Japan - 日本 - Quenched

[jefjef]

Go here. Style and common coloring of ink stamps.

http://www.thejapaneseconnection.com/digital_hanko.htm

[isaiah40]

Without the drop shadow. I agree with Mr.Benn, make the stamp have little pits, chunks (small ones), not entirely perfectly stamped, like a rubber stamp.

[RedBaron0]

Click image to enlarge.

I think I got the stamp now, what do you guys think?

I'll get something out by the Sea of Japan, I've got an junk I was using before that I can likely use in some way, at worst I can put an army circle out there if nothing can be found or agreed on.

[isaiah40]

Can you make the 2 symbols inside the stamp area more like the border of the stamp? It seems to stand out to much, as the border of the stamp looks like a rubber stamp.

[RedBaron0]

You mean put the 日本 off to the left say, smaller, with a larger "Japan" in the the center?

[the.killing.44]

Still not a fan of the bevel or the lines—I think you should make them more brush-painted on. The bevel is off with the parchment feel, IMO.

For the title area, it's too "perfect." Take a natural brush at ~20px; Spacing: 50%; Scattering: scatter ~150%, count 2, count jitter 100%; Other Dynamics: opacity jitter 50% control off, flow jitter 57% control pen pressure. Duplicate all the layers in the title/sig block, merge them, and hide the originals. Then, on your merged layer, make a vector mask, select all and delete (so it's clear), and draw all around the area, making it look older and faded.

Hopefully that makes sense and looks good.

[porkenbeans]

44 is right. if you want to make this look just like an authentic old map, you need to loose all the bevel and shadow, so as to make it look as though it is painted on, without any illusion of relief.
But, if you just want to use the feel of an old map, and make a game, I think that it is perfectly OK to go ahead and use bevel and shadow. Aesthetically this looks very nice. And it does go towards the effect of bringing in a little 3-D. Personally I like the 3-D. It adds more interest. It does however detract from it looking like a painted on. old map. I would be happy with either way that you choose to go, as this is a very, very, beautiful work of art.

[jefjef]

Like the title/stamp. Like the sig.

Think the main map needs to look painted on. After all the mountains sure look painted.

The mini bonus map. I think looks great and works with the shadow as it is.

Nice one RB0

[ender516]

Can you make the 2 symbols inside the stamp area more like the border of the stamp? It seems to stand out to much, as the border of the stamp looks like a rubber stamp.

You mean put the 日本 off to the left say, smaller, with a larger "Japan" in the the center?

If isaiah40 is saying what I think he is, the two large symbols (日本?, I can't tell, I don't have the Japanese fonts on this machine) are too solid, compared to the border of the stamp, which is a little less opaque, a little more diffuse.

[isaiah40]

Can you make the 2 symbols inside the stamp area more like the border of the stamp? It seems to stand out to much, as the border of the stamp looks like a rubber stamp.

You mean put the 日本 off to the left say, smaller, with a larger "Japan" in the the center?

If isaiah40 is saying what I think he is, the two large symbols (日本?, I can't tell, I don't have the Japanese fonts on this machine) are too solid, compared to the border of the stamp, which is a little less opaque, a little more diffuse.

Yes, thank you ender! That's what I meant. SO sorry I didn't make sure it was described clear enough

[RedBaron0]

Still not a fan of the bevel or the lines—I think you should make them more brush-painted on. The bevel is off with the parchment feel, IMO.

Bevel is out, drop shadow is out. That's easy to fix. Just to be sure, the dashed sea connections you mean for "the lines" or is it the borders you mean?

For the title area, it's too "perfect." Take a natural brush at ~20px; Spacing: 50%; Scattering: scatter ~150%, count 2, count jitter 100%; Other Dynamics: opacity jitter 50% control off, flow jitter 57% control pen pressure. Duplicate all the layers in the title/sig block, merge them, and hide the originals. Then, on your merged layer, make a vector mask, select all and delete (so it's clear), and draw all around the area, making it look older and faded.

Hopefully that makes sense and looks good.

I think I get it... (checks translator) Yeah I kinda do, Photoshop? I'll see what I can do. GIMP I'm using remember.

[the.killing.44]

Still not a fan of the bevel or the lines—I think you should make them more brush-painted on. The bevel is off with the parchment feel, IMO.

Bevel is out, drop shadow is out. That's easy to fix. Just to be sure, the dashed sea connections you mean for "the lines" or is it the borders you mean?

For the title area, it's too "perfect." Take a natural brush at ~20px; Spacing: 50%; Scattering: scatter ~150%, count 2, count jitter 100%; Other Dynamics: opacity jitter 50% control off, flow jitter 57% control pen pressure. Duplicate all the layers in the title/sig block, merge them, and hide the originals. Then, on your merged layer, make a vector mask, select all and delete (so it's clear), and draw all around the area, making it look older and faded.

Hopefully that makes sense and looks good.

