I started creating this map for my Fantasy RP last night and I should probably start labeling it more, but just looking at it with the province labels it looks a little tacky. Should I start a new vector map that is less complicated or use a different font/technique to finish this one? Kind of looks like google maps which is not what I intended at first. I'm also not sure how to go about the boarders... everything I draw doesn't look like a real boarder, just some squiggly line across the map. gah.

MAP

To be honest, I really like it. It looks very realistic and certainly gives a feel for the location. I think that you should struggle on with it and I am certain that you will be happy with the result.

Yours looks fine but I wouldn't expect it to be on a fantasy rpg since it does look a lot like google maps. I can tell you about my experience I had with making a map and maybe it will help you.

When I made my map, I went looking all over the place for tutorials. Me, I drew the basic details such as rivers and mountains. The borders were easy enough, just do it with an unsteady hand. I had fun with it but kept in mind that the border should be jagged, not strait for any long distance. Of course I had to draw it more than once because I never go with my first attempt because the second is usually better. After that, I went over and darkened the lines before scanning it and coloring over it in photoshop and then putting a texture over it that would make it look like a map on a very old piece of paper.

1. Researched maps. Crazy? Nope. I looked at all sorts of old maps on all sorts of parts of the world. I found it very interesting and remembered some features I liked about them so maybe I could try and incorporate that feature into my map.
2. I got my pencil and paper and drew. For a while I just doodled nonsense before actually trying to put onto paper what was swimming around in my head. It took a couple tries and about a week for me to be satisfied but that's normal. I then scanned it so I could put it on photoshop and add effects, color, and other features to it.
3. This is where I went hunting for brushes to use. Trees to represent forests, mountains... that sort of thing. I also used groups of very small squares for large cities, obviously the more squares, the larger the city. I also colored the map its appropriate colors as well as put an old paper texture over it to make it look like an old map.

I am sure I could hunt down the brushes I used for you as well as some sites I retrieved advice from.

Kwentra - It does sometimes help to struggle on, makes the final piece better. ^-^ I'll give it one hr. haha

Shade - Thanks! What you said really helps. I've looked at a few maps on Deviant Art as well as the one's I can find around the web and a lot of them as focused on a central region. Which makes sense considering that most people like to see where certain rivers, lakes, cities, and mountain ranges are. Looking at your old topic about maps, you did the same thing. lol I'm just a little nervous about bring everything down to a smaller level since I like to get things right even if it is just for a Fantasy RP. Like a city might develop along a river because x, y, and z. If you have digital brushes at easy access I would like to look at them. :) I got a Lord of the Rings set from DA, but I was hoping to find a better set.

I'll see if I can find the links then edit this post and put them here in case anyone else would like to use them.

Paper Brushes
http://chain.deviantart.com/art/Paperbrushes-569724

Map Symbols
http://chain.deviantart.com/art/SFW-brushes-v1-1788315
http://crimsonvermil-stock.deviantart.com/...ymbols-59689999
http://mawstock.deviantart.com/art/Fantasy...a-Pack-85383801

I used the first two map symbols links on my map but the paper brushes I happened to run across because they were made by the same person that made the map symbols I used. Thought someone might find them useful. The last map symbols link I ran across on a quick search, the mountains looked really good. The serpent in the water was interesting too.

Very nice. I really like the paper texture brushes and the last because of the sharp mountains. :)

Woah, this map is cool. How did you do it? Or did you just take a google map?

At any rate, I think it looks neat. I think you should vary the font a bit so that the provinces are bigger and the cities and land features are smaller, etc. I would also suggest a different font.

Thanks. ^-^ I painted a lot of it in Photoshop using about 20 layers and layer masks but I also used maps from NASA that I could find online. Half way through I realized that my shorelines didn't look right so most of them as blended in sat. photos of places like South America and Norway.

Oh, that's neat. Well, good job on it. I tried to make a map using photoshop once and I sucked, so I do all my maps by hand. + 5 points to you. XD

There was an issue in Photoshop Creative on making Fantasy Maps. It is AWESOME. Sadly, their website only offers the files used in the tutorial from the magazine, but not the tutorial itself. But they have castles, cottages, rivers, etc. etc. on the maps. Very, very cute! If anyone ever gets their hands on Issue 34, go make one. I made one for one of my sites, and I got several compliments on it. ("Very unique!" "Very pretty!" "I like it shows what the realm looks like. Helpful for my rping!")
Just thought I would mention that, haha.

I like what you've got now. I would suggest to clean up the waters a bit, and make the text bigger (hard to read, sorry). Otherwise, I like it!

I have to disagree that looking like a Google Map is a bad thing. I think that actually adds to it. It gives the whole thing a more realistic feel. Sure, making it look like an old map would be cool, but I think the way she had it is fine. What you did...wow, I don't think I could achieve something like that in Photoshop! Good job! I wouldn't make a new one, personally. You worked hard on it, and I've never seen someone do a map like that before. If it was changed to look more like a fantasy map, then it would like what everyone else has. I like the look of it now!
To clarify what I meant by 'realistic feel': I mean that it looks like a real map, rather than the typical fantasy ones. :/