Category: Work-In-Progress

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Statues are done, on to the floors – St. Peter’s Basilica (Work-in-Progress)

This is the basilica with the statues and altars and most of the furnishings done. I tried to draw everything as accurately as I could and I’m pretty happy with it so far. There’s only one more thing to draw before I start coloring this, which is the floor. That may take a minute, since the floor here looks like this, but I think it’ll be worth the effort.

Well, this thing isn’t going to draw itself (none of the rest of it did, anyway), so I’d better get started. Let me know what you think so far!

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St. Peter’s Basilica (Work-in-Progress)

Here’s where I’m at with the basilica. The structure of the building is done and I’ve started working on the details. I’ve got the pipe organs and altars drawn into two of the chapels and the main altar is done as well, which you can see up close in the second picture. It has statues of four popes holding up a giant chair and looks like this in real life.

This place is pretty enormous and the first image is around 160×100 tiles or so. That, combined with the fact that I’m trying to give this place as much detail as possible, means that it’s going to take a minute. There are a LOT of statues in this place and I want to draw in all the major ones.

So, I hope you like how it’s coming so far and I hope you’ll find this thing worth the time spent on it. Either way, let me know what you think!

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Vatican City – St. Peter’s Square

So the first part of the Vatican City megaproject is done. Well, kind of. One of the tricky things about drawing the Vatican is that there are parts of it I haven’t drawn yet in the background. In the top left is the Apostolic Palace and, at the bottom left, there’s a church called Santa Maria della Pieta. That stuff on the right is Italy. So I’ll have to remake this map with all the other stuff included once it’s done.

Also, St. Peter’s Square is huge. Like, this is actually one of the biggest maps I’ve ever made. That’s 199×160 tiles right there. You can fit multiple football fields inside it (either kind). The pope has a pretty big front yard.

The next part of the Vatican I’m going to draw will probably be St. Peter’s Basilica, the entrance to which is on the left. And I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little apprehensive about that. Because, you see, the floor of the basilica looks like this. Am I going to draw all that? Yes. Is it going to look really cool? Probably. Am I looking forward to it? No, I really am not. I’ll be honest with you: I’m a little scared. But it’s gotta be done and I’m going to do it regardless.

But first, I’ll be drawing last month’s Cartographic Congress winner: a dwarven fort built around a waterfall. There’ll be a lock for boats, a waterwheel or two, stuff like that. And after that, we’re back to the Vatican. Sound good? I hope so.

Anyway, if you’ve got any thoughts or questions, let me know!

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Vayl’s Firth – Background Colors Finished (Work-in-Progress)

Here’s a section of the city that should give you an idea of what the map looks like right now. Most of the background and terrain is done and what’s left to color is mainly details like furnishings and so forth. From here on, I’m going to start finishing up the map a few islands at a time and post them as I go.  I’ll probably start with the islands in the bottom-right and work my way around. Once it’s all done, I’ll post the complete city.

I should have the first few islands done within the week. Let me know what you think so far!

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Vayl’s Firth – The Full City (Work-in-Progress)

Here’s the entire ground level of Vayl’s Firth, assembled and ready to color. This took a bit longer than I expected because, as it turns out, drawing three billion trees, bushes and crops takes a while. In any case, it’s done and I’m ready to start coloring this thing.

Well, I’m gonna get to it. Hope you like how the city looks so far! If you have any questions or thoughts about it, let me know.

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Vayl’s Firth Update 10: The Mages’ Island and the Unlabeled Island in the Bottom-Left

This is officially the last of the city drawn! I can’t really say “It’s done,” because I still need to scan all of this, touch up the drawings, put them all together and color everything, but drawing the city– the biggest part of the job– is done.

Well, I’ve got a long day of scanning ahead, so I’m gonna get started on that. Once that’s done, I’ll put them all into a single image and post a picture for you. Hope you like it so far!

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Vayl’s Firth Update 9: The Palace

The founding of Vayl’s Firth has become something of a legend among the people of the city. Almost 1000 years ago, a wizard named Vayl killed a giant serpent that lived in the mouth of the River Ophidias, enabling settlers to move in and found a city in his name. The independent settlement had its own laws, which did not acknowledge any families as noblility and had no hereditary titles. Vayl himself had two children, but passed down his chain of office– along with rulership of the city– to a wealthy trader instead. This tradition has continued ever since.

Here’s the thing, though. The chain of office is cursed. Vayl, a powerful wizard, stored his soul and consciousness in it and empowered it to take over the body of anyone who wears it. So, they’re all Vayl. Every ruler of the city for a thousand years has put on the chain of office and was immediately possessed by Vayl. Only a few people know about this and they’re smart enough to stay quiet. Vayl was a wizard of legendary ability a millenium ago and god only knows how powerful he is today.

There are only two more parts of the city left to draw: the magic island, which is almost done, and the little island on the bottom-right of the map. I should have them both finished in a day or two.

All right, I’ll be back with those soon. If you’ve got any questions or thoughts about the lore, let me know!