I think I get it... (checks translator) Yeah I kinda do, Photoshop? I'll see what I can do. GIMP I'm using remember.

Grr, damn GIMP. Does it have layer masks? That's the most important thing

[captainwalrus]

woah, I haven't stopped in here in a while, but it is really comming along nicely.
I find it odd that some of the short connections are straight, like Nakamura to Otia, but some are curved, like Nakamura to okinawa. I think that either one would be fine as long as it is consistant.

[lt_oddball]

dude ..wdf?

I thought the colorful map with flag was ready to be launched ??? ..and now you revert to a bland map ?
Whatever happened to the "beware of/for colourblind people" criterium ?

I can imagine that you think of shogun times to implement in the map..but..you throw months of work away...
Who talked you into this change ??


You're like my brother , always after "perfection" , planning and changing things all the time but never finishing the product to release.

[ender516]

dude ..wdf?

I thought the colorful map with flag was ready to be launched ??? ..and now you revert to a bland map ?
Whatever happened to the "beware of/for colourblind people" criterium ?

I can imagine that you think of shogun times to implement in the map..but..you throw months of work away...
Who talked you into this change ??


You're like my brother , always after "perfection" , planning and changing things all the time but never finishing the product to release.

I have been watching this map right through, and there were a number of comments about the map not quite capturing the Japanese feel, so rather than let the map stall, RedBaron0 gave it a fresh start. I too thought it was a shame to flush all that work for a reason like that when so many Japanese elements had been eliminated due to other objections, but I admire the Baron's ability to persevere.

[Raskholnikov]

I actually love this map. I think it is a really striking re-creation of modern Japan by means of a traditional artistic style. The deliberate understatement of color and contrast enhances the effect. Congrats for not giving up and taking this into a different direction, which ended up far better than the original attempt.

[ender516]

I find it interesting how this map is praised for depicting modern geographical divisions with an old style, while 150 A.H. is panned for depicting ancient localities with a modern look.

[Raskholnikov]

Hahaha... good point well made!! I think the Foundry views "theme" as a function of looking back to a historical "tradition". A Japan map based on robots, neon lights and electronics would probably receive little support.

That does not detract from the beauty of this map: a traditional re-presentation of modern Japan.

Why a modern re-presentation of the dynastic dynamics of Greater Mediterranean around 772 AD seems to generate resistance is, as you say, ironic. Probably because it does not meet our deeply internalised views about what a "Greater Middle-East-at-the-time-of-Islamic-Expansion" should look like. But this is a discussion for another thread. I still love this map!

[Evil DIMwit]

Hahaha... good point well made!! I think the Foundry views "theme" as a function of looking back to a historical "tradition". A Japan map based on robots, neon lights and electronics would probably receive little support.

That actually sounds kinda sweet, if it's done well. Too late for this map, though.

[RedBaron0]

Grr, damn GIMP. Does it have layer masks? That's the most important thing

I've got some options and GIMP does have layer masks. You didn't answer my question about the lines though:

Still not a fan of the bevel or the lines—I think you should make them more brush-painted on. The bevel is off with the parchment feel, IMO.

Bevel is out, drop shadow is out. That's easy to fix. Just to be sure, the dashed sea connections you mean for "the lines" or is it the borders you mean?

I just want to be sure.


Robots from Japan kick a$$!

I flow where the winds take me... and this where we're are. The map is essentially the same, but with with a more well defined theme as an older map than as a newer one. I did check the color blindness filters and it passes after some changes in the colors. Before the green color of Chubu merged with the red of Kanto now there's a clear differentiation.

[AndyDufresne]

Hahaha... good point well made!! I think the Foundry views "theme" as a function of looking back to a historical "tradition". A Japan map based on robots, neon lights and electronics would probably receive little support.

That actually sounds kinda sweet, if it's done well. Too late for this map, though.

Agreed. Someone get on that.

Good work thus far, Redbaron.


--Andy

[jefjef]

Hey RB0. Seeing how lower right has plenty of activity I wonder how your sig (plane) would look in the center of the sun. (That big empty corner)

[RedBaron0]

Well.... the corner isn't empty, it has the sun in it. I think it'll make the symbol of the "Rising Sun" (for lack of a better term) different, and not what it's intended to be.

[the.killing.44]

Sea line connectors

[MrBenn]

Bumping the image to the latest page:

Well.... the corner isn't empty, it has the sun in it. I think it'll make the symbol of the "Rising Sun" (for lack of a better term) different, and not what it's intended to be.

Technically it's a "falling sun" (as the lines come down instead of up), but I think we can let it pass...

I think the sun is a really nice touch - I love the subtlety of it - the fact it is barely there makes it a treat for the eyes when they finally notice it

The stamp-title looks pretty darn good - although I think it would be even better if the outer border was less blurry, and perhaps a little heavier (similar to the weight of the heavy stroke of the Japanese Symbols)