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 Whirlpool Vortex
There is something mysterious about a swirling vortex of water that seems to be draining into the depths of the ocean. This is why a whirlpool or maelstrom is a compelling feature to include on your fantasy maps as it opens up so many storytelling possibilities. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through some easy steps so you can draw your own whirlpool on your fantasy maps.
How to Draw a Kraken
What lurks below the surface? There is something terrifying about knowing there could be a massive predator swimming just below you with no idea that it’s even there. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through some easy steps so you can draw a kraken on your fantasy maps.
Simple Way to Create Ocean Hatching
If you really want a classic hand-inked look for your fantasy map, then adding hatching lines along the coastlines is a great way to do it. Unfortunately, it is very time-consuming to draw each individual line, and keeping them equally spaced can cause no shortage of frustration. But now with the Ocean Hatching Brush included in the Map Effects Fantasy Map Builder, you can instantly add hand-drawn hatching lines with just a click.
Varying the Size of Mountains
What's the trick to making your mountain ranges look more realistic on your fantasy map? One thing often overlooked is that not all mountains should be the same height. Having some variation helps them feel a part of the surrounding landscape and not just sitting on top of it. Let's look at some simple principles you can apply to your maps.
A Simple Way to Create Depth on Your Maps
Most fantasy maps you see have a relatively flat landscape, with a few mountains, forests, and settlements placed on top. But, occasionally you’ll find a cartographer who makes the entire landscape look like it is popping off the page. In this guest tutorial, Gerralt Landman will share with you his secret to iconic maps with their amazing depth and dimension.
Where to Draw Marshes on Fantasy Maps?
There are so many ways you can utilize marshes in your worldbuilding and storytelling. They can be a place of great abundance and biodiversity, or they can be somewhere filled with foreboding and danger. Either way, it’s important to understand how they actually form in order to place them on your map.