# Gallery > Cartographers Choice >  Sheinar - by a2area

## a2area

*Created in:*  Photoshop plus Illustrator

*Review:*   While it looks like a2area has won two in a row it has been a while because of poor management  :Wink:     There is some excellent work here, with fabulous detail, especially in the surrounding areas.


*From the horse's mouth:* 



> This is the first of four cities I am doing for the Soulshard D&D campaign setting.  They will accompany
> Sapiento's regional and world maps.
> 
> This one is done in Photoshop with a little assistance from Illustrator for smoothing some bitmaps and editing some smart-objects.
> 
> .... Just for tilt...  I added an unlabeled version that has desaturated and lighter sunbaked-clay-looking rooftops plus more shadow to help the relationship between city and fields


*Original Thread:*  Original finished map thread can be found here.

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## mearrin69

Holy smokes, dude. That's an incredible map! Have some rep!
M

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## Sapiento

Well deserved, bravo!

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## Marken4

Wow, thats really nice. The environment around the city looks extremely real.

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## Ramah

What a beautiful map. Look at those fields. :s

I was about to moan at the fact that there were so few replies to this when I realised it was because it was a Choice map. Isn't the first post usually set up to make this obvious?

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## RobA

> What a beautiful map. Look at those fields. :s
> 
> I was about to moan at the fact that there were so few replies to this when I realised it was because it was a Choice map. Isn't the first post usually set up to make this obvious?


I've cleaned it up a bit.... Still figuring out the best way to do this with the new CMS module...

-Rob A>

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## Clercon

This is absolutely a fantastic map. Makes me wanna quit maping cities myself. I'm eagerly waiting for more maps.

 A tutorial would be great :-)

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## Gallifreyan

Spectacular, absolutely spectacular!

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## Steel General

Brilliant choice!

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## Avengeil

An excellent map.Repped.




> A tutorial would be great :-)


I completely agree on that one.(The people wants to learn :Smile: )

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## Djekspek

Gratz A2! Very well deserved, it's an awesome piece! cheers

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## a2area

WOW, thanks! I'm kind of surpised (0:
This style (esp. the fields) of started as an experiment allowing myself to use bunches of seamless textures (which i usually shy away from). I *promise* to do a tutorial on this method after I wrap up two accompanying cities in the next week or so.  It's actually a fairly easy process in Photoshop.  Thanks again everybody!

Brian

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## Jaxilon

Whoa, this is really incredible! I very much look forward to learning how you did this...amazing!

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## Aenigma

Just... wow! Simply awesome  :Very Happy:

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## Crayons

Quite simply - Astonishing! Crikey!

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## Flawedspirit

I can't wait to see a tutorial. That map is just this side of legendary.

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## ravells

With great respect to all the other city maps that have been posted, this is the finest city map yet posted on the guild, IMO. Fabulous work, a2area.

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## JohnnyTrio

That is a beautiful map!!

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## Torius

Wow, this map is incredible!  Simply amazing! Repped

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## Dark Umbra

Amazing! I can´t wait to see the tutorial. :Smile:

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## Rotciv

I'm really new on this Cartographers thing and I keep asking myself how many hours did it take to look like that. 
And if there's a tutorial for that

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## kallekula

Just like Rotciv above.. newbie looking at the pros. And holy **** you're good.

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## veracusse

Repped.  Repped repped.  And I would love to see a tutorial for this.  I really like how your fields turned out too.  I too am new to mapping and cities and I would like to see how you do your fields.

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## teevee_etc

Super map and I - like the others - cannot wait to see your tutorial!!

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## thomryng

Unbelievable  map! Repped.

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## Halo of Gnats

And as if the above doesn't say it all....repped.
I've saved this to file to study the detail (no intent to use
other than as a resource of what to do when
creating city maps).

Thank you.

Namasté,
~Tim

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## RjBeals

I've come back to this map many times - and it's just breath taking. Don't think a map has ever really taken my breath away yet... until now! I'm wondering how you use smart objects and edit them in illustrator. Must be the buildings? Jeez man - please post more maps !

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## adeptusmagos

simply amazing! surroundings are the best part imho.
anyone knows if tut is already available?

