Update: Not quite happy with the shape of the range on this one. See a new video on the shape of mountain ranges here: ua-cam.com/video/YaQJ79Daj0w/v-deo.html
Great video! If you don't mind me saying, I have observed that real mountain ranges consist of alligned clusters of mountains with paths inbetween them. Maybe that's a valid image to avoid the "wall look" too... But that's just a newbie observation. Thanks a lot for your tutorials! Thanks to them, I finally summoned up enough courage to make my world's first map.
These videos have been so great. Currently in highschool but I get to be a teacher's aide for a fantasy class next semester and I was cleared to run a quick campaign for the class. I have a simple map already made but your video's have helped me improve immensely. Thanks for posting them.
Inshar is the map I remember trying to mimic in my work before I laid down the first sketches for So'Ceran. I just could not get the process in my head, so I checked out Questing Beast (who's remarkably silent nowadays) and copied his mountains. Now, coming back and watching you go through this again, it inspires me to redo my entire map. Haha!
While I arrived here via a Questing Beast video on the subject, I thought your instructions were more approachable from a layman's perspective. Thanks!
When I started last year making world maps, I could imagine how a mountain would be drawn. I started with the same mistake you show here, making the base line very predictable and one directional. Having realized this on my first map I went naturally to your improvements you are talking about. I really like your style, acknowledging and suggesting other map makers and also self critisizing your work is actually very cool of you. Keep it up, thanks for the ideas
I like using google maps to get a good idea of how a real-world range would look like when zoomed in enough to see some town detail. Let's me creates some mountain passes and other neat geological features you'd get in a real range.
dude this was super helpful making my first map rn and I was really afraid because I have this one continuously running mountain range that I was super worried about but I ran along side u with this vid on a test sheat of paper and at first I thought it was going to be total trash cuz my line was all kinds of wonky but I managed to salvage it and it looked really good for the first time... Thanks!
It's an older video, but the technique is still insanely good. Just grab some paper and keep on fiddling with it. It gets much easier. (Not talking to Nate, but everyone else. He's very good at what he does.)
These tutorials are great and have helped me a lot. I have one request though. All of these mountains have a vertical inclination. Could you do a tutorial on horizontal mountains?
Hey Nate, I was wondering if you could possibly show a good way to draw badlands on a map? I'm drawing a map for a book idea I've been running through my head and am in the process of building the world, including drawing a map to help visualize everything. I used your other mountain video to draw my mountains (which I intend to redraw after seeing this) but I need to know how to draw badlands. hope to hear back, thanks! :)
I always seem to have issues with mainly horizontal mountains, stretching east to west. Somehow, when using this technique, they end up looking not nearly as good as the vertical ones.
Could anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? I am so frustrated rn. They are so hard to draw :( When I draw them they just look like a bunch of pencil mess and they don't look 3D at all.
You’ll likely have to keep practicing and learn from your mistakes. I intend to give these fantasy maps a try myself, and I know it probably won’t turn out well on the first try.
I have to admit I am having a REALLY hard time working on ridge lines that work from vertical to horizontal. I really want to nail the initial ridge/lines before I move to shading because I don't want to spend the time shading up poor line work. Great colors/shade do not improve poor line quality. Any advice?
it is a real miss that you didn't name that bay in the middle Dragon Bay, or Dragon Head Bay or something like that. it has a form that is very similar to some dragons' heads.
Do you do Commissions? If so I have a MASSIVE map that I tried to make for a book that I am writing and would love if you could draw it and give it the digital aging effect that you did in one of your vids. Though you should know that when I say Massive it's extremely big. Let me know!
Normally I do, but I'm taking a pretty long break right now. I've got a big line of requests and won't be getting to them for several months yet. Find more info at www.sellswordmaps.com
How to you draw mountains if you want a larger scale map ? For example if a want to make a map represent a area as big a Europe how should i draw mountains so that each individual peak looks smaller so you get the illusion of more mountains
I would likely use the same technique, just make them smaller. Or try the individual peak method. You can see some of my other maps over here and they may give you ideas. I think the Erenoth map may be the largest continents I've done.
