This section is a little more objective then my others, in that I wanted to share my thoughts on color treatment for maps as part of a visual style. Sometimes I notice on some maps that the colors tend to not fit the time of day, or the region in which the map is set. It is extremely important to consider the theme of your map, and knowing that - how color relates.

I find it best to first decide the theme for my map. Generally themes can be places or times of day. For night maps, blue/green/purple are good choices, depending on where the map is located. For daytime, you are not limited as much by a color choice, but more of a regional choice. For Casa, the browns/yellows/oranges fit in well with the region. I individually adjusted the hue of every texture in order to make them match more appropriately. This is a very important step in mapping. Without this, many times maps can feel like they are made out of multi-colored lego building blocks.

A handy trick is to consult a color wheel for your map. This is important when selecting the primary color of your map. An example would be if you chose green for a primary map texture color. A good choice would be to keep the range of colors from yellow/green to green, to blue/green. This way you keep colors within somewhat of a range. Doing this helps you with consistency in the overall look and feel of your map.

Another trick is to use small bits of complementary colors in your map. A complementary color is a color that is across the color wheel 180 degrees from your current color. In this case, red is the complementary color for green. Very small useages of red will keep add to the overall level of interest of your map - and make sure the map is not too dull.

You notice in a map such as Casa, I have used some extra colors outside of the orange/yellow/browns. Not complementary but some greens in ivy and purplish red in flowers. This helps to add extra life and ensure the map is not too dull, while still having an overall consistency among the buildings.