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## pamoa

...
no word for it
perfect, unbelievable, amazing, great, breathtaking, whatever
every time you look at it you find something new
I love the places paving

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## JackOfHearts

Absolutely beautiful

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## del337er

Woah, the detailing is incredible! It would take me hours just to come up with the house layout

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## SSJPabs

If only there was a tutorial! This is stunning.

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## anstett

Really beautiful map. Love the details and mixed cultural flair. 

BOB

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## RjBeals

I'm wondering how you get this good? Smoothing out bitmaps with Illustrator? Editing smart objects? 
Do you take classes? Do you just read tutorials and figure it out on your own?
Do you know someone who teaches you this stuff? 
I always come back to this map for a boost of inspiration.

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## a2area

I've been using Photoshop forever but taking into consideration how long..  I should be a lot more prolific, at least in my opinion because there is so much I don't know.  But, Photoshop is kind of like a toy/tool with infinite possibilities so you really have to be adventurous.  Most of what i DO know is self taught but i did take some starter classes for the programs a long long time ago.  It's truly amazing how much you can learn in a very short time just by doing tutorials and messing around with a project whether in or out of your comfort zone as far as subject matter is concerned... Cartographers guild has helped me immensely as well.  Really I only started stepping up my map skills a couple years ago.  Eventually I will do a tutorial for the Sheinar style, when i get time, because while it looks pretty detailed the actual method is simpler than it seems. Actually I'm just starting to do some freestyle tablet drawing/painting and it's really hard for me because i'm so used to using a mouse!

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## Candacis

The city map looks amazing, I really like the textures of the fields and the water and I hope, we can expect a tutorial or some rough steps soon.

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## RjBeals

do you remember how you did the buildings? You have good randomness and good alternate colors. I say you posted the buildings as all black somewhere back in the thread. Was this just blocks built in illustrator, placed in photoshop, beveled and color added? 

http://gyazo.com/cd4b2121fa1f8e39a52d6fb9b6579c3d

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## AMXPariah

I'm interested in your method for creating trees. They're absolutely beautiful.

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## Planemaster

Perfect map ! Congratulations !

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## GrimFinger

What a wonderfully gorgeous map!

The earth tone of the buildings provides a very nice contrast to the green of the surrounding countryside. The dark water looks great, again due to the contrast it provides for the human eye seeking to absorb this thing.

You have skimped on the use of text, and the text doesn't dominate the visual. This is a prime example of where less equaled more. Very nice touch!

The buildings are primarily roofs, with the focus on the geometric shapes, rather than on the details of the buildings, themselves. This is the driving brainstorm behind this artistic masterpiece. Truly, the buildings are a visual extravaganza, a feast for the eyes!

The harbors come across as largely bare. The plain roofs don't work as well, there. A ship or three would have added visual interest to that segment of the map, but in all honesty, that's merely an exercise in nitpicking. This map exceeds the value of its individual parts to the degree that no criticism of it really sticks, for when all is said and done, what is there to complain about? It's a beautiful map, and on that charge, there can be no contestation of note or consequence.

The green spaces inter-spliced with the buildings yields a more believable end product. Grass, trees, and bushes with such little detail. but yet, with detail from green space to green space. It all adds up and fuels the engine of success for this baby of a map.

Zoomed in, the font work really works nicely on this map. It fits the map to a tee.

The Sun Chamber I'm not a fan of. The shiny aspect of the domes on it are the issue with it for me, and not so much the shape of the domes. They remind me of buttons or snaps placed on an otherwise nearly flawless map.

I don't care for the compass rose, but the quality of the overall map is so high, that it utterly dwarfs the existence of the compass rose, thereby rendering it to be a complain of no substantial and lasting consequence.

All in all, I have much admiration for this map!

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## The Full Monty

I'm just flipping through maps, but this one is insane! a masterpiece, nice work!

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## Amonite

This is stunning, and unique! I can't decide whether I like the zoomed out aeriel view where the whole complex layout is visible, or zooming in and looking at the detailing of the fields, the walls, the stylistic buildings, etc, better. It kind of has a 'patchwork quilt' vibe, though more substantial and with a purpose. It's a city one can really visualize visiting all the places portrayed and walking around in.

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## mapposer

I love the colors! Well done!

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## Acardux

Great city. Perfect for a DnD game, so rich!

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## - JO -

Such a beautiful map !!! So much details, and looking so real !!!

Marvelous work !! 

Thanks for sharing !

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