Tilvarel Valley - Drawing exercise turning into map

[Blaidd Drwg]

Hi again!

I while ago I found a beautiful map by an illustrator named Chris Riddell, for Neil Gaiman's "The Sleeper and the Spindle". I really love the style. Exaggerated features, loads of detail, odd scale, insane skill. It inspired me to try something new. Until now, my regional maps have always been very Tolkienesque. Nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to learn something new.

I just started doodling on a large piece of paper. I had (and still have) this vague idea of using this style for a big project that's been lurking in the dark corners of my brain for a long time (a fantasy map of my Very Dull and Boring home town). My goal here was to just practice a new technique; I wasn't going to share it. I wasn't really happy with the way my attempts to draw pine forests (with countless upstrokes of a pen) were turning out, but after a while the doodles started to look like a map, and I kept adding stuff. Right now I'm thinking this could be a nice map on it's own, even though I planned hardly any of it, and the technique is inconsistent (you can see it change gradually if you follow my progression over the page ).

Tools: pencils & pens, A3 drawing paper, COFFEE.

Here's the thing so far. I started at the top, and worked clockwise towards the bottom. Yes, that's a coffee stain.

I hope you like it. Any advice and criticisms are much appreciated.

[ChickPea]

Wow! Just .... wow! This is fantastic. I think you've captured the spirit of the Neil Gaiman map very well

Can't wait to see your next WIP.

[Durakken]

The only 2 comments I have are that the mountains on the right climb higher and higher rather than being level across the map. They look like they'd be hundreds of miles up when droped just like that on the rest. And the upper most middle inked forest has a perspective that looks as if the terrain suddenly turns upward at a very steep angle, changing the perspective from the rest of the map. Other than that it looks very nice.

[pasis]

This is brilliant. Totally awesome. I love the style and all the details. I hope you don’t leave it half way but finish it up.

[J.Edward]

+1 for the coffee stain.
Really nice style. All of it pleases me greatly, but those little buildings... splendid.
The ruins up there with that bridge, the tower's shadow in the trees, the massed buildings on the hill and its wonderful bridge.
Really want to see this completed. Excellent stuff there.

[Blaidd Drwg]

Thanks all!
I'm definitely going to finish it.

The only 2 comments I have are that the mountains on the right climb higher and higher rather than being level across the map. They look like they'd be hundreds of miles up when droped just like that on the rest. And the upper most middle inked forest has a perspective that looks as if the terrain suddenly turns upward at a very steep angle, changing the perspective from the rest of the map. Other than that it looks very nice.

Quite true. Riddell's map has a normal perspective, but I went for something more isometrical. I don't really know if that's going to work or not. Personally, I barely notice the mountains growing bigger towards the back, but that may just be because I've been staring myself silly at this thing. It is something I will need to take into account for my next project. The forest in the middle was definitely a mistake. It was the first thing I did and I was still in my habitual top-down mode without noticing it. I hope I can fix it at some point. Thanks for the critique!

[AzurePlanet]

I think you're doing a great work here!
I especially like all those fine details. Please, keep going on!

[Abu Lafia]

Can only echo the others: Brilliant work so far! I fell in love with the little details too Really looking forward to see this unfold, especially as there aren't many (if any?) maps in this style around here. Keep up the fantastic work!

[arsheesh]

Ooh, this is going to be a really nice map when completed!

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Blaidd Drwg]

Update!