# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Building/Structure Mapping >  Mapping a Border-Castle [WIP]

## SteffenBrand

Hey guys! 

Since this is some non-paid work I do for fun and as a tribute to one of my favourite Pen-&.Paper-RPGs 'The Dark Eye' ('Das Schwarze Auge' in Germany), I guess I can do this one as a WIP to show you guys how I do this. The first step - making my mind and inner eye about the basics of this kind of castle I want to create I can hardly show anyhow, but usually I do some research and try to wrap my head around what makes sense to build and how it should be done in order to maintain the structural integrity of the building probably even in an attack. 

This building should have:
 - Upper floor, first floor, basement
 - The big tower to defend in the worst case
 - Two entrances (it is on a border, so naturally it should be able to handle some traffic)
 - Guest rooms, stables, armory, smith, a little church, etc.

This is for an adventure, so lets get some dramatic. Also it is meant to be forgotten for about 15 years, parts of it are destroyed or broken down. An evil necromancer uses the basement as his lair. I'll put this in there, too. 

This is what I've got so far. 

I usually start with basic black forms as a basis and interesting forms. Also, this is very easy to do, you can arrange this very easy instead of drawing outlines at this point and messing up the distances in between the walls. This is the way I start out with this type of maps. The other stories will follow and kind of depends on the basis.

Technical stuff:
- I work in Photoshop CS6, Wacom Intuos 4 (the big one), MacBook Pro
- Everything in here will be hand made digitally, so no textures. I'll go for line-art.

Hope you like it. I'll continue as I go along. 
Feel free to ask questions, comment and tell me stuff. =)

Steffen

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## Rautatilhi

Sounds interesting. Is it based on a real castle, or pure fantasy?

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## SteffenBrand

Pure fantasy. Of cause you'll always have recurring elements just because of the fact that castles were build in specific ways. 
So basically all castles have some standards, but nevertheless, you can give each castle its own flair I guess =)

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## SteffenBrand

I created some more details, this will break up the sterile walls and generate a more realistic structure in my opinion. I work with a few copy & paste objects I create and cut out the structures or add them here and there. I also made doors and some more pillars. Also, I included windows of cause. 



After that, everything else is done a specific way in less than 1 minute. I made this into a clipping mask and used a hand drawn hatching-layer I created before to fill the walls. By selecting the mask (CMD + klick on the layer) I had a selection of all that and used the 'stroke selection' tool on an extra layer to make the outline. In other cases I make this into a path and stroke this to get more out of the shape dynamics of the brush (line weight in example).



Hope you like it so far. I included the hatching below to show you, you can try it yourself =)
Cheers, Steffen

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## Ilanthar

Looking good so far. I've always liked this kind of floor plans.

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## SteffenBrand

Thanks Ilanthar! I'll post my next step in a few hours I guess =)
Edit: Yay, Post 42!

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## SteffenBrand

I created the other floors as I planned before. Too bad, I was making the 1st floor a little too big and I had to scale it down a little. I also fixed the walls based on what I had on the basis (i.e. it doesn't make any sense to have entrances on the upper floor...). I also included some spots I want to focus on, made the first stairs, created the basement (a little bit damaged), the border arount the image, etc.

Edit: Since I got asked via PN - this is for a German RPG, so this will be in German obviously. Like most of my plans & maps. =)

Hope you like it so far, feel free to ask questions or comment. 
Everything is appreciated =)

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## SteffenBrand

I created an additional border and started putting in the inventory. This will continue for a while and with flipping, slightly rotating, etc. and using the walls as a natural direction for the interior stuff. Also, I started naming the rooms. This is often a little chaotic - I just work on the thing / room I have an idea for or I feel like it until I'm done. See for yourself =)

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## SteffenBrand

Except for the tower I completed the 1st floor with lining. Of cause minor stuff could change depending on the other levels but the most objects are set. This step is a lot of work and you need to think about a lot of things to just know what makes sense in this area, where you should be able to get to, what objects do you need in there and so forth. I also included a lot of rubble, broke some walls down and loosely hatched some corners to trick the eye to not focus on the edges (since they are kind of refined forms in itself and loose hatching there breaks this up and 'softens it' - at least I get the feeling). Luckily, beside that this are usually the area junk is located and untouched plants grow randomly. =)

Feel free to ask questions or just leave a comment. =)
Cheers from Germany (1:10 am), Steffen

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## xpian

Wow, very cool castle. I like the style and the layout. Everything is great.

