How To Draw Plains On A Map

How I create a fantasy map by paw

So I've created a this post to help yous draw your ain fantasy map by paw for your story or part playing needs. You lot tin do this in any footstep y'all want and make information technology equally simple or complex as you desire. I've shown a picture tutorial and then below an outline of step to follow in any order if you lot desire. I've too left in resources at the end for more aid.

I might do a couple other mapping tutorials to show you how to draw cities and how to draw a map on the estimator. But for now, this is a dainty way for the beginner to showtime.

Tools:

• Pencil

• Pen

• Blank paper

• Tracing paper

• Pen

• Pencil sharper

• Colour pencils (optional)

Pre-Drawing:

Before you showtime drawing, it helps to practise some research into geography. For example, which manner rivers catamenia, where y'all normally find plains, tundra, deserts, etc. Of grade, if you lot're making a fantasy map, you can do whatsoever you lot desire, merely otherwise, information technology helps to do a little enquiry.

Yous'll also desire to know where people normally live (for example, past rivers and forests) and how that expanse and its climate affects their civilisation (perhaps if they live in the desert, they ride camels instead of horses or if they live nigh a lot of rivers, they might have a lot of different h2o gods). Or perchance looking into where people strategically place forts and borders.

And finally, if you have already written your story or whatever, become through and make a list of places they've traveled to and from, the scenery and landscapes, and annihilation else y'all want to include in your maps.

Step ane: Start by cartoon out a actually simple outline. I e'er start off with pencil first and then later trace my drawing over on another sheet with pen. A lot of fantasy map making is based on intuition so just draw whatever feels right. Make some sketches if yous're unsure of what you want your map to look similar before you start drawing.

Step 2:I find its easier to start by filling in with mountains and lakes starting time because those are usually large, of import parts of land masses as they can be natural borders to countries and affect the way people collaborate with each other and get effectually. For this tutorial, I've done some basic, common shapes for my land masses, but if you want study some cartography and other fantasy maps to see how to draw more detailed maps. In that location's no right or wrong way to describe them, equally long every bit you know what they stand for. You tin can too depict every bit many or as petty every bit you want to, I've seen some people draw a few trees to make a forest and other people draw a lot.

Footstep 3: Next I notice its easier to go with rivers since rivers tend to flow from mountains or from lakes and drain towards the ocean. And a lot of cities are based near rivers (or at to the lowest degree, that'south where I tend to put mine for piece of cake h2o transportation and drinking water).

Footstep 4: Afterward that I similar to add in my forests and other areas of vegetation. I usually go out my plains, meadows, deserts, etc, blank and write in the names of it instead so I know what information technology is.

Stride 5: Add together in names of major land areas. Since the country I'1000 working on here is based off of China and shape-shifting dragons, I tried to research some names that would work. For example, Dragonstone Meadows and Hongsu (apparently meaning "great plains").

Step 6: Think of where you want to identify your towns, cities, forts, temples, etc. I used a basic black circle to represent my towns and cities and so a star to represent the capital letter. Some people really draw in miniature towns or just a building of sorts to correspond information technology.

Step 7: Characterization your cities and towns and forts and other landmarks or places. I already started in the previous picture, but I finished naming them here.

Pace 8: Add in your littoral lines and other watermarks. I like to just trace my continent  and use wavy lines in my lakes to represent those (I chose non to do it here though on this map). Some people I've see instead use lines radiating out from the continent to represent shore lines. You can also describe in a ship hither or bounding main creatures if you so desire.

Step nine: Add together a fundamental to make sure people browsing your map knows what is what. You can e'er add in compass roses here if you so desire. For mine, I merely used a uncomplicated Due north and an pointer to give viewers an idea. Yous can make your compasses equally detailed or simple as yous want.

Pace 10: If yous desire, yous can now trace over your map with pen and so have a slice of tracing paper or really thin sheets of paper and trace it over. That style you lot'll have a squeamish, clean version if you're done. Or if you don't want to trace it over again, now y'all tin browse it into the computer. Once you've decided on what you desire to do, you can color it in if you desire. I usually don't color in mine, but you can.
(My map with a thin canvas of paper over on top to trace information technology over with later)

How to draw a fiction map- outline
The following steps are all optional and might involve more research and studying than what you lot really want to practice. In that location's no right way to create your map, so experience costless to pick and choose what works for y'all and your story.

1. Enquiry

   1. Acquire nigh Geography

   2. Learn about the environs

   3. Learn about the Climate

   4. Acquire almost Cartography

   5. Study Real Maps

   6. Report Fictional Maps

2. The Nuts

   1. Know your story and globe

   2. Decide what kind of map (Continent, state, or focus point)

   3. Imagine a how you desire your map to look like

   4. Draw a basic shape or outline

   5. Add major features (Straits, deltas, harbors, gulfs, beaches, capes, peniasulas, etc)

3. Geographical Details

   1. Decide Symbols (What y'all're going to use for forests, mountains, etc)

   2. Determine your climate

   3. Determine what kind of features will exist in your map (aka, what does the story need?)

   4. Draw mountains, forests, swamps, etc.

   5. Add lakes and rivers

4. Countries, borders, cities, and places

   1. Learn about your people

   2. Learn how borders are formed and why they are put where they are

   3. Add borders

   4. Learn why and where cities are built

   5. Add capitals, cities, towns, etc

   6. Add landmarks and important places

   7. Add roads, bridges, etc.

5. Finishing Touches

   1. Add coastal lines and outlines

   2. Add together a key, compass, and a calibration

   3. Add latitude and longitude lines

   4. Add names

   5. Add name of the cartographer and the date the map was produced (in accordance with your book) (Optional)

   6. Trace over with pen and tracing paper for a squeamish make clean version.

   7. Color (Optional)

   8. Digitize (either via Photoshop or some other editing tool) (Optional)

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Cheers!

Source: https://www.sarehprice.com/blog/how-to-make-a-map

Posted by: lemosstrught.blogspot.com

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