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março 10, 2022 Enviar um comentário

Tutorial: How to draw a basic dungeon map

Update! This and many more tutorials on fantasy and D&D map making is availible also on my website, together with loads of gratuitous-to-download maps, check it out — click here!

This map will be the end effect of this tutorial.

I enjoy drawing maps for roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. Ever since I was a child, I enjoyed drawing, especially mystical places like monster strongholds, secret lairs and abased catacombs. Sometimes when I post my maps online, people ask me for advice on how to become started, and even though I'm far from an authority on the field of study, I though a short and unproblematic tutorial could be of help, so hither goes!

This tutorial will show you how to draw a unproblematic top-down map, with no special features such every bit furniture or other objects. You lot can of form add a lot of complexity by adding "dungeon dressing", or even draw the map from another perspective, such as isometric. Just permit's get started with this style.

Notation: since this tutorial was published, I've besides made a tutorial on how to describe isometric maps, you can read it hither: https://medium.com/@niklaswistedt/tutorial-how-to-draw-an-isometric-dungeon-map-dc1a88737be0

The gear

A lot of people prefer to depict digital maps, using tools like Photoshop. I, however, prefer to draw by paw.

First of all, make certain you lot take decent tools to work with. For this tutorial, I've used 3 sizes of Micron markers (0.5, 0.1 and 0.05), an ice greyness 4 Promarker, a mechanical pencil and a note book with dotted paper, from Field Notes (nonetheless, you could simply as well utilize normal filigree paper). None of this stuff is particularly expensive, and can be bought online. I don't have a scanner, so all images in the tutorial are taken with an iPhone camera. The end consequence has had some work done in Photoshop (adjusted levels, removing dots).

Pace i: rough outlines

Start by cartoon your dungeon walls with a mechanical pencil. It doesn't have to be perfect straight lines, then no need for a ruler. Imperfect lines gives a nice organic look to the map.

Pace one: rough outlines with mechanical pencil

Step two: ink outlines

Apply a sparse (0.1) marking to depict your outlines. Again, information technology doesn't have to be perfect. Allow the ink dry for a minute, then erase the pencil lines. This tin impact the inked outlines as well, but no worries, nosotros will take care of that in the next stride.

I've also added a couple of doors and some pillars to the dungeon. It'due south ordinarily a good idea to add the pillars where flagstones volition intersect, to provide some nice contrast, every bit you will see later on in the tutorial.

Step iii: add weight to outlines

Add weight to your outlines with a thicker marker (0.5)

Step iii: Calculation weight to the outlines with a thicker marker

Footstep four: draw flagstones

Flagstones are great. Not simply do they add squeamish detail to the dungeon, they too help by providing a grid for the map, making it easier for the dungeon chief to draw information technology on a battle mat should he want to employ miniatures for running a combat encounter. Employ a thin (0.05) marker to draw the lines for the flagstones.

As you tin meet, the pillars provide contrast to the flagstone design, every bit they are placed where the flagstones intersect, and not straight on top of a unmarried flagstone.

Step v: Add texture

Add some texture to the surface around the dungeon. I like adding some rocks then use pocket-size dots to provide some contrast. The thought is to have a higher "dot density" the closer yous are to the dungeon wall. Use a 0.1 Micron marking.

I added an "S" to the map, marker out a cloak-and-dagger door that the players will demand to search for in gild to notice.

Step six: add texture to flagstones

Add some texture (dots, small scratches, cracks) to the flagstones. Also, randomly emphasise some of the gaps between the flagstones as well. Random is the keyword here: don't repeat patterns as it volition wait planned and bogus.

Use a thin (0.5) marker for this footstep.

I decided to add a "T" to one of the flagstones, indicating a trap.

Step six: add together random gaps, dots and cracks to the flagstones.

Step vii: add shadows

To add some depth to the map, and making it await a bit more interesting, I add some elementary shadows to information technology. Commencement decide where your imagined light source is located, in this example from the upper left corner. And so add shadows with a marker to the corresponding walls (in this case the upper and left walls). I also added some shadow to the pillars.

Use a grey Promarker (or like) for this step.

Step 7: utilize a marker to add simple shadows.

Footstep eight: clean upward

I apply my phone to photograph the map I've drawn, making sure it's daylight exterior to go a decent picture. Of course, if yous have a scanner that'southward a much better alternative. I'thou considering ownership one, but I'm a flake lazy, and also have a small desk.

I then apply Photoshop to work with the levels, and getting the colors correct, also removing some of the dots.

And there yous get, the final upshot! Y'all at present have a dungeon to fill up with monsters, treasure, puzzles and traps. Happy gaming!

Stride viii: the map has been cleaned up in Photoshop

Please get out a comment if you enjoyed this tutorial, and allow me know if you take whatever feedback.

More resource:

I mail service a lot of my work on my website, at https://www.wistedt.net/. There yous can find many maps and other RPG recources that are costless to download for personal use.

If yous enjoy my maps, delight feel costless to follow me on Instagram, where I usually postal service my work: https://world wide web.instagram.com/paths.peculiar/