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## Larb

Yes, it is looking really nice. The detailing is great.

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## SteffenBrand

Thank you xplan and Larb, I'm very happy to hear that =)

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## - Max -

Great work !

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## SteffenBrand

Thanks so much, - Max -!

So, I nearly finished the upper floor. This is a little bit more destructed and with less objects. 
Hope you like that part, too. Next step: Basement =)

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## - Max -

Awesome (and also inspiring for one of my current work  :Wink:  )

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## SteffenBrand

Thanks, I'm happy to see what you are working on then. No doubt it will be awe-inspiring =)

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## ericlboyd

Absolutely beautiful. And so true to life with all the odd angles.

Really wishing there could be a German and English version. :-)

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## SteffenBrand

Maybe (if I can translate all the things properly) there will be also an Englisch version when I'm done =)

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## SteffenBrand

I finished the lining, guys =) I also completed the descriptions on the right (and fixed the numbers), made the tower, the basement, etc. Some details will be added in the middle of the castle on the 1st floor. Also, the next step will be graying in at least some things to indicate walls, stairs, etc. to give it a little more depth without diminishing the line-drawing feeling. =)

Feel free to comment or give me advice!
Cheers, Steffen

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## fabio p

This is a great and inspiring WIP in my opinion.
I particularly like your hatching layer; did you digitally hand draw it directly on your virtual sheet or did you draw it firstly on real paper? also I'm a bit curious on how you did the lining.
I can imagine how you did those things but since you are open to questions, I just ask, to learn something more from you.
Thanks!

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## SteffenBrand

Here we go again... =)

On the picture itself I just added a little herb garden.

We are now using gray. I usually do lining with 100% non-pressure sensitive 4px round brush (with width connected to pen pressure) black, but when using gray I switched to 15px and also lay pressure sensitivity to pen pressure - also I changed to color to 50% neutral gray (color-code #777777). Then I just used a fictive light from top left and painted the shadow loosely in there. As in most cases I usually create then two extra layers with flattened layers of everything (CRTL + SHIFT + ALT + E). One of them is set to multiply with 20% opacity and the other one with 20% opacity on overlay (but on this layer I used Filters > High Pass [with 2,4px]). 

Best wishes and stay creative. The next step will be the last one I guess. =)
Steffen





EDIT: Argh! fabio p, you Ninja'd me while I was posting =) Thank you so much! I hand drew this layer digitally on a virtual sheet. The lining of the stuff is hand drawn digitally also, the outlines of the walls are generated (as I mentioned in picture 3 if I remember correctly) with the transition from black forms to lining. =)

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## SteffenBrand

Finishing touches...

I guess I'm finished with this one. Made some minor changes, added a few tiny details and so on. I also tried to do something with the title, but it really didn't work out very well... Not much difference here, but the guy I was making this for were really happy with the result. This is usually the best and most rewarding part in my opinion. =)

When I look back, at this point it feels more like a tutorial than a work-in-progress. But nevertheless, it was great fun, maybe I'll do this again if you are interested. I'll post the finished map in the section for completed work, too. You can find it here.

Also, I made up an english version of this since most of you speak English. I apologize in advance for the shaky translation, but a lot of old German terms for old castles really translate horrible if there is a word in the american language at all... (and if so, they are stunningly hard to find)

German version (original):


Englisch version (translated):



I hope you like it, feel free to ask questions. =)
Best regards, Steffen

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## ericlboyd

The translations all seem to be descriptive (with the possible exception of #22).

I thought this was an interesting find, as it includes castle terms in English and German: http://www.oldcastleshop.com/glossary.htm

Thanks again for making an English translation!

