Lands of Qaliste [stage1] by sirinkman by SirInkman on DeviantArt

Participant of the CGTrader Digital Art Competition
www.cgtrader.com/
I'm entering CGTrader's competition for 2018 with a few pieces.
This one is for Environment Illustration.

I've been working on this one over the holiday. It started life a long time ago as a sketch and sat there for a number of years.

I fiddled with it a bit over some years but didn't really do much. Then the other week I bought some new fonts and wanted to play with them.
So I made some quick thing with that old map and put some sample text over it.
The thing was, my sample text was saying something about making your map something special... and well, the map I was using wasn't really.
So I set out to make it special. Then it got out of hand and this is what it turned into.

I want to take this further and try to make a campaign out of it and do some map sets to go with it.
Time will tell how that plays out. In an ironic twist, I'm going to start a wip thread after posting this.
It would mainly be to show some other directions I went and some things I might do further to this - hence the Stage 1 title.
I want to try something more interesting for a border but had to move on atm. cheers, J.

Other bits...

Britannia game board [commission] by SirInkman

Menzheim [final-L] by sirinkman by SirInkman

Sagemound [front] by sirinkman by SirInkman

Kellerica Featured By Owner Apr 14, 2017 Student Digital Artist

This is still one of my all-time favorites when it comes to your beautiful maps. The colors and the overall feeling are almost fabulous.

The only thing I don't really like are the 'wavelines' (or whatever they're called) around the coasts, they look a little too digital compared to the soft, hand-painted feel of the landscape.

SirInkman Featured By Owner Apr 14, 2017 Professional

Thanks Rela

I can understand that.
I have mostly changed to doing the wave lines by hand, as it does tend to fit the look better.
It takes a lot longer [A LOT LONGER

] but it does look more fitting, if not always looking better.

conciliarityoftepat Featured By Owner Jan 18, 2016

Love the coloring on this and the British Isles map, especially the lighter blue "glow" around the coastlines

SirInkman Featured By Owner Jan 18, 2016 Professional

Thanks CoT.

Part of the reasoning for that color is that as you get closer to the coast, the land under water rises up toward the water.
As it gets closer the water is blocking less light and you can see the land underneath. That's the general idea at least.

conciliarityoftepat Featured By Owner Jan 18, 2016

Yeah, I see the lighter areas along the coast when I study satellite maps. But I don't see people do it on most maps they design themselves.

SirInkman Featured By Owner Jan 18, 2016 Professional

I agree. I spend a lot of time looking at sat images to better understand how to render terrain as realistically as I can within the confines of a map.
I'm not really trying to do totally photorealistic but I am trying to make sure what I'm doing is as accurate as I can get within the style I'm working on at the time.

That's part of why I put so much effort into top down styles.
They're not as popular as the iso style mountains but I like how much more accurate they can be.
When I do perspective, it's perspective and not iso.
I just feel like it's more cohesive.

Nhlaqgor Featured By Owner Jan 1, 2016 Hobbyist Artisan Crafter

Wow this is really a nice looking map!

One question:
How did you make those mountains?
I'm asking because i'm trying to create a world map for my RPG, but i'm despairing because i can't get mountains to look good.

SirInkman Featured By Owner Jan 1, 2016 Professional

It's a bit complicated but essentially I start with a dark ridgeline, then on a new layer I do the shadow side [usually set to multiply].
Then on a new layer I do the light side [often set to soft light]. There's a lot more to it involving painterly skills developed over time but that's basically how it's done.
No real tricks - just a lot of hand drawn/painted light/shadow and texturing. It's by far my most difficult style.

Nhlaqgor Featured By Owner Jan 4, 2016 Hobbyist Artisan Crafter

I can see...
This must have been a LOT of work! But it's worth it imo. It looks absolutely amazing.

PS: sorry for my late answer.

SirInkman Featured By Owner Jan 4, 2016 Professional

Thanks Nhlaqgor.

And no worries.

TopplingDominoes Featured By Owner Dec 31, 2015 Student General Artist

This is amazing!!! I really like the colors and textures.

SirInkman Featured By Owner Dec 31, 2015 Professional

Thanks Chantel.

I was pretty happy with this one, though I struggle a bit for awhile before I got the color right.

TopplingDominoes Featured By Owner Jan 1, 2016 Student General Artist

I know the feeling. I changed the colors of one of my drawings several times and still I'm unsure.

Woodgnome01 Featured By Owner Dec 31, 2015

Excellent Map.

SirInkman Featured By Owner Dec 31, 2015 Professional

Thanks Paul.

Always appreciated.

MoonlitCrescent Featured By Owner Dec 31, 2015

I love this so much!

SirInkman Featured By Owner Dec 31, 2015 Professional

Thank you Tom.

Great to hear.

MoonlitCrescent Featured By Owner Jan 1, 2016

Do you take commissions here or anything like that?

SirInkman Featured By Owner Edited Jan 1, 2016 Professional

I do, but the best way is to contact me via email.
If any files need to be sent, for example roughs to show what you want done and such, it's just easier via email.
I'll note you with my email or you can check my profile for that too.

edit - sent you a note.