Maps of Imaginary Lands, Part the Second

[temporus]

Okay, so I have another map that I did up, and decided to place up for perusal and comment.   This is a map of Utopia that is based upon a historical map.   This is not a complete, exact, or perfect map by any stretch.  Many of the labels are not yet included, and I'm pretty sure I botched some of them.  Time will hopefully allow me to improve it.

 

Okay, the above are maps I did in CC3.  (Clicking on them should bring you to a larger version, clicking again a larger still version.  Be warned the full versions are over 1 MB in size.)

It's actually the same map.   The one on the left (or top depending upon your resolution), is the raw map.  The one on the right (or bottom), I turned on the effects.   I'm a little torn as to which one I prefer.  There are some things I like better about each.

As always time is a limiting factor.  Labels for all the rivers need to be added, and some more custom symbols crafted.  And the one custom symbol I did make could stand some improvement.   In the meantime, I'm pleased. 

Comments

[l-clausewitz.livejournal.com]

What kind of comments are you looking for, exactly?

[temporus.livejournal.com]

Well, if either of the two variations looks better for one. Any impressions would be appreciated. Anything that stands out as very good, or very bad, for example.

[blue-23.livejournal.com]

The sans one seemed crisper. It did have a bit more of that "I'm from a computer look" that the avec one avoided, but the avec one avoided it by looking a little muddled. But not consistantly muddled - while colors ran on almost everything, the details of the text flares plus their new drop shadows were crisp.

Basically, I could believe the avec one was an older map, but it didn't do it in an appealing way - smudging small thin fonts may nicely age a map, but do not increase it's readability.

As a specific detail, I like the shallows much better on the sans.

I'd love to see the two of these on paper, that would really be the litmus test for me.

Cheers,
=Blue(23)

P.S. I just concentrated on the differences, I really need to include that I liked them very much. Town placement in regards to waterways and such seemed quite natural. I was a bit torn by the number of rivers that seemed to flow hither and yon.

[temporus.livejournal.com]

Blue,

I'm a bit hampered by the fact that this is an attempt at an exact replica. It's not something I crafted wholecloth. The townplacement, rivers, names, everything are based upon the original. I probably will print them both out to see which way looks better.

[l-clausewitz.livejournal.com]

Somehow i think what you need is a version intermediate between the immediate-click one and the (very much) larger one. In the former the signs are too small to be readable on my monitor, while the latter would strain my dial-up connection to the limit.