# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Pen and Paper / Traditional Methods >  Just starting out...here are a few of my maps

## ArgentTheWise

Hope this is the correct place for these....

First map I made....its a bit rough but we all have to



Inked



Then my next one...

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## wminish

Hi ArgentTheWise

These are looking very good, especially for a first attempt (and yes this is the correct place to post this). The lines are nice and clean and there are some really nice details on the maps such as the sea serpent and the location icons. There is a detail that looks a little strange to me on the "The sea of Guileport" map and that is the rivers on the main island. You would generally expect rivers to flow out of mountains, sometimes forming lakes along the way, and then into the sea, but these rivers seem to largely ignore the nearby mountains and flow from the planes into the sea. This is a fairly small detail though and overall they are looking very nice.

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## Arimel

Really nice map! The compass looks really neat, not sure I have seen that style before. The mountain style also works rather well. Only critique would be on the Scorching Reef on the right hand side. I would have positioned it so it would not hang off the edge onto the border but that is just my personal preference there.

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## ArgentTheWise

> Hi ArgentTheWise
> 
> These are looking very good, especially for a first attempt (and yes this is the correct place to post this). The lines are nice and clean and there are some really nice details on the maps such as the sea serpent and the location icons. There is a detail that looks a little strange to me on the "The sea of Guileport" map and that is the rivers on the main island. You would generally expect rivers to flow out of mountains, sometimes forming lakes along the way, and then into the sea, but these rivers seem to largely ignore the nearby mountains and flow from the planes into the sea. This is a fairly small detail though and overall they are looking very nice.


Thanks - yeah I totally understand the illogical geography of those - its something I'm trying to work on  :Smile:  but I totally appreciate the feedback - its all about learning and moving forward!




> Really nice map! The compass looks really neat, not sure I have seen that style before. The mountain style also works rather well. Only critique would be on the Scorching Reef on the right hand side. I would have positioned it so it would not hang off the edge onto the border but that is just my personal preference there.


Thanks - I think the compass came out of me just working circles to make something and spotted the strange shape and thought - lets roll with it.  The Scorching Reef hanging off in to the border was an unfortunate happenstance.  I realized the map needed a border after I did the main land - however I started on the opposite side of the map with my measurements - so by the time I got there it was too late - and since I had already inked the island - I couldn't just erase it so I worked around it.

I certainly have learned more to the process of my workflow, I now try to pencil in more details before I break out the pens and start inking since I can't un-ink something to make a correction  :Smile: 

Between this site and Instagram - I've been learning quite a bit.  

Now I just need to figure out why I'm not getting notifications from this site to my posts  :Razz:

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## tilt

Very nice maps - you're off to a good start  :Smile:   concerning rivers I usually draw them "opposite" so see it like a tree with it's root at the ocean stretching its branches towards the mountains  :Smile:  That should also help you avoid rivers splitting up and other inconsitencies.   :Smile:

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## Adfor

These are pretty good, though the hatching border along the coasts give it the impression of mountains at first glance.

Keep at it, I like your sea monster.  :Smile: 

IR

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## TimetoDraw

> These are pretty good, though the hatching border along the coasts give it the impression of mountains at first glance.


You're right, I thought so too. Not the best indicator of a coastline. But that's the joy of experimenting, you see what works and what doesn't.

Great work Argent.

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## ArgentTheWise

Testing image sharing....and Mountains! I think I might have finally cracked this code...if you can't see the image let me know.

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## Arimel

I think something went wrong along the way, at least I can't see an image.

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## supermarket cart

Oh wow I love your last compass design! Do you mind if I steal it for my compass?

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