Map effects

How does something as lush as an oasis form in a place like a desert? At first glance it may not make sense, but knowing a few simple principles can go a long way in helping you know where to place an oasis on your fantasy maps. It’s little pieces of information on how geology works in the real worl

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!

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?

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.

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 wa

What is a realistic population size for a medieval or ancient fantasy setting? Should a city have a couple of million people? How about 500,000 or 20,000? Let’s delve in and give you some simple guidelines as well as a cheat sheet you can easily reference as you are writing your story and drawing yo

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! #fantasymaps #rpg #dungeonsanddragons #worldbuilding #maps

City maps can be a lot of fun to draw, but they come with their own unique set of challenges. It’s one thing to draw individual buildings that are completely isolated from one another; it’s another to draw a city block where everything is more mashed together. In this tutorial I’ll walk you through my process to sketching, inking, and finally coloring a city block so you can add them to your own fantasy maps! #mapeffects #howtodraw #fantasymaps #fantasy #tutorial #rpg #dungeonsanddragons

Visual tangents are one of those things that can creep into your work. The worst part is they draw attention to themselves because they’re by nature distracting. So what are they and how can you avoid them when drawing your fantasy maps?