Thread: hand drawn / ps trading village

Quick update here. This is the revised village layout. I'm not finished, things not entirely tweeked. Like the town well in the middle of the road LOL. Labels are for convenience only at this point, this is not how the map will be labeled. Water shown for spacial definition clarity at this point. Void space in lower left above herbalist is more serf / slum housing, but I don't know if I really want this layout. The back story is more of one which servants are cared for, but I need a counterpoint in morality for the overall storyline I've got in the back of my mind. I like the Manor Hold location alot better separated slightly from the village, but still offering save haven for the inhabitants and overall control of the town by the Lord. Let me know if you think this works alittle better

I like this version; you've maintained that great hand drawn look, and things are looking "well-organized" without looking "planned". I like the placement of the manor house; I'm wondering why the bridge doesn't quite line up straight on with the road up the hill? It's set up straight across the river, though. Not sure if that's just me not knowing how bridges are built ^-^; I like the style consistency, especially the fences ^-^ I know the labels aren't what you'll use for the final, but I think the main problem is the font - it looks too thick for the map style. But it looks like they're placed alright (for now).

Now this is the way to draw out a town. I have been wanting to do one but haven't decided how I want it to look in the end. I have to say this makes me feel like I want to do mine by hand as well and add in the rest later. I'm loving it so far, keep up the good work!

Kestrelgrey Thanks for the comments, The slight angle to the entrance of the manor hold was intentional, this is to create a simple barrier to breaching the gate with say a battering ram. I haven't worked out the details yet but there will be some type of draw bridge, portcullis or somesuch other barrier. The reason the manor hold is placed directly up against the river is that the Lord is planning to divert the stream at a later date to create a moat LOL. As I mentioned, labels are id's only no font selected / sized etc. just to give the viewer a reference to what I was aiming at.

Jaxilon thanks for the encouragement!! It's funny how when you look at something it makes you want to try the style. For me I look at all the PS work and think dang I need to make that, but my PS skills don't exist, so I fall back on the hand work In developing this I actually tried to think what was needed to create the village in the first place and how it might have been implemented, now I'm thinking about a backstory to creat political / religious conflict in the setting MUHAHA

This layout looks much better to me as well Vellum. You are right that the placement of the manor house seems more logical now. Keep up the good work!

Great map.
One small point, the approach to the castle is across a bridge and straight up the steepest part of the hill. I think that you need a switch-back road from the river to the main gate.

[or an inclined rail for a steam-punk village].

Originally Posted by atpollard

One small point, the approach to the castle is across a bridge and straight up the steepest part of the hill. I think that you need a switch-back road from the river to the main gate. [or an inclined rail for a steam-punk village].

but, but the contour interval is only 1 foot LOL I actually thought about this then inked in stuff and forgot to do it, to late atm to worry about

Alright I think this is it for the layout. I've started to PS this but as we can see my PS skills stink but I'm gonna keep peckin at this even though I'm way outta my comfort zone LOL! I think I may have to cut and paste this into a larger page size so that a legend can be added to id the structures / town elements.

Well I messed around with coloring this some today, I really could use some guidance here. This just stinks, looks like a kindergardner with crayons LOL