When you move over to editing on the computer, do you use a mouse as an input device or do you use a stylist or pen mouse? And if so what type do you use?
I generally use a drawing tablet. I have the Wacom Intuos Pro: amzn.to/2gHR0A3 It's great, though I know a lot of people who have the cheaper Wacom Intuos and it serves them quite well at less than $100. amzn.to/2gHPduK
I do a lot of digital art and I use a mouse unlike most people. If you want to do it this way, the biggest suggestions I can give is to have low mouse sensitivity, a large mouse pad and your mouse acceleration turned off.
There were two dog hairs on my iPad screen when I was watching this and they looked like the ridge line and I waiting the whole time for you to shade the, ect.
Uuuggggssssss I've been trying this method for six months now. I love how it looks, but no matter how many times I try I cannot get it right. My lines look like bundled hair ;^;
Yes! absolutetabletop.com/campaign-master-book-one I HIGHLY recommend it, and I'm no I'm not getting a cut from copies sold. I genuinely feel the guys at AbTab knocked it out of the park on this one. Just read the reviews.
Just an idea but you might want to try making some of these drawing instructional videos a bit shorter. The people dedicated to learning mapmaking will watch this entire video but most people just curious will just skip a 20 min video. Maybe try to speed up some sections or do part of your intro while drawing. Aim for a 7ish minute video. Like I said this is 100% my opinion but this is off of my personal viewing habits. Maybe just try is a few times if you have not done it already. Also add a suggested video as part of your end card, a lot of people use those. Keep up the good content.
Just starting to get into mapping, I'm going by the technique of shading areas darker to show height. This helps cram more other pieces of detail in my map, though might not look the greatest.
Update: Not quite happy with the shape of the range on this one. See a new video on the shape of mountain ranges here: ua-cam.com/video/YaQJ79Daj0w/v-deo.html
Those are happy little mountains
ayyyy Bob ross reference
I was trying to replicate your mountains so hard the other day, thanks for the explanation
Nice!
Great video! If you don't mind me saying, I have observed that real mountain ranges consist of alligned clusters of mountains with paths inbetween them. Maybe that's a valid image to avoid the "wall look" too... But that's just a newbie observation. Thanks a lot for your tutorials! Thanks to them, I finally summoned up enough courage to make my world's first map.
These videos have been so great. Currently in highschool but I get to be a teacher's aide for a fantasy class next semester and I was cleared to run a quick campaign for the class. I have a simple map already made but your video's have helped me improve immensely. Thanks for posting them.
Wow. What a great opportunity! I hope it goes well.
Inshar is the map I remember trying to mimic in my work before I laid down the first sketches for So'Ceran. I just could not get the process in my head, so I checked out Questing Beast (who's remarkably silent nowadays) and copied his mountains. Now, coming back and watching you go through this again, it inspires me to redo my entire map. Haha!
They're very similar to my style! Great video Nate!
Thanks! Questing beast is great, and yeah I definitely wish he was more active on UA-cam these days.
Thanks a lot Mr Nate now my problems with drawing mountains is over.Your videos are awesome and easy to understandThanks a lot for tips
While I arrived here via a Questing Beast video on the subject, I thought your instructions were more approachable from a layman's perspective. Thanks!
When I started last year making world maps, I could imagine how a mountain would be drawn. I started with the same mistake you show here, making the base line very predictable and one directional. Having realized this on my first map I went naturally to your improvements you are talking about. I really like your style, acknowledging and suggesting other map makers and also self critisizing your work is actually very cool of you. Keep it up, thanks for the ideas
Thanks much!
I like using google maps to get a good idea of how a real-world range would look like when zoomed in enough to see some town detail. Let's me creates some mountain passes and other neat geological features you'd get in a real range.
