I think this is going to be insanely cool when it's done...
Thanks! Here comes a bigger update. Almost finished drawing all the buildings within the city. When that is done I'm going to draw the outskirt settlement and the port district. And last but not least I'm going to add smaller details, like brickwork, some cobblestone streets and perhaps some lesser objects. Hoping to finish that tomorrow!
Added a picture of the whole map, so you can see how it's coming along. What do you think?
goldcoast 3.jpg
I think this is going to be insanely cool when it's done...
Amazing, this map is looking really cool! I love all the elements from the mountains to the forests to the city and buildings. I'm just curious if you will be adding any colour to this map eventually? Also what medium are you doing this in?
Thanks a lot. Much appreciated!
It's hand drawn on a A3 ark with a ink pen. When it's all done I will definitely color it. However, I haven't decided if I'm going to do it digitally in Photoshop or with watercolor!
Very cool, the city is fantastic (though quite out-of-scale with the mountains )!
I think your lines could use some clean-up, you have double lines in a lot of places. If you choose to color it digitally, that kind of clean-up is easy to do in PS. If you go with watercolors (which I vote for, by the way!), you can do it by going over the lines with ink again, thickening them to hide the double. Some unevenness in line weight just adds interest. Unless you are going for a sketchy style, of course; then keep it
If you choose watercolors, make sure the ink is waterproof first. Even if it says waterproof on the pen, test it! I ruined a map once by assuming that the manufacturer didn't lie
Thanks!
Yea, I noticed – but hope it's not too much of a dealbreaker. The size of the first buildings I drew, in the left bottom corner are more to scale (if you pretend that they are really really big buildings). I realized that it would be way to tricky to draw a city with that small buildings on a A3. Hay! In the end I could always claims it's a city for civilized Giants
I agree, it definitely needs a clean-up. I will probably end up editing it to make one clean version digitally and one more sketchy hand-drawn with color.
Wow, thanks! Hadn't considered your last advice. The Horror! Talk about a downer ...
Ooh! Yes, I like this!
I really appreciate it when a map is fully hand-drawn; it oozes with the style and personality of the author, and fills it with uniqueness. Plus the city is fantastic.
I demand to see more.
Your city is just awesome man!
Thanks for all the feedback, it's much appreciated! Have been busy writing the past days so progress is slow. I did most of the "port district" and some outskirt settlements. Also added brickwork to the stone buildings and some smaller details. Here it is!
IMG_20131204_0004.jpg
However, I have two style questions that I hope someone can advice me on.
First, I'm unsure what style to use when drawing the ground in the city. Keep it as it is and make it more clear with color. Or give it a cobblestone touch like something in this picture.
Untitled-1.jpg
Second, does it work when I shadow like this. Or will it make the city way to sketchy? Here I've attempted it on some cliffs at the edge of the city.
Untitled-2.jpg
What do you fellow cartographers think? Thanks in advance. Cheers
I begun drawing the outskirt farmlands that will connect the city to the settlement around the Bridge over the canal. This is the current progress.
asgasgsagasg.jpg