City of Taux for R Scott Taylor.

[Kolyana]

Never shown a map on here before ... um .. be gentle? (but constructive critique is very well received! =D)

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A commission completed for R Scott Taylor and his City of Taux: The World Builders Guide to Tales of The Emerald Serpent.

This is the guide to his great fantasy anthology with too much talent to name here (check out the book links below!). Not sure how the *guide* is available, and thus your ability to get this map in wonderful hires, but maybe we can twist Scott's arm.

Amazon Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Emerald-...merald+serpent

Lulu Physical Copy:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/scott-taylo...-20201296.html

[ravells]

Absolutely mindboggling in the detail. This is one the best city maps I've seen. And it looks all hand drawn.

Beautiful and majestic are just two words that spring to mind.

How long did it take you?

[torstan]

Very pretty indeed. I love the way you define the roads using negative space rather than drawing them in individually - that really helps minimise the visual clutter. The structure in the middle is a little mysterious, and without shading I needed to work a bit harder to figure out where the vertical heights were, but I think you did a fantastic job of it. You're line work is beautiful - I know all too well how hard it is to get a pen drawing to look that clean. Was this done pen on paper or with a tablet?

[Kolyana]

LOL, thanks ravells - seriously, coming from great community members such as yourself thats a huge ego boost *chuffs up*

I'm not 100% sure how long this one took - the multi-staged process of client reviews always breaks the whole process up across multiple weeks, but I believe it netted out around the 24hr mark, something like that. It's entirely drawn in 0.03mm and 0.05mm ink pens, and painstakingly outlined in pencil first - drawing a city based on an ancient stadium is a little different, because it required me to start with straight lines, and then throw the city in there. Having buildings where there would be seating, mixing hovels with straight walls and towers ... it was an interesting exercise.

I'd color it, but I think it would make my eyeballs explode.

[Kolyana]

Very pretty indeed. I love the way you define the roads using negative space rather than drawing them in individually - that really helps minimise the visual clutter. The structure in the middle is a little mysterious, and without shading I needed to work a bit harder to figure out where the vertical heights were, but I think you did a fantastic job of it. You're line work is beautiful - I know all too well how hard it is to get a pen drawing to look that clean. Was this done pen on paper or with a tablet?

Thanks Torstan. It was 18"x14" paper (something in that area) - I haven't gone to tablets yet, and I think if I did it would be for coloring. I love the feel of pen on paper and the ability to just sit on my couch with a glass of wine too much.

The center area is the old 'playing field' - or rather playing fieldS - some filled in, some sill open (and sunk down). The center one was filled and two large structure built on top of it (this is all part of Scott's book and setting).

Your comments on negative space: Yes, exactly. I like drawing dirt road edges and farm tracks, but when it comes to closely clustered buildings I find that drawing in the road edges really creates something that is visually overwhelming. I like this approach - allow those roads to define themselves by the buildings eitherside of them, and the alleyways and minor-roads form completely organically as I draw in the buildings themselves. The bonus is that I am often drawn into the city itself and it completely opens up and tells me a story as I go.

[ForestChild]

I like it that you chose to use pen and paper then the more common digital era chooses. Very nice indeed

[Clercon]

This is a fantastic map. I must say that the details are amazing. I've been looking at it for a long time and it kind of mesmerize you.

[Kolyana]

This is a fantastic map. I must say that the details are amazing. I've been looking at it for a long time and it kind of mesmerize you.

Thankyou! My maps tend to do the same to me, lol. I want to get this printed out and framed- I think it's the sort of piece people would just stop in front of and study.

[arsheesh]

Wow! Those are some fantastic city maps. You should post more often Kolyana. Also, good to see more people from P-Town here (that's where my roots are).

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Kolyana]

Nice - I love Portland. I've been here coming on 6 years now - maybe more - and I love it.

I've been shy from posting here, but I can't avoid it anymore! You guys can teach me a great deal and help get me to the next level (I will admit that I ADORE looking at the work you guys are doing here).