That's cool. I actually looked at some Google maps in my more recent video on drawing mountains. :)
in 5 minutes i jut changed my perspective about all of my maps
I love your videos. I have been drawing fantasy maps during down time at work for a few years and these have helped a lot
Ohhhh man love them mountains...
Beautiful Maps! I started playing D&D after I saw your 'how to play D&D-videos'.
I like your channel, please keep going!
Thanks, Reto! I'll definitely keep it going as long as there are people like you watching and leaving great comments. :D
Nice inspiration to others. Thanks much for sharing!
I LOVE THE MAP MAKING.
Thanks!
dude this was super helpful making my first map rn and I was really afraid because I have this one continuously running mountain range that I was super worried about but I ran along side u with this vid on a test sheat of paper and at first I thought it was going to be total trash cuz my line was all kinds of wonky but I managed to salvage it and it looked really good for the first time... Thanks!
It's an older video, but the technique is still insanely good. Just grab some paper and keep on fiddling with it. It gets much easier. (Not talking to Nate, but everyone else. He's very good at what he does.)
Nate is the Bob Ross of tabletop RPG :)
Bronhitis Like Bob Ross he makes it look so easy and then I try to do it and look at what I have created and I'm like 'nope'
Let it happen!
Man you're the Bob Ross of fantasy maps.
I think of lightning when i draw mine.
these look great thanks
Please do a video on forests. Been havin trouble with forest for the longest time. Great video though!
I'll add it to the list! Thanks.
WASD20 Thanks man, it'll be a lot of help :)
thats awesome
These tutorials are great and have helped me a lot. I have one request though. All of these mountains have a vertical inclination. Could you do a tutorial on horizontal mountains?
i swear that the backgorund music is the same as in a old game i have, Cities XL 2011, i can't unhear it XD
Great video dude.. can't wait to see the next one. Are you gonna address wondering monsters.. and or what provisions the heros should pack?
Hmm. Probably not in mapping videos, but I'll consider those suggestions for other videos. Thanks, Ben!
awesome!
Honestly when i first saw the ridgeline in the series i just experimented and used my own mountains.
I started to play dnd about a year ago but i had play homebrew before
Hey Nate, I was wondering if you could possibly show a good way to draw badlands on a map? I'm drawing a map for a book idea I've been running through my head and am in the process of building the world, including drawing a map to help visualize everything. I used your other mountain video to draw my mountains (which I intend to redraw after seeing this) but I need to know how to draw badlands.
hope to hear back, thanks! :)
Describe badlands. Could do a video on deserts, badlands, etc. Would this be kind of like a desert?
it helps alot !!!!!!! thank you
in need a better way to draw flame-like Crystal Mountains (Crystal jagged mountains or something like that)
I always seem to have issues with mainly horizontal mountains, stretching east to west. Somehow, when using this technique, they end up looking not nearly as good as the vertical ones.
Could anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? I am so frustrated rn. They are so hard to draw :( When I draw them they just look like a bunch of pencil mess and they don't look 3D at all.
You’ll likely have to keep practicing and learn from your mistakes. I intend to give these fantasy maps a try myself, and I know it probably won’t turn out well on the first try.
Weird question, but I love the music you play in the background and would love to have it be ambient music during my playthroughs. Is it on youtube?
It is Stale Mate, by the Jingle Punks, I believe.
Dose any ever here about the good things in d&d like the Dragon's how they really kick that ass
huh? what?
hey nat whts the jingle that plays in this video cold also cudos on all your maps awsome work
It's Stale Mate, by the Jingle Punks. Thanks for watching!
I have to admit I am having a REALLY hard time working on ridge lines that work from vertical to horizontal. I really want to nail the initial ridge/lines before I move to shading because I don't want to spend the time shading up poor line work. Great colors/shade do not improve poor line quality.
Any advice?
it is a real miss that you didn't name that bay in the middle Dragon Bay, or Dragon Head Bay or something like that.
it has a form that is very similar to some dragons' heads.
