# Gallery > Cartographers Choice >  Val Nevan by Blaidd Drwg

## ravells

*Map*


*Created in: Pencils / Pen / Paper / Photoshop*

*Review*
Blaidd Drwg's city of Val Nevan (modelled on traditional 17th Century  'bird's eye' view maps) uses both natural media and Digital painting to  best effect. The line art was done traditionally using micron pens,  scanned and coloured in photoshop.  




> I had been wanting to do a isometric-y map for a long time, but never  felt I'd be able to pull it off. I'd tried a few times using a grid and  photohop, but it never looked decent. Then I went back to old-fashioned  pen and paper and things started to come together... It was drawn on A3 paper with pencils and my trusted micron pens, then  scanned and coloured in Photoshop. The details like the writing and the  coats of arms were done digitally, but to preserve the hand-made look, I  printed them out, traced them, and scanned them again. I used a stock  image for the aged-paper background


*Original threads*
Click here to view the Finished Map thread.

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## Clercon

Congrats and well deserved. This is one of my favorite maps here on the guild.

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## arsheesh

Congrats Blaidd Drwg, I absolutely agree with Clercon.  

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

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## pamoa

Wow great job
we can feel the pleasure you had

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## Freodin

It's almost impossible to praise this map highly enough, and it is a most well deserved addition to the cartographer's choices.

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## Kasaichi

Perfect handdrawings makes this map one of my favorite maps.

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## makaki

This looks so very detailed and atmospheric. Impressive!

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## LBruceGray

A very nice city complete with a castle!  Nice work on this one....

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## Blaidd Drwg

Better late than never: thank you all very much for your kind comments. And it's absolutely fantastic to see my map on the front page with all the other CC maps. =D

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## monks

Love it! I always like this style too.

monks

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## Ildrako

Beautiful map

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## pasis

This is a great piece. It has an authentic old feel in its style. I really like it.

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## indigorising

Lovely. The little hand-drawn details like the trees and text are particularly great! Congrats.

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## johnnyredleg

This is a beautiful map!

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## TheCurlyPower

You have to now that your map is actually my desktop background. I think it is a good summary of what I think about your work.  :Very Happy:

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## Blaidd Drwg

> You have to now that your map is actually my desktop background. I think it is a good summary of what I think about your work.


Hahaha, that is awesome  :Very Happy:  Thanks!

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## Ken E Baker

This is one of the most beautiful city maps that I have come across. I love the watercolour look - it goes so well with the pen and ink  :Smile:  This is just great!

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## Ken E Baker

Yeah, that is what makes it for me  :Smile:  You can see the human hand behind the map...

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## monocules

Very Nice. Classic feel, & easy to get lost and imagine what each building holds.

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## Shingi

So I just started to use this site today. First map that pops up on my screen is yours. I immediately register and account just so I can see this picture bigger. So basically you are the whole reason I joined.

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## JOFY32

Awesome map indeed . I love the fact that you made it with pen and paper and PC both . Really nice job .

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## foremost

This is probably my favorite map on here. Love the lettering and the dull coloring - if it was bright, it would not be quite as nice. Did you do the border by hand? I ask cause it looks like each block is a little bit different but it would make sense if you did that on the computer, cause it is one monotonus task.

Again, great job.
Foremost

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## PolarThebiBear

This is absolutely incredible. I've only been here for a few days, but so far this is definitely my favorite map. Absolutely exquisite.

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## Ajincess

Love it. It reminds me of Joan Blaeu's work on something like the city of Moscow in 1665.

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## emillanjr

Great work! It has a very authentic feel to it.

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## David3

nice work
has a lot of heart

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## Bruce Fergusson

Awesome!   The details work so well to create the overall texture of the map.

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## forge22

Just amazing, it's always a pleasure working in pen and then coloring digitally. Really nice result here.

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## Vaevictis

just perfect...

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## Sushipopsicle

Welp, I was looking for a different style to try for my first city map. You've inspired me.  :Smile:

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## dwilloughby2

Incredible work! Keep it up!

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## MCutter

Hello 
I just wanted to thank you and tell you that your map is used now for the forth time as a starting point 
of a D20 microlight adventure on a RPG convention. I love its references to historical maps, because I like to referee games in a
Fantasy-Europe setting.  I like that you left enought area for gardens and other places for adventure in the city of Val Nevan.

I prepared for my players a sideview by mixing the two Merian sideviews of Nordhausen and Quedlinburg, to give an 
impression arriving at Val Nevan from the north-east (top-right). It is just a mushup and not a genuine work but refers directly
to the map of Val Nevan.

http://www.punch-martians.com/MM20/N...rg-1647-bw.png



Best regards
MCutter

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