How to draw maps

There are many storytelling possibilities for your RPG adventure by including something like a mysterious chasm. Is it a natural feature? Was it created by someone in the ancient past with the power to make fissures in the rock itself? The question is…how do you draw a chasm? In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the process so you can easily add a crack in the earth for your party to explore on your fantasy map.

It’s one thing to draw a lake in a nice open region, but how can you realistically draw it tucked into the mountains? In this map tip we’ll look into how a lake forms, and then help you to learn how to draw one on your fantasy maps! #mapeffects #rpg #fantasy #drawing #maps #dungeonsanddragons #pathfinder #dnd

The methods for drawing forests on your fantasy map are seemingly endless, ranging from the simple to the complex. In this tutorial, I will walk you through some easy steps to create an iconic forest, even if you don’t have much confidence in your drawing abilities. It all comes down to some simple

How can you differentiate between mountains and sand dunes when drawing your fantasy map? Here are a few tips to help them read clearly on the maps for your rpg campaign or book. Then if you want to learn more about how to draw sand dunes, be sure to click here to visit the Map Effects tutorial. #fantasymaps #rpg #pathfinder #dnd

Ready to enter the dense canopy of a tropical jungle where the air is so thick you can feel it, and there is a new danger under every leaf? In this tutorial I will walk you through some steps so you can learn how to draw a dense jungle on your fantasy maps!

Volcanoes are one of the most dramatic features you could include on your fantasy maps. Adding a volcano to your maps can open up a lot of storytelling possibilities, but how do you go about drawing one? Check out this tutorial which will break down the process so you can draw a volcano on your maps. #mapeffects #rpg #dnd #fantasy #dungeonsanddragons #worldbuilding

Discovering a cave entrance in the face of a cliff lends to a number of storytelling possibilities and encounters. But, how exactly do you draw something like that, especially if you’re using a top-down perspective? It’s certainly a challenge, but I want to walk you through the process and share som

Drawing a plateau on your fantasy map is a simple way to make the landscape of your world stand out from the flat terrain you see on most maps. In this tutorial, you will learn how to draw impressive cliffs that rise out of the landscape. Which can become key storytelling features in the world you'r

Drawing a plateau on your fantasy map is a simple way to make the landscape of your world stand out from the flat terrain you see on most maps. In this tutorial, you will learn how to draw impressive cliffs that rise out of the landscape. Which can become key storytelling features in the world you'r

One of the biggest challenges with fantasy maps in a top down perspective is they tend to look a bit flat. Fortunately, there are some simple tricks you can use to build up the layers of the landscape to give a sense of depth. In this Map Tip we’ll be looking at how to draw cliffs on a coastline in this perspective and make them really stand out in your map. #mapeffects #fantasy #rpg #drawing #maps

Drawing a tomb on your map is a great way to add intrigue and a sense of history to your world. They are a compelling feature that gets your imagination going and asking questions, which is exactly the reaction you want from a viewer. In this tutorial, you will learn how to easily draw a tomb on you

I’ve realised I have a particular workflow for drawing coastlines in my maps. Here’s a quick walkthrough. Each step is done on a new layer in photoshop, and I use a 5px hard round brush in each case with size set to pressure. However, all of these steps can be done in Gimp – or … Continue reading "How to Draw Coastlines on a Fantasy Map"

If you enjoy finding inspiration for your stories from real-world locations, then look no further than the stone pillars of Wulingyuan, China. But the real question is, how do you draw something like that on your fantasy map? In this tutorial, I’ll break down the process so you can add these iconic

Sometimes it's the little tips that make the biggest difference. Whether you're creating maps for a novel or a rpg, this collection of simple tips will help you create more professional and believable maps for your story!

Draw Your Own Fantasy Maps: One of my favorite things about playing tabletop RPGs is that it inspires me to create art that fits into that world. Whenever I play a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, I always feel compelled to create a very detailed world map to help me envision th…

Plateaus, mesas, and buttes can look very similar and it can be a challenge to know the difference. Things become even more confusing when you listen to the average person describe these cliff formations, because they’ll often use the names interchangeably. So how can you tell the difference so you

Mountains are perhaps the most important natural feature you can draw on a map. They impact weather patterns, where rivers flow, and ultimately where cities and nations arise. In this tutorial, I will walk through one of my favorite methods to draw mountains on your fantasy maps for your rpg, or boo