It's one thing working on something, and quite another thing trying to sell it if people generally are a bit frightened of possible consequences if we're wrong about the copyright. It would be good to be able to reassure people that everything was fine.
The person that contacted me, whom I assume to be a curator of some kind, stated that my request peaked his interest and thus he responded so quickly. He'd like to see whatever it is that is produced, viz a map, as he is curious as to what will be done in that style.
Since this morning Profantasy have expressed an interest in turning this into an issue for the annual, so there will be an example map drawn in the style that is part of that issue. That will probably be the first map ever drawn in the new style. Unfortunately this will not be available until the issue is published.
A key would be fantastic, though I doubt there is one. It's a fairly modern concept.
I don't think we started using keys until there was accurate data on 'different kinds of' or 'different levels of', such as geological data and population census data to map - and even then, not until such things became important to mining companies and those in power. War was probably an important motivator, since it would have been necessary to make sure that every general could instantly see the information it passed, though the key would probably have been a separate document for security reasons.
I haven't seen a single vestigial key anywhere, but I suspect that is because it is fairly easy to interpret the meaning of the fills.
The zoomy version is slightly easier to use because you don't have to keep guessing at whether you have the right map section. You just pan. From it I have also noticed that what at first sight appear to be different fills are in fact the same fill drawn by different cartographers, using different drawing styles and strengths of ink, and that some sections are considerably more worn than others, which damages the colour (particularly the reds). I have a choice to make about which style to pick, and whether to restore the colour 'as new' or reproduce one of the various aging types visible in the different regions. This map was probably pretty brightly coloured when it was new, so I might go for aged, but not so much that everything looks too blue and yellow.
The aged version would probably be best, but if it can be done both newer and aged, the value of the annual would likely be increased, as it provides more options. I prefer the aged, myself.
Since we only see the map itself I agree with you on your assessment to a point. It may well be that there was additional documentation that went with the map, but is not shown otherwise. Thus, my reliance on my friend's taking a look at the original map or at the very least the book version she has access to.
I like the aged look too, but I think I have a slight preference for the areas where the colours aren't quite so badly faded. I was thinking along the lines of aged paper with slightly brighter colours.
I will show what I mean over on my development thread when I have something worth showing :)
In the Key of Ferraris. This is from the book that was published in French and Dutch. Sorry, I don't know how to turn the image here, but the file itself is properly oriented for reading.
I have already experimented with this aspect. The paper I have made looks aged, but can easily be made to look a lot newer by using an HSL sheet effect to lighten it. I did a little research and found that bleach was not in use for paper making until long after this map was drawn, so the paper would never have been perfectly white, even when it was new. It was probably finest linen paper, and there are interesting hints even to the nature of the mesh it was made on if you look at the subtle horizontal bars in the ocean washes - also built into the new textures. There were no 'finishing' techniques with china clay on the surface like there are today, so though it is painted in inks it would have been too absorbent for there to be a tidemark edge. This also explains the raggedness of the edges of the stripes. The ink sank quickly into the paper - a very difficult medium to paint on compared to modern paper.
I will put up a new progress shot on my development thread when I get back from mum's tonight.
However, where the two of them overlap to a certain extent, there are things that only appear in one or the other of them, so it wasn't an entirely wasted effort, and I'm still very grateful for her efforts
The pdf version I've just found is at the end of an article that has quite a lot of detail about the history of the making of the Ferraris map - including information about the main cartographers and the way the detail gradually became less and less as time went on due to fatigue (burnout boredom I guess). It's quite a fascinating read.
They're both official keys. They just cover very slightly different things because opinions sometimes differ when there was no key for the map other than the one that resided in the minds of the trained mapmakers of that day.
What I have to do now is decide what is needed for a fully functional style that CC3 mappers might use to create their own fantasy game maps, while trying not to clutter it with too many different types of meadow etc. A balance.
I'm nearly there, but I want to think about the new key I drew up this morning before I show it.
The rivers are polygons because it is more of a tool to draw all the areas of water, including the sea and any lakes you have. It's like a coastline drawing tool that includes rivers. If you don't fancy drawing all the way up and down each river you could clone this tool and convert it to a line drawing tool, but keep the original for drawing the lakes and the sea.
The default contour draws a bright pink polygon on a particular sheet which has a dark brown outer glow effect on it. There is a Colour Key effect after this glow which knocks out the pink, leaving the glow behind as a contour line. Make sure the sheet effects are on.
There are 3 contour sheets to choose between. The default contours are drawn on one, but you can use change properties to move them to one of the other two sheets. The idea is that there are 3 contours. You can add more by creating new contour sheets and copying the effects across.
On each of the contour sheets there are two alternative blend modes. One for a pale contour indicating a shallow slope, and one for a dark contour indicating a steep slope. Use one or the other, but not both at the same time.
