Cities by Chris Auman

Cities is the companion book to Chris Auman’s Maps. This 28-page book features the skylines of the largest, most beautiful cities in the world, but not this world. Some other one.

Cities by Chris Auman is the companion book to my earlier publication, Maps. Like that small art book, this 28-page effort features the skylines of the largest, most beautiful cities in the world, but not of this world. Some other one.

I refer to this book, and Maps, as art books as opposed to comics because they don’t really tell a story. They’re just collections of drawings of things like maps and cities. If you’d like to explore this book further, order Cities from the RoosterCow Store. You can also buy Maps and Cities as a set and save some cash.

Specs.

28 pages, 4.9″ x 6.9″ portrait. B&W, full-color glossy cover.

Introduction to Cities

Cities are living, breathing things. They expand and contract. Some cities are modern and new. Some are ancient and lie buried under layers of soil waiting to be discovered.

Cities start as settlements and grow into villages then into towns, and then into cities. Some grow into even larger metropolitan areas with dozens of suburbs. Neighborhoods and communities are all connected by complex systems of roads and railways. Within cities, other systems distribute energy and water, eliminate waste,  provide food and medicine, and enforce laws. Cities are managed by mayors, councils, boards, and trustees.

Cities can sprout up anywhere. They’re often established near lakes and rivers. They are built on valley floors and atop mountain peaks. Getting the many tons of building materials up mountains and into valleys and gorges takes great feats of engineering. There are even cities built in trees and on the edges of cliffs.

It’s hard to tell from a skyline view what goes on within a city. Knowing that requires exploration. Only then could you more accurately gauge a city’s health, its vibrancy or decay, and its attitude toward the rest of the world.

The cities in this book will be unfamiliar to most. They exist in worlds we don’t know much about. We can’t go there yet, so we have to imagine what they’re like.

Imagine walking down the streets of the cities depicted on these pages. What kind of people will you meet? What types of businesses will you visit? Where are the good bars and restaurants? Or the book and record stores? What neighborhoods should you explore? Which should you avoid?

What problems plague the city’s population?

Is it pollution, crime, and income inequality?

Rotting infrastructure and homelessness?

Bad drivers and losing sports teams?

If you find out, let me know.