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Thread: Hand drawn City Map

  1. #1
    Guild Journeyer kestrelgrey's Avatar
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    Wip Hand drawn City Map

    Recently I tried to map a fictional city/metropolis I'm setting some stories in, and got frustrated doing it on the computer. I thought it'd be easier doing it in Photoshop or Illustrator, but I found myself getting overwhelmed every time I zoomed out and saw how much space I had left to fill in. At some point, I might go back to it.
    In order to get myself thinking straight again, I started hand drawing a new city map. No planning, using a fine point Sharpie pen (no leaking!) so no erasing, and not much thought about what kind of "feel" I want for the city, except narrow winding streets, densely packed buildings, and lots of courtyards. In the map below, there's a coastline in the lower left, an old palace that now serves as a museum and public gardens in the top left, and a temple on a hill as well as the edge of a larger palace/fortification in the top right. The map currently fills 3 sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper; I haven't started the 4th sheet yet, so the lower right rectangle is empty.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Comment/critique as much as you want, but this is honestly just a way for me to unwind while still getting something done. Of course I'm always interested in feedback! At this point I'm not sure I really plan on fixing anything. I do plan on moving back to the computer soon, though, so any feedback will likely go towards that ^-^

    EDIT: Just wanted to mention that I stopped drawing in individual buildings, so those large "empty" lots are the result of impatience and will be filled in later.
    Last edited by kestrelgrey; 12-20-2012 at 03:21 AM. Reason: Just a note
    Portfolio & Project Blog: 99 Colored Umbrellas
    World Building Project: Worlds of Sand

  2. #2
    Guild Adept
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    It looks great, I wish I were able to hand a pen in that way.
    My only critique is that most houses look too small as compared with streets' size.
    Last edited by feanaaro; 12-20-2012 at 04:13 PM.

  3. #3

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    Yeah, the general size of the buildings vs. streets means you lose the labyrinthine/winding narrow street feel a bit I think as if you were to picture yourself standing in the middle of a random street in the city, they would seem fairly spacious.

  4. #4
    Guild Journeyer kestrelgrey's Avatar
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    Thanks! That helps a lot - my biggest problem is determining proper scale and such.
    Portfolio & Project Blog: 99 Colored Umbrellas
    World Building Project: Worlds of Sand

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