WIP - The Eastern shores of Ehren

[Diamond]

There's some duplication; it's unavoidable. I wouldn't obsess over it though.

[kacey]

I started placing my national borders tonight, and I’m struggling more then I thought I would. I’m curious if any one has any thoughts on how I should handle borders that go right through rivers, or along a cliffs edge. I’m feeling it all looks a little sloppy right now, and I’m wondering maybe if a different style of border might work better? I don’t know. The colour will probably change, I’m sure I’ll tinker around with it more once I’m done figuring out where the borders will be, this is not set in stone. I’m really hoping for some feedback, so any critiques, ideas, or suggestions would be appreciated. Also I'm really getting flustered over how I should place borders up, and around the Northern area where all those lakes are, I'm completely lost on where the borders should be.

[Eilathen]

There's some duplication; it's unavoidable. I wouldn't obsess over it though.

Yeah, what Diamond said. Especially considering that even if you do not use such tools, you will have stuff that other people already have. Just look at all the discussions on fantasy novels forums where some fans of one author accuse another author of "stealing" names from the former author etc etc . It's ridiculous. I wouldn't worry over much.

As to the borders...can you tell us what kind of era this world you are mapping is in? Because arbitrary borders right through no-man's land and along "non-existant barriers" aka no-one-knows-why-the-border-is-where-it-is are more or less modern things (you know, the borders that are straight as arrows and stuff...look at a map of modern Africa for example...those are all borders modern nations drew at the drawing-table). In worlds that are in an era equivalent to our middle-ages or even earlier eras, most borders were along natural barriers like mountains, big-ass forests, seas, lakes and rivers. So depending on your answer as to the era, the answer to your question can be quite different

[Falconius]

Indeed, also of note that the borders of countries were formed by fiefs of loyalty to a particular ruler rather than "this" area belongs to "this" country (it's more like this area is controlled by this family who is under this ruler, which also leads to areas being defined by natural features), so the borders were very irregular and just as often were separated by other countries.

Edit: (if we are talking feudalistic society)

[kacey]

Eilathen, and Falconius, I definitely don't want it to be modern, and I really haven't put too much thought into the rulers or history of the area yet, I was hoping that seeing where natural barriers might cause a split would help me think those things through. So I was trying to do borders at places where natural barriers could possibly cause separation, like mountains, rivers, on the edge of that giant cliff, forests, or in areas where there's a change in climate. I'm wondering if I've accomplished this, or if I'm just sorely lost. I've never made it to this point on a map before so it's all new to me, which is why I value you're opinions so much, so thanks for all the help. Also, do you think the style of line I'm using for borders is ok, or is it an eye sore?

[snodsy]

This is quite stunning! Very beautiful and like use of color works really nice. Love your treatment of the forests.


Couple comments,

Maybe some (not many) of the rivers go further into the mountain ranges, they all stop just around the border of the mountain range.

The outer ring coastlines are pretty dominate - the gradient is good, I just think it's the complexity of them and the light touch on the Mountains, so maybe just a bit more transparency??.

Like your cliffs in the foreground, maybe more in the background? and maybe one becomes a canyon or at least goes inland further? This would be where a river may flow as well.

Great job!

[Falconius]

Oh I think their locations are good, I was just adding a little context to try and help out. As for the current style or solutions I don't know, it's a really tough challenge actually so good luck, but I don't think they look good cutting through the rivers. What I've seen people do and what I've also done in the past is place them along the edges of the rivers. Alternatively you could put them under the rivers? Very often people leave borders off iso maps completely and define areas with flags or shields in the general location of their countries. Although looking at it perhaps part of the problem here is that the line you are using blends too much with the other fine line work?

Here is a comparison for thought: (https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=23821) He indicates roads here but not borders, most of the iso regional maps I've been searching through do the same.

[Falconius]

Actually I found a couple of iso style maps that have border that seem successful:
https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...l=1#post296887
In which case Max probably actually has a few if you check out his albums.
And another from the CWBP: https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...l=1#post300224

[kacey]

This is quite stunning! Very beautiful and like use of color works really nice. Love your treatment of the forests.


Couple comments,

Maybe some (not many) of the rivers go further into the mountain ranges, they all stop just around the border of the mountain range.

The outer ring coastlines are pretty dominate - the gradient is good, I just think it's the complexity of them and the light touch on the Mountains, so maybe just a bit more transparency??.

Like your cliffs in the foreground, maybe more in the background? and maybe one becomes a canyon or at least goes inland further? This would be where a river may flow as well.

Great job!

Thank's Snodsy, I'll put those things on my list of things to consider. I have an ongoing list of things people have suggested that I just haven't gotten around to yet. I won't be adding anymore cliffs, I haven't even finished the ones I've got, and adding more means moving other things, and it all just seems like too much work right now. Tho it seems like a good idea I'm antsy to just get it done.

[kacey]

Oh I think their locations are good, I was just adding a little context to try and help out. As for the current style or solutions I don't know, it's a really tough challenge actually so good luck, but I don't think they look good cutting through the rivers. What I've seen people do and what I've also done in the past is place them along the edges of the rivers. Alternatively you could put them under the rivers? Very often people leave borders off iso maps completely and define areas with flags or shields in the general location of their countries. Although looking at it perhaps part of the problem here is that the line you are using blends too much with the other fine line work?

Here is a comparison for thought: (https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=23821) He indicates roads here but not borders, most of the iso regional maps I've been searching through do the same.

Thank's for taking the time to share all those link's Falconius, I really appreciate the visual aid. Isn't TheRedEpic's map of Hyranden a thing of beauty!? I love it, and I like you're idea to do the crests instead of borders, but I know nothing about heraldry, and I'm afraid it would take some time to learn about. It would be fun to design all those shields tho, I might like to try it on a different map with better planning. I definitely got some ideas about running the lines along the rivers by looking at you're examples, and I'm working on redoing it now... Wish me luck, and thank's again for taking the time to help.