The greatest advantage for me is that rivers can easily vary in width, and shape, whereas a line tool with the same width looks too artificial for small regional maps.
@Sue, Thanks. Yes it does. I really like the slope effect once I got the hang of drawing the contours. I like it better than the similar tools in the Napoleonic Annual.
@Quenton, after some experimentation, I was able to construct a satisfactory coastline, but it would take much more effort from me to really master it.
Comments
It's one thing working on something, and quite another thing trying to sell it if people generally are a bit frightened of possible consequences if we're wrong about the copyright. It would be good to be able to reassure people that everything was fine.
I have received confirmation from the Royal Library. One is allowed to copy the style, just not to reproduce any portion of the map in their library.
I can forward you the email, privately, if you'd like.
Thank you Khornishman
No need for the email - I trust you
The person that contacted me, whom I assume to be a curator of some kind, stated that my request peaked his interest and thus he responded so quickly. He'd like to see whatever it is that is produced, viz a map, as he is curious as to what will be done in that style.
For that matter, so am I.
That is great news!
My friend in Belgium is checking to see about map symbol key, this weekend. Hopefully, she'll have something to report back.
I don't think we started using keys until there was accurate data on 'different kinds of' or 'different levels of', such as geological data and population census data to map - and even then, not until such things became important to mining companies and those in power. War was probably an important motivator, since it would have been necessary to make sure that every general could instantly see the information it passed, though the key would probably have been a separate document for security reasons.
Thank your friend very much from me for doing all this running around.
I have also been looking at the Belgian copy of the map, which is a complete zoomy map here:
The Belgian Ferraris map
I haven't seen a single vestigial key anywhere, but I suspect that is because it is fairly easy to interpret the meaning of the fills.
The zoomy version is slightly easier to use because you don't have to keep guessing at whether you have the right map section. You just pan. From it I have also noticed that what at first sight appear to be different fills are in fact the same fill drawn by different cartographers, using different drawing styles and strengths of ink, and that some sections are considerably more worn than others, which damages the colour (particularly the reds). I have a choice to make about which style to pick, and whether to restore the colour 'as new' or reproduce one of the various aging types visible in the different regions. This map was probably pretty brightly coloured when it was new, so I might go for aged, but not so much that everything looks too blue and yellow.
The aged version would probably be best, but if it can be done both newer and aged, the value of the annual would likely be increased, as it provides more options. I prefer the aged, myself.
Since we only see the map itself I agree with you on your assessment to a point. It may well be that there was additional documentation that went with the map, but is not shown otherwise. Thus, my reliance on my friend's taking a look at the original map or at the very least the book version she has access to.
I will show what I mean over on my development thread when I have something worth showing :)
That will be incredibly useful. Now I can work out what fills and symbols to do.
Now, I need to think of some way to repay my friend for her time.
Please thank her very much from me, will you?
I will put up a new progress shot on my development thread when I get back from mum's tonight.
Sure thing!
pdf file
However, where the two of them overlap to a certain extent, there are things that only appear in one or the other of them, so it wasn't an entirely wasted effort, and I'm still very grateful for her efforts
The pdf version I've just found is at the end of an article that has quite a lot of detail about the history of the making of the Ferraris map - including information about the main cartographers and the way the detail gradually became less and less as time went on due to fatigue (burnout boredom I guess). It's quite a fascinating read.
No worries. I was going for what the Royal Library recognized as an official key.
The history of the map and mapmakers is sure intereting. I'd love to read Ferraris' memoirs.
What I have to do now is decide what is needed for a fully functional style that CC3 mappers might use to create their own fantasy game maps, while trying not to clutter it with too many different types of meadow etc. A balance.
I'm nearly there, but I want to think about the new key I drew up this morning before I show it.
Why does the river tool produce a polygon instead of a path? It really hurts my brain.
What does the Default contour do? Is it just the sea level view?
The rivers are polygons because it is more of a tool to draw all the areas of water, including the sea and any lakes you have. It's like a coastline drawing tool that includes rivers. If you don't fancy drawing all the way up and down each river you could clone this tool and convert it to a line drawing tool, but keep the original for drawing the lakes and the sea.
The default contour draws a bright pink polygon on a particular sheet which has a dark brown outer glow effect on it. There is a Colour Key effect after this glow which knocks out the pink, leaving the glow behind as a contour line. Make sure the sheet effects are on.
There are 3 contour sheets to choose between. The default contours are drawn on one, but you can use change properties to move them to one of the other two sheets. The idea is that there are 3 contours. You can add more by creating new contour sheets and copying the effects across.
On each of the contour sheets there are two alternative blend modes. One for a pale contour indicating a shallow slope, and one for a dark contour indicating a steep slope. Use one or the other, but not both at the same time.
I hope that answers your questions?
@Quenton, after some experimentation, I was able to construct a satisfactory coastline, but it would take much more effort from me to really master it.