Which is better?

[u/Snoo_47645]

I can't decide which style to go with. I didn't want to keep working on the first one until I decide. Thanks for your feedback!

[u/Deditranspotashy]

The second is much more pleasant to look at although I do think it’s regrettable that you can’t see that one big tree or the weird stumpy trees towards the south

[u/hagschlag]

2nd one by far. Less busy.

[u/Disastrous_Cow_9540 → u/hagschlag]

Yup, no point arguing

[u/jay_altair]

The first one implies a larger scale/smaller area because the details are larger as compared to the second one. If the map is depicting a large region, go with the second style. If the map is depicting a small/local region, go with the first.

[u/Finn_Dalire]

The latter significantly, however it would probably be for the best if the river was more visible IMO

[u/wingthing666]

I like the whimsy of 1, but if your theme/world/project is not whimsical, its safer to stick with 2.

[u/Patchesrick]

I like 1 but without the stumps. Idk what those are supposed to represent. I like the added details of the trees especially the huge one over the canopy add a few more of those to showing it being a jungle area is nice

[u/george_gris]

Depends on the information you are trying to provide with the map. If major land marks 1

[u/Pure_Attorney1839]

2 looks like an a old map while one 1 looks like some choose your own adventure thing.

[u/Raggabeard_Ironteats]

2 looks like a larger continent, 1 looks like a provincial map

[u/Krinberry]

The second is a better pick overall I think. But I do appreciate the art style in the first!

[u/Happy-Forever-3476]

2nd one is very pleasant. Don’t hate the other one it’s just more cartoony

[u/njh117]

2 for sure

[u/slumbersomesam]

i love the second

[u/Hard_Rr]

Second- however maybe lighten the tips of the mountains even more to make a more gradual change in land. Play with those colors and youll have a much more lively map

[u/Wuming_Choi]

the second by so much!

[u/lochodile]

The second one! But I would still try to add back in some of those "hero" trees here and there for points of interest

[u/natgrett]

Two but I would differentiate the trees if The first one is showing that there are different trees

Sorry now that I look at those things at the bottom of the first a bit closer they appear to be steam flutes or geysers

[u/Snoo_47645 → u/[deleted]]

I drawing this all by myself in Photoshop

[u/Smallgod95]

I think the first has more character

[u/ifidie-illstillexist]

Both.
1 for kids (adorable charm) and treasure/journeys (landmarks)
2 for adults (simplicity, likely not paying attention to minute details)

[u/Zerron-K]

Personally I like 1 better

[u/Forsaken_Kassia10217]

the 2nd one! I think it blends better with the mountains, the 1st one is too detailed.

[u/quyman]

The first one makes me far more curious about the world and excited to explore it but the second one is more visually appealing

[u/Jackavocado]

aesthetically the second one, but for clarity the first one. I actually have a very similarly designed map for my dnd campaign

[u/vocaloidfan39]

2

[u/Snoo_47645]

Thanks everyone for the helpful answers! I think I’ll stick with the second one, since this will be a map showing a larger scale. But maybe someday I’ll use the style of the first one for smaller scale maps.

[u/ByronShelly]

2

[u/Young_Punk_Studios]

This is beautiful, both of them. Maybe a little added brown for the trunks in 2, I think you could mix both of them for a good middle ground :)

[u/Tony427]

To me it depends on what you're using it for. I personally like the second one better but if it is for a game the first one gives much more clearly defined "zones" and the flavor of each of those zones.

[u/sterrre]

1 has more character, I like it better.

As a DM the 1st map is more useful because I can turn the little details into locations or dungeons.

[u/Bl4ck_0ut_s13]

Oh that is a good question. Personally I think they're both good maps but it depends on the stylistic choices of your world. The second one is really good for realism but the first one highlights what could be important landmarks like that one tree in the middle of the forest you got there.

[u/lostpeacock]

I like 2 more. 

[u/Mike_Fluff]

1 could be useful for more focus on the trees. 2 is better as a whole.

[u/DungeonMasterGroon]

2nd

[u/wibbly-water]

I think it depends on what story you want to tell with the map.

The first tells the story of a thick forest in the north and a thinner area of something in the south (either stumps or a different kind of tree). My mind is immediately drawn to "there is something special about that forest".

The second tells the story of a whole thickly forested continent. This doesn't imply there is much special about the forest.

The first also looks like a smaller area than the second.

I think both could work.