pines and decidous trees.
That's good news to me, Medio, because there are 20 of each type. I did think that I was going a bit over the top with numbers, but I like there to be none that are obviously the same tree too close to each other.
And thank you - again :)
Murky swamps and toxic areas needed - current earth could help in the latter.
I agree with you about the elven houses. Hope we get goblin/orc dwelling as well, and perhaps symbols for slum cities.
The more cliffs, rock fall and waterfalls we have in any annual, the better. and you do the best. I have even used your geyser in Specrum, turned upside down , with the earth bit hidden, as a waterfall in my latest map - regional Ensom. Tell me what you think of that.
https://forum.profantasy.com/discussion/11076/
Well, I might and I might not. Let's see how it goes. Just changing the colours can make quite a dramatic difference, and that's easy because it's all controlled by the palette colours blended to a single parchment background, so you could have a range of palettes to suit your mood with the map. Here is a much darker, greyer version I tested this morning.
Or... I could just admit that I like it the way it is and call it something else - leaving the gap available for someone else to fill. I have a very flexible style, but as with all things there are limits. Maybe it would be better to leave this niche for someone else to fill, and call the style something else?
And then the next question is - what should I call it?
By the way - those settlements in the bottom left are meant to be orc ;)
As for the upside down geysers... it looks fine to me, and I wouldn't have known what it was if you hadn't told me.
@Loopysue commented:
Or... I could just admit that I like it the way it is and call it something else - leaving the gap available for someone else to fill. I have a very flexible style, but as with all things there are limits. Maybe it would be better to leave this niche for someone else to fill, and call the style something else?
And then the next question is - what should I call it?
Well, if you're seriously thinking of doing this Sue, just looking at your more recent postings above here (from March 7), maybe "Brightlands"? As A) the opposite of "Grimdark", sort of; and B) To my eye at least, Suitable!
I have to agree with Wyvern......it's a lovely style, Sue. And that's just it.....it's too lovely for anything with the description "grim" or "dark".
Thank you :)
LOL! Ok, ok.
So... what shall we call it?
Any ideas are welcome.
Daniel Style? ? Actually, i like Wyverns suggestion of Brightlands
OH, also....i am LOVING the Elven houses. LOVING.