THE LEARNING ARCHIVES
Whether you're creating maps for a novel, rpg, or just for fun, this collection of tutorials and map tips will help you create more professional and believable maps for your story!
How to Draw ‘Tolkien’ Mountains
Many of us first fell in love with maps and fantasy while gazing at J.R.R. Tolkien’s map of Middle-earth. Something stirred our imagination as we stared at the Misty Mountains and searched for the entrance to Moria. Inevitably, this led us to want to pick up a pen and draw a map of our own. But where to begin?
How to Draw River Deltas
The air is heavy with the scent of salt as you trace the winding river to its end. Here, the waters split into countless streams spreading like the roots of a tree into the sea. The soils are rich, teeming with life. A place where civilizations might rise, or secrets might sink beneath the silt.
In this tutorial, I’ll guide you through drawing river deltas that look as though they belong on ancient charts and treasure maps. Features that not only shape the land, but hint at the stories and mysteries flowing through it.
How to Draw Stone Pillars
If you enjoy finding inspiration for your stories from real-world locations, then look no further than the stone pillars of Wulingyuan, China. These impressive monoliths are one of the most iconic locations in the world; with their unusual shape, covered with trees that somehow manage to grow hundreds of feet in the air like a natural hanging garden. In fact, the movie Avatar pulled inspiration from this location when creating the world of Pandora! 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 features to the world you’re crafting.
How to Draw Mountains
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. But, how do you draw them so they don’t just look like squiggly triangles on your map? In this tutorial, I will walk through one of my favorite methods to draw mountains on your fantasy maps!