CITYSCAPES EXPLAINED

What is cityscape art?

Cityscape art is the rendering of a city's topography — its buildings, streets, waterways and skyline — as a work of art. It can take many forms: paintings, photography, prints, and three-dimensional sculptures or maps. At Chisel & Mouse we're fascinated by cities and what makes each one distinct — how they're laid out, how they've developed over time, what the architecture reveals about the people who built it, and the energy a city generates from the way it brings different people together. Our interpretation of cityscape art is a literal, accurate mapping of that urban fabric in three dimensions.

What is 3D map art?

3D map art combines the precision of cartography with creative artistry to transform flat maps into three-dimensional works. It gives geographical features a physical presence — depth, texture, scale — that makes them more immediate and easier to read than a conventional printed map. Artists use a variety of approaches including layering, sculpting, digital modelling and mixed media. Our cityscape models are made from satellite data and cast in white resin, producing a faithful three-dimensional impression of a city's actual building forms, streets and waterways at a scale of 1:5000.

How do we make our cityscapes?

We start with satellite data that gives us a three-dimensional view of a city's buildings, including roof forms and heights.

We clean the data — correcting errors caused by things like scaffolding — and update it to reflect any changes to the skyline since the survey was taken. We then 3D print the cleaned data to create a master pattern, from which we cast white resin moulds for our finished models. Each model is painted and hand-finished in our West Sussex studio before being mounted in a wooden frame. Most of our cityscape maps are at a scale of 1:5000, covering an area of approximately 1.5km × 1.5km.

Can the cityscapes be displayed on a wall or on a tabletop?

All of our cityscape models come with a hanging system for wall display and can also be placed flat on a desk, shelf or tabletop. Most models are square and work equally well in both orientations.

What cities are available as cityscape models?

Our current range includes London, New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, Florence, Berlin, Chicago, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Zurich, Utrecht, Frankfurt, Washington DC and more. Larger format versions of London, New York and Paris are also available. We're continually adding new cities — if yours isn't listed, our bespoke cityscape service can produce a custom model of almost any location.

Can I order a custom cityscape of my own city or area?

Yes. Our bespoke service allows us to create a custom 3D cityscape map of almost any location in the world, using the same satellite data and casting process as our standard range. See our custom cityscape examples for more details.

What scale are the cityscape models?

Most of our cityscape models are made at a scale of 1:5000, meaning one centimetre on the model represents 50 metres in the real world. At this scale each model covers an area of approximately 1.5km × 1.5km, which is enough to capture the essential character and landmarks of a city's historic core.

What material are the cityscape models made from?

Our standard cityscape range is cast in white resin. The models are mounted in wooden frames available in light or dark stained oak. An optional acrylic case is available on most models for dust-free display.