I gave a lot of thought to the entries this time. That isn't uncommon for me, but neither is it a given.

Araknin's entry is balanced and pleasing. I think he made an excellent design choice in using the palate from the example painting, and I find the minimalist approach to be admirable, if you can pull it off while still showcasing your skill.

Najmir's entry was intriguing with a number of unusual and creative design elements. It successfully made Iwaizumi feel like a small place in a big, somewhat ominous mountain range. I found the road and the trees a bit incongruous however.

Redrobes' piece was very oriental, an affectation that I didn't bother to work toward because I knew I couldn't pull it off. My only criticism is that the houses don't quite seem to match the style of the rest of the piece.

Sapiento's map had a lot of promise. I wish he'd been able to finish it.

Ravell's map is fascinating, even inspiring. The perspective and the rendered mountains give the whole thing a sense of scale and offer the viewer a great deal of information. It would have benefited from a little more blending to relieve the impression of it being a high-tech map. The overall impact, like my own map, comes off a little too monotone. Finally, the tannery is upstream from the village. If ever a violation were to provoke a citation from the river police, it would be that one. But those are secondary considerations.

Djekspek's piece is gorgeous. The border is sheer genius. The inset doesn't really sell itself as necessary though, and the compass seems like and afterthought.

Gamerprinter's piece strikes me at about the same level. It is absolutely beautiful. It too has a an inset that I think does more harm than good--obviously a subjective critcism that may be unique to me. Also, the compass doesn't really harmonize with the piece, much like Djekspek's.

Everyone did an excellent job. Thank you and rep to you all!