Map like Luthadel

[Chronist]

Greetings to all I have a question for some adviseluthadel.png
Iwould like to create a city map like this but not sure how to do it best. So if you have some help for me, that would be great. I know how to draw by hand of course, but I was wondering if there are any supporting tools for this style of map (Is there a name for this map style?) The city is supposed to be for a private roleplaying campaign.

[Kellerica]

Hm, that's a pretty nice map all around. I don't know if there is a name for that sort of style, but it doesn't look that complicated.

For my money, a vector graphics approach is your best bet here. So a software like Illustrator, Affinity Designer (my personal weapon of choice), InkScape, what have you.

I booted up Affinity Designer and put a very quick example together, so this is what the image looks like at the early stage:

Capture.JPG

How I personally do maps like these, is by starting out with a base layer of colour (that will form the city blocks), and then use the Pen tool to create the roads on top of that. I'd use the pen to create an object with a transparent fill and with a white outline to form the streets. I'd probably use a few different street widths to create diversity, and keep each width to its own layer/group, so my layer structure would look like this:

Capture2.JPG


I'd first use this method to put the street plan in place, and after that move onto adding the stylising touches, i.e. some of the streets on the original map seem to have a Drop Shadow effect added to the them. I'd also add the thick black line (which I'm assuming indicates a wall) surrounding the city as a separate object on top.

The other option you have is to use the pen tool to create each one of the blocks as a separate object by hand, but I personally think my way would be easier and quicker. Once you're done, you can also use the street shapes to create a mask for the base grey layer, if you are wanting to easily edit the blocks as their own object, to add things like a dark stroke around it (like the linked map seems to have).

Since I am such a pixel/raster graphics oriented illustrator, my experience with vector graphics is limited enough that I'm sure there might be more efficient ways of doing the same, this is just how I'm used to doing it being a completely self-taught illustrator! And also worth adding that since I am so much more used to working with pixel graphics, I usually do at some point move the whole map over to Photoshop, to add some hand-painted details and texturing (and yes, I know Affinity Designer has a pixel mode too, but I prefer using PS just because I'm more experienced with it, and have a ton of ready-made assets I've created over the years that make things easier) before I'd call the map done. My portfolio has some examples of the the kind of city map illustrations I've done before, which will showcase what I mean by adding texture and stuff. Nothing exactly like the Luthadel map, but I'd say the same basic principles still apply.

Hope this helps at least a little! Please ask if there is anything you need clarified and I'll do my best to help.

[Chronist]

Thanks, so much, that is already a big step forward. I will have a better look on it tomorrow.

[Chronist]

I usually work with Corel Draw, not because I think it's better, but because I've grown into it. I also try some Android Apps at the Moment like Infiniti Painter and Infiniti Design which also seem to work pretty well. Any Android App recommondations?

I think a lot of the power of the map comes from the black borders of the blocks and the one-sided shadow of the street.

Do you think the vector graphic was then reworked here?

[Kellerica]

I usually work with Corel Draw, not because I think it's better, but because I've grown into it. I also try some Android Apps at the Moment like Infiniti Painter and Infiniti Design which also seem to work pretty well. Any Android App recommondations?

I don't really know anything about Android apps, sorry! I'm strictly a Windows user. Don't know if anyone else around here uses anything Android based?

I think a lot of the power of the map comes from the black borders of the blocks and the one-sided shadow of the street.
Do you think the vector graphic was then reworked here?

My best guess would be yes. That's definitely how I would do it.



I had a hard time telling that the new district was added in post, so I think you're definitely heading in the right direction!

[Chronist]

Ok I think I'm getting there - what you think?SmartSelect_20250113_095123_Sketchbook.jpg