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.

How to draw simple and advanced maps, including fantasy, treasure, pirate and world maps. Tips for using drawing fundamentals to draw a map, and color it.

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"

I've always had a slight obsession with maps without really realizing it. Recently it was pointed out that I have a tendency to craft with maps. I think this is because growing up my Dad was a long haul truck driver so we always had an atlas around or went on trips with him where he would show me the plotted out roots on the map so I could learn to follow along, these were the days before GPS. Now when the mapbooks were well used or a new one was purchased I always took the old one. It was…

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"

Drawing castles on your map is a great way to add a sense of history and culture to the world you’ve created. Not only can they represent a seat of power in a region, but they are also a hub for trade and politics. Best of all they are pretty easy to draw with some simple shapes that can be shifted

How to create an antique looking paper or scroll and how to draw a treasure map. Easy steps for creating an authentic looking old pirate map.