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 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 a Snowy River
How do you draw something like snow on your fantasy map? Fortunately, it is pretty simple if you know how to draw your line art and build your color palette. In this tutorial, you'll learn some simple steps to transform a typical river into a winter setting for your next story. This is a great way to level up your maps whether it's for an rpg like Pathfinder or your next novel. So let’s start mapping!
7 Ways to Create Depth on Your Fantasy Maps
Do all the features on your fantasy map look a bit…flat? If you want to quickly step up the quality of your maps for the book you’re writing, or your next rpg campaign, then learning how to add some depth to can go a long way.
How to Draw a Mountain Lake
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!
How to Draw a Volcanic Eruption
It’s one thing to draw a dormant volcano, but how about one that’s erupting? In the previous tutorial, we walked through How to Draw a Volcano on Your Fantasy Maps, but now let’s make it a bit more dynamic so it can be a real focal point for your worldbuilding.
How to Draw a Volcano
Volcanoes are one of the most dramatic features you could include on your fantasy maps, not only for their destructive power but also for their unique beauty. It’s not surprising many historical cultures viewed them as a place to commune or appease their deity. Adding a volcano to your maps can open up many storytelling possibilities, but how do you go about drawing one? In this tutorial, I will break down my process so you can start mapping!
How to Draw Better Dead Trees
Have you ever tried to draw some dead trees on your fantasy map and realized it just looked like a tree without any leaves? How can you convey that it’s actually dead and not just defoliated? In this Map Tip, we’ll look at some simple tricks you can use on your maps to make sure your trees are appropriately deceased.
River Sins to Avoid on Your Fantasy Maps
Rivers have to be the most common thing for new map makers to get wrong; and even seasoned cartographers may have some of these mistakes sneak up on them if they’re not careful. But, having an awareness of some of the most common issues that come up when it comes to river placement will go a long way in making your maps and worlds more believable.
Forests - Where to Place Them on Your Maps
Have you ever wondered if you’re placing forests in the right spot on your fantasy maps? How does a forest even form, and why do trees grow in one area and not another? In this Map Tip I will walk you through how a forest grows to fill a landscape so you can have confidence when placing them on your maps!
How to Draw Forests
From the gloom of Mirkwood to the comfort of the Hundred Acre Wood, forests are one of the most iconic settings in storytelling. There is just something about a forest that brings a feeling of mystery, not knowing what lies around the bend in the trail. Whether you are creating a setting for your next rpg campaign or writing a story for your book, an enchanted glade in the middle of a dense canopy, or a lost city reclaimed by the trees is where myths are born and retold.
Sea Monsters - What Scale Should You Draw Them?
Do you want to draw some awesome sea monsters on your fantasy map, but aren’t sure what scale they should be? Should you go with a more realistic scale, or will they be too hard to see? Can you make them larger or will that throw off your whole map? But, is striving for “realism” negatively affecting the impact of your maps? Lets get into it!
How to Draw Cliffs on a Coastline
If you want the coastlines to look like they’re popping off the page, then adding some cliffs is a great way to do it. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to do and it will instantly make your map look much more professional. In this Map Tip, you will learn some simple techniques to help your maps stand out from the crowd, so let's start mapping!
How to Draw a Jungle on Your Fantasy Maps
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!
How to Measure Distance on Curving Paths
How much time will it take for your characters to travel the wandering path they’re on? Well, how long is it? Not sure? In this Map Tip you'll learn a simple trick to quickly determine distance on even the most crooked paths.
How to Draw a Floating Island
The idea of having a floating island that is mysteriously positioned in mid-air is something that has become increasingly popular in the fantasy genre. But, how do you draw one on your map? In this Map Tip, I will break down for you my method for drawing the underside of a floating island for your fantasy worlds!
How to Draw Stippled Mountains
There are many ways you can draw mountains on a fantasy map, but this method will walk you through how to use a traditional stippling technique which brings a bit of a Victorian aesthetic to your modern fantasy cartography.
Where to Place Rivers on Your Fantasy Maps
Rivers are likely an essential feature for the fantasy world you’re creating. Water is vital for life as we know it, not only for survival but transportation or trade. Understanding where to place them on a map is challenging if you don't want it to appear arbitrary. But if you grasp how water moves through a landscape, it will go a long way toward creating a sense of realism for your maps and worldbuilding.
Drawing Cliffs in Different Perspectives
When you sit down to draw a fantasy map for your story, one of the first things to decide is the perspective you’ll use. The most common tend to be isometric and top down, but which should you use? Here we will look at some of the benefits of each using something like cliffs to show some of the differences.
Drawing Deltas on Your Fantasy Maps
Deltas are a key source of agriculture for civilizations due to their nutrient rich soils. One of the key things that allowed Egypt to rise to and maintain power for so long was their acess to the Nile River and it’s delta. Now, lets look at how they form so you can realistically add them to your fantasy maps.
Placing Rain Shadow Deserts On Your Fantasy Maps
Why do some mountain ranges have a lush forest on one side and a desert on the other? In this Map Tip we’ll look at how a rain shadow desert can form so you can draw them on your own maps.