December 2015 Annual Challenge: City of Hills

[ChickPea]

This is simply stunning, Tainotim! I love it. Do you think you'll be finished by 1st Dec? (I had thought this challenge ran until the end of December. Didn't realise it finished early next week!)

[J.Edward]

This looks great T.

[tainotim]

Update(Feels like I'm spamming):

Thanks friends! Yea, I definitely will ChickPea

Here is the final version without labels (unless anyone have any suggestions etc). I made it slightly darker, not sure if I will keep it like this or not. And I'm rather unhappy with how the grass came out, however, I think it's a slight improvement from my last attempts(Venora/Chasion)

Cheers,
Tainotim

### Latest WIP ###
city of hills 17 D s.jpg

[J.Edward]

What do you think is wrong with the grass? It looks fine to me.
Was there a look you wanted but didn't get?

[tainotim]

Yea, something like that. Thought, I can't really pinpoint what it is. Just feels meh. Like it clashes against the colorful city. It's hard to explain. Might be a case of "staring to long at the same thing, and the largest part becomes the most annoying", or might be that the area beyond the castle feels so flat and empty

[Bogie]

Well I completely blew finding the camel-giraffe, way off!! On the other hand, I think the grass looks fine. Great work, It's REP time!

[J.Edward]

Maybe that grass area beyond the castle could use some little illustration?
Maybe a scroll with the coat of arms of the Lord of the Castle?
Or, what came to my mind, and of course would be a ton of work... a nice grove of trees and rocks...
It would look nice but would add a lot of work.

But you are right I think, we are our own worst critics and staring for a long time at our own work leads to mixed feelings.
I think most all would agree that it looks great as it is.

[tainotim]

Final update:

Big thanks Bogie and J.! Those are some great suggestions John. Especially the coat of arms! However, my creative energy is rock bottom right now. Might tinker-away some more on this during the evening (Won't have any time tomorrow), and update this post with whatever comes or, or just a max-res version. But for now I leave it with a simpler labeling and table (inspired by Ilanthars huge maps). Even though it's not so flashy, I think it works. Would love to get a some kind of shield or coats of arms in there, but I'm oh so tired.

Now, huge thanks everyone who helped me/showed appreciation during the process. This has been the largest and most tedious map I have ever done, but I learned so much and it feels like a good summary of what I have practices and strived to learn during the year concerning coloring, line-work and detailing. The end of a series of maps that started with Heartvale, then Chasion, Venora and last this. Also, big thanks to everyone that helped me with those maps, and the Guild for being such a great forum! And finally a last thanks to J. Edward for being incredible helpful on more occasion then I can count, and not just to me but I know to many other guild members

Cheers,
Tainotim

### Latest WIP ###
city of hills final s.jpg

[J.Edward]

I love that you broke the text down into districts.
I think it looks very nice, clean and readable. I really like it.
Some numbers in the city are harder to find but it makes you search through the map a bit, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
I think it is wonderful just as it is. A true work of art T.
I'm enjoying all the maps that you're making.

[Abu Lafia]

Indeed, a masterful represantative work of this style of yours tainotim! Not sure what you made different to the former maps, but it seems to have more "depth" to it that makes it very appealing. I think the relatively simple key is perfect, as it lets the city itself shine even more. So many lovely details for hours to drool. I really like the diverse architectural types of castle buildings in it. The building on the right of the southern gate for example reminds me a bit of a japanese style castle, and it fits very nicely into this rather middle european city. Just an outstanding piece, and my clear favourite so far! The rep can not really show how much i love this, but have it nonetheless!
Cheers,
AL