Do you have other videos covering different mountain techniques?
No specific videos, but I do use various mountain styles in some of my other videos.
Great videos! What software do you use for digital mapping?
I use Gimp or Photoshop, in general.
Do you do Commissions? If so I have a MASSIVE map that I tried to make for a book that I am writing and would love if you could draw it and give it the digital aging effect that you did in one of your vids. Though you should know that when I say Massive it's extremely big. Let me know!
Normally I do, but I'm taking a pretty long break right now. I've got a big line of requests and won't be getting to them for several months yet. Find more info at www.sellswordmaps.com
Good video :-)
How to you draw mountains if you want a larger scale map ? For example if a want to make a map represent a area as big a Europe how should i draw mountains so that each individual peak looks smaller so you get the illusion of more mountains
I would likely use the same technique, just make them smaller. Or try the individual peak method. You can see some of my other maps over here and they may give you ideas. I think the Erenoth map may be the largest continents I've done.
Oops. Link: www.sellswordmaps.com/?page_id=30
When you move over to editing on the computer, do you use a mouse as an input device or do you use a stylist or pen mouse? And if so what type do you use?
I generally use a drawing tablet. I have the Wacom Intuos Pro: amzn.to/2gHR0A3
It's great, though I know a lot of people who have the cheaper Wacom Intuos and it serves them quite well at less than $100. amzn.to/2gHPduK
I do a lot of digital art and I use a mouse unlike most people. If you want to do it this way, the biggest suggestions I can give is to have low mouse sensitivity, a large mouse pad and your mouse acceleration turned off.
What is the background guitar music he uses?
It just never works for me I don’t understand I do what u did but it just doesn’t work when I do it
still cant draw mountains :(
There were two dog hairs on my iPad screen when I was watching this and they looked like the ridge line and I waiting the whole time for you to shade the, ect.
Ha! Nice.
Dammit man, you make it look way easier than it is! lol
Uuuggggssssss I've been trying this method for six months now. I love how it looks, but no matter how many times I try I cannot get it right. My lines look like bundled hair ;^;
Sorry to hear it! Nothing wrong with using a simpler style. It can still look great!
can you link the book you mentioned please
Yes! absolutetabletop.com/campaign-master-book-one
I HIGHLY recommend it, and I'm no I'm not getting a cut from copies sold. I genuinely feel the guys at AbTab knocked it out of the park on this one. Just read the reviews.
I can't find a video that teaches drawing desert terrains
what are the tent like things supposed to be?
not in this video the one map you did for your friend
I was super confused. :P Those were orc settlements, if I'm remembering correctly.
Whats the background music used called?
Stale Mate by Jingle Punks.
WASD20 thank you
What of horizontal mountains?
They're harder, but do-able. Check out this tutorial: www.fantasticmaps.com/2015/01/how-to-draw-a-horizontal-mountain-range/
For me clusters of triangles work just fine
I can’t figure it out
Just an idea but you might want to try making some of these drawing instructional videos a bit shorter. The people dedicated to learning mapmaking will watch this entire video but most people just curious will just skip a 20 min video. Maybe try to speed up some sections or do part of your intro while drawing. Aim for a 7ish minute video.
Like I said this is 100% my opinion but this is off of my personal viewing habits. Maybe just try is a few times if you have not done it already.
Also add a suggested video as part of your end card, a lot of people use those. Keep up the good content.
Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it! I think I do have a couple videos on the end card. Did you not see them? Maybe I messed it up.
WASD20 Something is up with with my laptop apparently. I just pulled up your video on my desktop and I the end cards are there. so never mind then.
You were coping another person
!#$@#&@$##! I hate wooden pencils with a passion, mechanical pencils are so much better, in my humble opinion. but, Aaaagh!
Just starting to get into mapping, I'm going by the technique of shading areas darker to show height. This helps cram more other pieces of detail in my map, though might not look the greatest.