# Shadowend map - updated 2/5 with revised local map



## Nellisir (Jan 8, 2008)

My new Shadowend campaign setting map.  I'm pretty happy with it.    
Hand-drawn, hand-colored, marker on vellum.  This was my first real effort using a number of new techniques I'd learned in a landscape design class, and it was -hard-.  Should be easier now that I've identified alot of the colors and lines that work for me.
Text added in Photoshop Elements.  Not completely happy with it.


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## Pyrandon (Jan 8, 2008)

Well done map!  I really like the water details and coastlines--very interesting and rich.  I am not sure the yellow is my favorite, for it seems so bare and arid instead of rich or lush--was that the effect you were looking for?

I also agree the font isn't well suited to the map--it is rather bland in comparison with the detailed, stylized impact of the rest of the map.  Perhaps something a bit more ornate?  (On that, though, I also wouldn't go too far and choose some frilly calligraphic hand, though.)

Great job overall.  Nice post.


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## Nellisir (Jan 9, 2008)

Pyrandon said:
			
		

> Well done map!  I really like the water details and coastlines--very interesting and rich.  I am not sure the yellow is my favorite, for it seems so bare and arid instead of rich or lush--was that the effect you were looking for?



Yellow vs green was a big quandary.  Ultimately I went yellow to set up more contrast between open lands, swamp lands, and forest.


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## jaerdaph (Jan 10, 2008)

Nice work, Nell! Do you have a larger image? I'd love to see some of the detail, like the forests, and islands and rocks in the water.


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## Sunaj2k3 (Jan 10, 2008)

He does and how Jaerdaph.  He's hosting the map on his flickr site and you can view it at its original size at http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2177346006&size=o .  It's at 6202x4880 resolution!  Good Heavens, at that size I can make out the smudging of the ink and markers on the paper.


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## Nellisir (Jan 10, 2008)

Pyrandon said:
			
		

> I also agree the font isn't well suited to the map--it is rather bland in comparison with the detailed, stylized impact of the rest of the map.  Perhaps something a bit more ornate?  (On that, though, I also wouldn't go too far and choose some frilly calligraphic hand, though.)




I redid the fonts in Madeira (for countries and city-states) and Viner Hand (for natural features.  I think it works better.  I'll post it later tonight to see what other people think.



			
				sunaj2k3 said:
			
		

> He does and how Jaerdaph. He's hosting the map on his flickr site and you can view it at its original size at http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gn...77346006&size=o . It's at 6202x4880 resolution! Good Heavens, at that size I can make out the smudging of the ink and markers on the paper.



LOL!  Smudges, bleeding, and everything!


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## Sirith (Jan 11, 2008)

Wow, I really like it . The use of colour makes for recognizable areas and for some reason the coastline is my favourite part of the map.
However, that's also something that draws attention away from the rest of the map, because of the huge contract between the water - coastline - land. Perhaps use a lighter colour next time (unless of course you want to draw attention to that, in that case it's great )


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## Nellisir (Jan 11, 2008)

Sirith said:
			
		

> Wow, I really like it . The use of colour makes for recognizable areas and for some reason the coastline is my favourite part of the map.
> However, that's also something that draws attention away from the rest of the map, because of the huge contract between the water - coastline - land. Perhaps use a lighter colour next time (unless of course you want to draw attention to that, in that case it's great )




It does "pop" a bit.  I think it's one of those things that once you notice it, you see it constantly.  Getting more texture into the open land might have helped, but I had to call it quits somewhere before I screwed up and had to start over (again).


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## Nellisir (Jan 11, 2008)

*New fonts*

OK, here's a new version - same map, different fonts.  Madeira for political entities, viner hand for geographical features.  This is slightly more of a "working" copy with all the names on it (there'll be alot of names when everything's labelled!)

For the curious, I've started a thread  to collect some of my notes on the setting.


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## Sirith (Jan 12, 2008)

Nellisir said:
			
		

> It does "pop" a bit.  I think it's one of those things that once you notice it, you see it constantly.  Getting more texture into the open land might have helped, but I had to call it quits somewhere before I screwed up and had to start over (again).




Yeah, going on and on with such a thing isn't working either 

I think those new fonts look nice, btw.


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## jaerdaph (Jan 16, 2008)

Again, this looks amazing. There's nothing like hand drawn maps.


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## Nellisir (Jan 16, 2008)

OK, new map, slightly different style.  No color yet, and needs work in a few other spots.  This is a subset of the one above, and covers Roen, Romagna, the Forest of Eoghin, Everglass, and portions of Asavar and Coedalan.  There's a link to the larger version here.


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## Lwaxy (Jan 17, 2008)

Those are great. Mind if I incorporate them into my epic campaign? I really can't do 13 complete worlds so I have to borrow )


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## Nellisir (Jan 17, 2008)

Lwaxy said:
			
		

> Those are great. Mind if I incorporate them into my epic campaign? I really can't do 13 complete worlds so I have to borrow )



Go for it.  If you can put my name (Nathan Irving) on or by them, that's be much appreciated.

I should add that in also, actually.


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## Lwaxy (Jan 18, 2008)

Sure I'll add your name. 

I used to do maps by hand but now I don't even have a real table in all the house except the gaming room (yeah, we have our own gaming room hehe) and that's always full with books and cards and maps already.


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## Ishmayl (Jan 30, 2008)

That really is an awesome map - would you mind sharing some tips and techniques on how you created it?  You may consider showing it off over at the Cartographers Guild; they do a lot of map-making, as well as give good advice and critiques over there.  Good job, can't wait to see more.


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## Nellisir (Jan 30, 2008)

Ishmayl said:
			
		

> That really is an awesome map - would you mind sharing some tips and techniques on how you created it?



Nope.  I've thought about it, but haven't had the time yet.  I scan alot, so I should have a good number of intermediate stages, plus I keep alot of my scratch paper - I thought I'd scan some of that in and show how I came up with what I did.



> You may consider showing it off over at the Cartographers Guild; they do a lot of map-making, as well as give good advice and critiques over there.  Good job, can't wait to see more.



I checked it out briefly; seems interesting but I'd like to get a little more practice in and a little more time.  I'm shy.


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## Pyrandon (Jan 31, 2008)

OK,  I say you have nothing to be shy about!  Great maps, rich to the eye, and well-thought out.  Nice, nice work.  Your maps also remind me how ironic it is in today's world, with computer apps being so prevalent in cartography (both fantasy and real-world), that the simple scanned in drawing by someone's actual hand on real-live paper can seem so fresh and wonderful!  

Good going!


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## jaerdaph (Jan 31, 2008)

More great work, Nellisir!


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## Sirith (Feb 3, 2008)

Latest map is very nice as well. Love the little details like the houses and forts denoting cities and towns. Are those hatched areas arable ground?


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## Nellisir (Feb 3, 2008)

Sirith said:
			
		

> Latest map is very nice as well. Love the little details like the houses and forts denoting cities and towns. Are those hatched areas arable ground?



Yes, I was working from the old Birthright domain maps, trying to get something similarly casual.  Thanks for the comment!


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## Nellisir (Feb 6, 2008)

I made some time and touched up the Roen map a little.  Someday I'll get around to coloring it, but it'll have to be black&white for now.  I'm not totally thrilled with the open ground "white space", but everything I've tried to fill it in in b&w has made it too busy.  A hazard of working this small, I guess - I've got very little room for fine detailing.  I could probably get better pens, too.  Ah well, coloring should take care of it.

Larger version here.


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## Treebore (Dec 31, 2008)

Nice work!


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