--Eric

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## SteffenBrand

Thanks again, eric|boyd! I'll revisit the technical terms in the Englisch version in the future I guess. The link is great, I think it'll be a great help. =)

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## SteffenBrand

I tried to work in some more technical terms in the English version, but this is really hard because this isn't my native language. Hope this is better, feel free to help me out =)

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## ericlboyd

Looks very good.

I would make these changes:

1) "Gatehouse" should be one word.
2) Change "Travellers Guesthouse" to "Guesthouse" (simpler) or "Travellers' Guesthouse"
3) I might split "Well" and "Inner Ward" into 2 entries.
4) I would change "roofed walkway" to "portico." (I think that's more accurate than colonnade or peristyle, but others may know better than I.
5) I would change "Arched Room" to "Vault".
6) I would drop "Empty" and make it simply "Anteroom" or "Antechamber". (I'd probably pick the latter.) A better choice might simply be "Cellar". As (at least to me) Anteroom or Antechamber is rarely underground.

Looks great! Hope this was helpful.

--Eric

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## SteffenBrand

Thanks! If I do another update I'll include your good ideas =)

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## J.Edward

Great work on this Steffen. This is one of my new favorite castles.  :Very Happy: 
Definitely repped for this.

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## SteffenBrand

Thanks J.Edward, I'm glad you like it that much =)

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## forge22

Echt schoen! I really like the style here, and the write-up of your progress was super helpful.

In an attempt to branch out and try new maps, I have emulated your style and design here: Himmelsteinkirche WIP. I'm not going to push much further on this map, as it was a great learning opportunity thus far, and I've encountered the tedium of adding all the furniture and so forth, but I like how my floors and debris came out -- here too, I used a pattern I drew to show stones, grass, dust and the like.

Vielen danke!

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## SteffenBrand

Very nice, forge22! =) I'm blown away by the positive feedback here. I saw that you have used low-opacity wall-hatching, personally I'd use this pure black. Personal preference I guess. Yeah, the furniture is always a chore, but it adds much to the overall believability of the map. I had a pattern for stones, grass, etc. too, but I always was refining this and it was more work erasing and getting it right rather than draw it completely new each time. For big forests I find myself re-using some pattern I made, but beside than not much.

Thanks so much for sharing your map based on this! =)
Vielen Dank! [without the 'e' btw. and capital 'D']  :Wink: 

Steffen

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## SteffenBrand

Jeez, I could do 100 updates to fix the description so this will be the last one. I'm not 100% sure everything if this is 100% correct, but the German version I was going for is. Since the English version is a bonus anyway i'll leave it at that. =) Some small fixes here:

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## Larb

Nothing really sticks out to me except the trophy corridor which would be a gallery, long gallery or [adjective] gallery (such as marble gallery or... trophy gallery!)

Thanks for providing a translated version!

Forge22: I really like the way your interpretation turned out too though I'm not sure if I prefer the lower opacity hatching or the solid black hatching. I actually like adding all the little details such as the furniture - I find it fun.

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## ericlboyd

Looks beautiful! Thanks so much!

--Eric

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## SteffenBrand

There were some really good threads created of people who wanted to try working this way. I already mentioned: 



> This is insane! I'm blown away by the feedback and all the love this style suddenly gets and what this thread sparked. Thanks so much guys, you are awesome! =)


Well... would you guys be interested in a downloadable tutorial-PDF with some more comments and thoughts or is this here enough? It wouldn't be a problem. It'll be my first tutorial I'd ever make and I'm not sure if it will be perfect, but I could give it a shot =)

Best wishes, keep being as inspiring as you all are,
Steffen

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## Hilded

Great work!  I love looking at old castle maps like this, real or imagined.

Hilded

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## SteffenBrand

Thanks, Hilded! =)

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## atpollard

I love the graphics, but wonder about the Font.
It isn't a bad font, in fact it is quite pretty ... but it clearly looks like a lead typeset font on a map with such an amazing 'hand-drawn' style.
Perhaps a more 'calligraphic pen' type of font would match the graphics more perfectly.
(not a flowery script, just something with less mechanical serifs)

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## SteffenBrand

Atpollard, you are probably right. In hindsight I would use another font, thank you very much for pointing this out and making me rethink this =)

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