The Twin Cities of Maredale

[- JO -]

Hello, fellows Cartographer !

Here is a new map, which continues a series of maps that I will try to make in the same style as the one of the town of Cluses.

It is a series of maps that, in time, should detail particular regions of Nossym's world, the world in which a series of stories written by my wife are set.

When I started to draw this world (which my last map gives you the global aspect), some regions seemed particularly interesting from a geographical point of view. Whether it be points of junctions between continents or geological features, each time, a story came to mind.

Just like the city of Cluses, which connects two continents and two seas, the twin cities of Maredale exist for a good reason: because of pirates who took control of a passage area dotted with islands, these two ports became the key to a safer route between the south and the north of the world.

Thanks to their defences, located on the access roads to these two cities, merchant ships can avoid the area controlled by the pirates and, for a fee, of course, are guaranteed to deliver their goods to port (well, as often as possible, anyway).

This story, like that of Cluses, seemed interesting to me to illustrate with a map, which I am showing today, and I will continue to do so for other interesting points in this world.

So it's a series of maps, which are drawn in a bit of a bastard style, because they're both regional maps, and at the same time they're a bit like city maps. The scale of the map is therefore uneven, between the important buildings and the rest (coasts, mountains, forests, villages, etc), but it allows me to show both the interesting details of a city, but also the more global context of this city in its region. I use the little map down on the right to bring some more informations (here, that would be the trades routes and the zone controlled by pirates).

The map was mainly drawn on Ipad Pro (Procreate), but the shadows, labels and composition were done on PS CC 2019.

Feel free to comment and criticize

Maredale Guilde.jpg

[Kellerica]

I really am in love with your careful, detailed city illustrations on your maps lately! Not that the surrounding maps aren't pleasing as well, but the cities just draw the eye in in the most wonderful way. Makes certain people a bit ashamed of their habit to just slap on a few dots on where the settlements are and call it a day...

I really enjoy how the maps in this series have a very unified look in terms of colours and general atmosphere. Great work once again, my man, I always enjoy seeing your maps.

[DrWho42]

some fine worldbuilding!

[Arimel]

Looks wonderful! Excellent color choices.

[MistyBeee]

Oh, that's lovely, Jo ! I totally agree with Arimel here : your colors are really great !

[ThomasR]

Your lineart has improved hugely lately and the whole map is lovely. I especially like how the colors are washed and torn in some places. My only critique would be that I'd love to see the paper texture appear under the text as it appears under the colors but it's a really minor detail. Chapeau l'artiste !

[Ilanthar]

I'd say keep this "bastard style" :! It just makes wonders. I actually love the diversity of the elements (regional, local, city, coat of arms...) and your cities are more and more beautiful.

[- JO -]

I really am in love with your careful, detailed city illustrations on your maps lately! Not that the surrounding maps aren't pleasing as well, but the cities just draw the eye in in the most wonderful way. Makes certain people a bit ashamed of their habit to just slap on a few dots on where the settlements are and call it a day...

I really enjoy how the maps in this series have a very unified look in terms of colours and general atmosphere. Great work once again, my man, I always enjoy seeing your maps.

Thanks a lot, Kell ! I'm glad you like this work ! I think this kind of map come from my wishes to fully explain a situation (city and area)... It's the best way I found to give the more information as possible in one map

some fine worldbuilding!

Thanks a lot ! It's funny, because this kind of history comes to me after having drawn the map, not before... I see a peculiar spot in the coastal line, or the mountain range, and a story pop to my mind... I'm glad you found it interesting !

Looks wonderful! Excellent color choices.

Thanks a lot ! I think those colors are a remain from my "Tavernier's phase"

Oh, that's lovely, Jo ! I totally agree with Arimel here : your colors are really great !

Thanks Misty ! I'm glad you like the maps and colors !

Your lineart has improved hugely lately and the whole map is lovely. I especially like how the colors are washed and torn in some places. My only critique would be that I'd love to see the paper texture appear under the text as it appears under the colors but it's a really minor detail. Chapeau l'artiste !

Merci camarade !!! I see what you mean about the lineart.... I use a lot more the thickness according to pressure with my brushes. And you're right about that title : I should have lower the opacity of the primary layer. I'll try to do that.

I'd say keep this "bastard style" :! It just makes wonders. I actually love the diversity of the elements (regional, local, city, coat of arms...) and your cities are more and more beautiful.

Thanks a lot, Ilanthar ! As I said above, it's just that I want to give as much information as possible on a single map, and this system of differentiated scale gives me that possibility! And I'm going to do as you said: keep going ! I already have an Elf city on the way....

[Azélor]

That is a very pleasant style. It has a fairytale feel.

[- JO -]

Thanks a lot, Azélor ! I'm glad you found the "fairy" I tried to put in those maps !