Not feeling fully prepared to tackle my next large map, I thought I would better do some small scale studies for practice first. So I took an A4 paper, drew 9 rectangles and started filling them with pencil sketches, then went over with ink and watercolor, all the while browsing a couple of beautiful map books that I got recently, searching for inspiration. The overall page looks a bit messy, as I did the maps as distinct as possible on purpose, in order to experiment with different techniques, ideas and color schemes. But they turned out better than I expected, so here they are...

9 Little Maps.jpg

What do you guys think? Do you have one (or more) that you like in particular? Do you see anything wrong with any of them or have suggestions for improvement? As always, critiques and comments are more than welcome.