How to draw a 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!

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

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. Adding a volcano to your maps can open up many storytelling possibilities, but how do you go about drawing one?

Watch out for sharp rocks! Is there a dangerous stretch of coastline on your fantasy map, where ships must sail carefully lest they get caught upon the hidden stones below? Then adding a lighthouse may be the thing you need to warn weary travelers to keep their distance. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the steps so you can easily draw a lighthouse icon just like this on your map. #tutorial #drawing #rpg #maps #fantasy

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"

There is probably nothing more iconic in cartography than the compass rose. In this tutorial you'll learn everything you need to draw a simple compass on your fantasy maps, and hopefully it will inspire and give you confidence to take it a step further.

A waterfall is an iconic feature to include on your fantasy maps and something you don't see enough. In this tutorial, you will learn some simple steps to walk you through how to draw a waterfall on your map for your next rpg or book. Let’s start mapping!

How do you draw a floating island on your fantasy map? In this Map Tip I will break down for you my method for drawing the underside of a floating island for your fantasy rpg or book. #mapeffects #dnd #dungeonsanddragons #pathfinder #rpg #fantasy #maps

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