First decide where your imagined light source is located, in this case from the upper left corner. To add some depth to the map, and making it look a bit more interesting, I add some simple shadows to it. Step six: add random gaps, dots and cracks to the flagstones. I decided to add a “T” to one of the flagstones, indicating a trap. Random is the keyword here: don’t repeat patterns as it will look planned and artificial. Also, randomly emphasise some of the gaps between the flagstones too. Step five: add rocks and dotsĪdd some texture (dots, small scratches, cracks) to the flagstones. I added an “S” to the map, marking out a secret door that the players will need to search for in order to find. The idea is to have a higher “dot density” the closer you are to the dungeon wall. I like adding some rocks and then use small dots to provide some contrast. Use a thin (0.05) marker to draw the lines for the flagstones.Īs you can see, the pillars provide contrast to the flagstone pattern, as they are placed where the flagstones intersect, and not directly on top of a single flagstone.Īdd some texture to the surface around the dungeon. Not only do they add nice detail to the dungeon, they also help by providing a grid for the map, making it easier for the dungeon master to draw it on a battle mat should he want to use miniatures for running a combat encounter. Step two: ink outlines Step three: add weight to outlinesĪdd weight to your outlines with a thicker marker (0.5) Step three: Adding weight to the outlines with a thicker markerįlagstones are great. It’s usually a good idea to add the pillars where flagstones will intersect, to provide some nice contrast, as you will see later on in the tutorial. I’ve also added a couple of doors and some pillars to the dungeon. This can affect the inked outlines as well, but no worries, we will take care of that in the next step. Let the ink dry for a minute, and then erase the pencil lines. Use a thin (0.1) marker to draw your outlines. Step one: rough outlines with mechanical pencil Imperfect lines gives a nice organic look to the map. It doesn’t have to be perfect straight lines, so no need for a ruler. Start by drawing your dungeon walls with a mechanical pencil. The end result has had some work done in Photoshop (adjusted levels, removing dots). I don’t have a scanner, so all images in the tutorial are taken with an iPhone camera. None of this stuff is especially expensive, and can be bought online. For this tutorial, I’ve used three sizes of Micron markers (0.5, 0.1 and 0.05), an ice grey 4 Promarker, a mechanical pencil and a note book with dotted paper, from Field Notes (however, you could just as well use normal grid paper). I, however, prefer to draw by hand.įirst of all, make sure you have decent tools to work with. The gearĪ lot of people prefer to draw digital maps, using tools like Photoshop. You can of course add a lot of complexity by adding “dungeon dressing”, or even draw the map from another perspective, such as isometric. This tutorial will show you how to draw a simple top-down map, with no special features such as furniture or other objects. Sometimes when I post my maps online, people ask me for advice on how to get started, and even though I’m far from an authority on the subject, I though a short and simple tutorial could be of help, so here goes! (Please, if linking to this in your blog, website or forums, link to this page, and not directly to the file, as the file gets updated and renamed, whereas this page does not get renamed)Ī lot of other people are also making geomorphs that link up with my 100 x 100 design.Ever since I was a kid, I enjoyed drawing, especially mystical places like monster strongholds, secret lairs and abandoned catacombs. You can also download the challenge as a PDF here. Here is a compilation of the various sets of six geomorphs I’ve posted in that time – with links to the source posts. It took quite a bit longer than I expected to be finished, from October of 2009 to October of 2010. The geomorph mapping project was a self-challenge to produce 100 dungeon geomorphs in my old-school pen-and-paper style.
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