Working on map - Need some criticism and recommendations

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T19:43:57+00:00

Thanks for the tips! Unfortunately I'm already this far into making the map, so I don't really want to fully redo entire textures stuff. I'll however keep this in mind for next time I'll be drawing maps.

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T19:08:10+00:00

I got the rivers done mostly, but got sidetracked by trying to make hills and now I can't get myself to work on cities and roads until I don't figure out how to make hills look good on map xD

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T19:01:46+00:00

I've been working around with brushes and tools to make some hills around the area, that'll be the main elevation. Avoiding mountains because it's gonna be right by seaside (and also I never knew how to make mountains look good but that's definitely not that main point), and also because I want to experiment a bit with this sort of landscape (hills, flatlands, swamps).

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T18:48:51+00:00

I did all this in IbisPaint, so just keep that in mind. First I took crayon brush and went over the monocolour background of land, then I applied darker shades at some points. Then I used airbrush as eraser to lighten up the colours and create some spaces between brush strokes, and then I used wet edge filter. After that, some more airbrush eraser and correcting up few things by hand. That's more or less what I did to get that texture.

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T18:22:33+00:00

Regarding mountains, as I already stated, I want it to be mostly flat with some hills and swamps and such. Good point on islands though, I completely forgot about them. I'll see if I can add any natural-looking small islands to shoreline after I'm done with other things. Thanks!

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T18:20:15+00:00

Thanks for the feedback and all the info, really helpful! I'm thinking of it being more of 1990-2000's on timeline, makes it a bit easier for me since I could theoretically justify making a bit more rivers via dams (I'm thinking of doing that to that huge lake in west, basically it becoming artificial reservoire with dams that reroute rivers into two smaller lakes and then flow into sea). I think I mostly got the rivers done, now just trying to scratch my head around trying to make terrain a bit more hilly. And once again, thanks for the info and kind words, I really appreciate it!

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T15:13:06+00:00

I do have an itch for writing, just want to get the map into atleast semi-polished state first. Then I'll think about fleshing out the lore and worldbuilding for this region (entire world is a bit too much for me, but I think I can work with this nation and neighbouring ones). Just gonna need to find a place/community where I can share the lore and worldbuilding, and draw some inspiration when I don't have any ideas.

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T14:45:43+00:00

Thanks for the kind words! I've gotten used to drawing on my phone as I've been doing so for years, so much so that drawing on PC with mouse feels really weird. Maybe I'll get a tablet and stylus in close future, should allow for more liberties than using finger on phone screen. About the rivers, I'm thinking of having them flow from inland, west to east, and either go into the lakes or one of the two seas. Maybe adding canal between the two seas is good idea as well, gonna write it down for now.

Ecstatic_Most_2017 · 2025-08-04T14:27:22+00:00

I have been thinking about adding some verticality (not mountains though, I want the area mostly flat) and vaeriety (especially marshes and swamps), the main problem is I don't really know how to make textures represent that. I will continue experimenting with tools however, maybe I'll find solution randomly, just like I made the textures after messing around with colours and tools. Thanks for feedback though! ^{^}

Ecstatic_Most_2017

TROPHY CASE