City of Valiria - Urban Campaign (critique welcome)

[artsbyjapao]

Hey guys, I am new here, but I've been follow this forum since I started looking for cartography techniques. I'm also a DM (Dungeon Master) and I rule a Urban Campaign for D&D 5e.

To improve the players experience about the city. I decided to use my design skills to make a map for the city where my campaign happen. So, I took a long time to started for scratch, because I was deciding about the scale... I've decided a map that I could see all the streets and buildings and etc. And this is a huge amount of work. So, here I am.

I came here to ask you some help with it. How to get faster in the buildings draw. There some techniques that you use that could save more time? Also, I wanted some ideas of urban medieval design.

PS. I used Illustrator to do this (to grant the scale for print). And after I finished, I'll do the pos-production at Photoshop.

Valiria 21.12.17 JPG v03.jpg

[jylny]

I like the start! I prefer hand-drawing, so I'm afraid I can't give too many tips on workflow :\

Is there lore behind the city? I feel like history might really influence the layout of such a large settlement (e.g. wall remnants).

[Mawdrigen]

I like it! However unless there's a reason outside the city is empty I'd add in a few minor settlements and so on

[artsbyjapao]

I like the start! I prefer hand-drawing, so I'm afraid I can't give too many tips on workflow :\

Is there lore behind the city? I feel like history might really influence the layout of such a large settlement (e.g. wall remnants).

Yes! There is a small ideia behind, but I not finished the history yet. I think something about ruins from a Ancient Elven Kingdom...
Before a start to draw the city map, I put some points of interest. Some places that have a history behind and deserves some details.. I think this could help and give more life to the city.

I like it! However unless there's a reason outside the city is empty I'd add in a few minor settlements and so on

This city has a lot of neighborhoods around it, like small villages, with its 'mayors' or something like that. People from that area and care for it. Before a started to draw I really studied how is the behavior about the cities grown and development (urban development), to understand how come the stages of this kind of evolution. For a large settlement we need some kind small cities and towns, with farms and other productions to support. And people come and go, and i'm planning add some minor settlements in front every gate that the city has to represent that the city not stop to grow.

Thank you guys for you reply!!! Soon I will post my (little) advance at this work...