Map making

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"

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3097 likes, 53 comments. “Making maps.”

Canyons are a striking feature of any landscape and can really be a focal point in the story you're telling. In this tutorial, you will learn how to draw canyons that bring a sense of depth to the landscape and make your fantasy map really stand out.

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.

Why do some mountain ranges have a lush forest on one side, and a desert on the other? This is caused by an amazing process known as rain shadow. Here is a quick map tip on how it works so hopefully you can implement this type of feature on your fantasy maps for your next rpg or book. Tap here for more tutorials and tips!

There are lots of ways to indicate water on a map with lines – and many more with tone or colour. Here are four I regularly use. 1. Broken Waves After you have your coastline, use short, gently curving lines along the shore. The lines should follow the shapes of the coast, but smooth out … Continue reading "4 Coast Styles for Mapmaking"

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