Map reference

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"

Your vital visual guide to Westeros and beyond

Rivers do not flow from coastline to coastline because everything would be at sea level. In essence, it would be a canal rather than a river. This is a common mistake on many fantasy maps but it's easy to fix once you are aware of it. Click here to view my full tutorial on how to draw rivers on your maps! #mapeffects #map #fantasy #rpg #worldbuilding #fantasymap #geography

Cartography brushes for Fantasy.

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"

Not sure how to make your coastlines more interesting? Here is a little cheat sheet to give you some ideas on how you can make your fantasy maps more dynamic! #rpg #dungeonsanddragons #fantasy #pathfinder

Canyons are a striking feature of any landscape and can really be a focal point in the story you're telling. In this tutorial, you will learn how to draw canyons that bring a sense of depth to the landscape and make your fantasy map really stand out.

Normal people don’t have favorite cartographers, but I think many geographers do. I’ve simply fallen in love with the maps of Erwin Raisz. How? It’s not a name you hear too oft…

Creating city maps can be hard. Here's four quick steps I use to design believable town and city maps.