How to Draw Fantasy Art and RPG Maps: Step by Step Cartography for Gamers and Fans Paperback – September 1, 2015

I just received my copy in the mail today, and I think this book is very well done. I was looking for something a little less "rudimentary" regarding Mr. Blando's process and style, but I can already tell this is going to be a go-to book for many budding and aspiring young cartographers. If this book had existed when I was discovering RPGs in junior high, I think I'd have developed into a better artist all around as it provides a process to explore one's own map-making and drawing skills.The book seems to be written to directly address a person who is inspired by their imagination to create their own RPG world. How do you get the ideas out of your head and into a map that will help you play out the stories you want to tell? It's not necessarily written for more advanced and developed map-makers or cartographers, but speaks right to the heart of the need of those that have never made a map before and are bursting with ideas. The step-by-step methods he outlines are simple, and he takes it from an analog rather than a digital perspective. Anyone using a computer can certainly follow his outline, but he assumes his readers don't have a fancy computer program they've somehow mastered with all its bells and whistles. This book is more of pencil-and-paint approach, not a Photoshop recipe.It also has a LOT of visual examples. The vast majority of the book gives examples but doesn't delve into specifics: "Step 1, Draw the henge. Step 2, Add detail. Step 3, Add finishing detail." It doesn't ever tell you how to draw the henge or add the details, it instead shows visual examples of how Mr. Blando does it. So there are lots and lots and LOTS of visual illustrations that are really inspirational. 30 years ago when I was in junior high, this book would have been too cost prohibitive to print. But today, it's a visual treat that young people get to enjoy.My only regret (and perhaps some day Mr. Blando will write another book addressing it) is that it's a little too rudimentary for more advanced fantasy cartographers or fans of his work. I suspect, however, that may have had something to do with his editors and publishers.Mr. Blando creates stunningly beautiful and imaginative cartography with a very high level of detail. And probably the best thing about this book is that it helps raise one's awareness of the thinking that goes into that detail. It parses his approach out into elements that a casual viewer can use to go back and appreciate his work (and all fantasy cartography) with new eyes. Helping budding cartographers become aware of all those possible aspects to creatively express one's own imagination through artistic mapping is probably the most valuable and impacting contribution this book will make. It's going to influence a lot of beginning mappers, like similar "How to Draw" books have made on impressionable young artists. And ultimately that's a good thing.I recommend gifting this book to the young RPG'er in your life. They'll devour it.

A well illustrated, well written guide to creating your own fantasy/RPG maps. I got it as both diversion and guide. I’m very satisfied with this purchase.

Really detailed instructions that show step by step how to create maps and other things I can use in my DND games. Extremely helpful

TL;DR -- A great introductory how-to for drawing overland maps. It's just the basics, but that's all you need to get started. Sadly, it's just overland maps.For a more extended review, read on!The author/artist of this book is Jared Blando -- a familiar name in RPG products. Jared created the maps for both The Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat campaign for Dungeons & Dragons 5e..This book is a basic introductory how-to for drawing overland maps of a traditional fantasy flavour. The tutorials in the book are organized into chapters, ostensibly in the order you'd draw them on a map.The book is a nicely presented softcover with every page in full color. There are many excellent illustrations throughout. The layout, while nice, is a bit expansive. The use of space isn't efficient (but looks nice) and there's relatively little actual instruction on most pages (though there are lots of illustrations). I suppose there just wasn't as much actual writing or content as I expected.I can't say I wholly approve of the title; it's misleading (or, at best, too encompassing). This book covers how to draw overland maps and that's it. No dungeons. No cities. No castles. I was quite disappointed by that.Anyway, here's a chapter-by-chapter summary and review of the book:IntroductionThe introduction sucks. It's a photographic list of things you need to draw maps. Some people genuinely appreciate them, but these types of "here's what you need to do this" lists have always come across to me as somewhat pretentious. I only draw on canvas made from the stretched skin of an albino wombat that was hit by a road train with 10 trailers of pink diamonds and then passed through the digestive tract of a wedge-tailed eagle. Oh, and use this $500 pencil with a special core made of ground unicorn poo or you might as well not bother drawing. Rubbish. Grab a freaking pencil and a sheet of paper and draw. (Fortunately, this is limited to only two pages, and is by no means as egregious as others I've seen.)Chapter 1: Building Your WorldCould be summed up with "draw a shape for the main area you're mapping". This is probably the one chapter where there are too many steps; I felt like it was padded to get another couple pages.Chapter 2: Mountains, Forests, Rivers and Water(Yes, the lack of Oxford comma annoys the crap out of me.) To me, this chapter was just about right. It shows ways of drawing the various features without overwhelming you with different styles. Perfect for beginning fantasy cartographers.Chapter 3: Town and City IconsNot a terribly detailed chapter, but as the intent is only to draw icons or representations of cities/towns/castles on a map, it's perfectly fine.Chapter 4: TypographyHoooo, boy. Typographers everywhere are cringing. Well, forget them. This isn't a comprehensive treatise on use-cases for fonts in cartography; it's just to throw some ideas out there for putting text on the map -- font and style, placement, etc. There's some good (if perhaps obvious) tips, but it only scratches the surface of the topic and doesn't really get into font design or even provide a full sample alphabet.Chapter 5: LandmarksRoads, caves, ruins, towers... this chapter is really a continuation of Chapter 3. The tutorials are a bit less detailed here. They all consist of three steps: draw the thing, add details, final details. I kid you not. It's basically eight pages of "draw some circles... draw the f***ing owl".Chapter 6: IconographyMap symbols. There are some ideas for alternative visuals for those items covered in Chapters 3 and 5.Chapter 7: Heraldry and ShieldsNothing in-depth, but some potential inspiration for political designations on a map. I can see putting this information to good use on a battlefield type of map.Chapter 8: Political BoundariesNutshell: Use different types of dashed lines and different colors. Why did this take more than one page?Chapter 9: BackgroundsWeird title for this chapter. It covers adding decorative borders, corners, compasses, legends, and other flourishes to make it prettier. This and Chapter 2 are my favorites.Chapter 10: Painting TechniquesProvides very brief tips for inking, shading, painting, and using digital media (PhotoShop, GIMP, etc). I suspect few people will find much of value in this chapter.Chapter 11: Putting It All TogetherAn entire chapter of unnecessary fluff. Steps through all (well, most) of the previous tutorials to create a map. It's of practically zero value. A better idea would have been to include a sampling of completed maps showcasing various of the previously-discussed techniques.So, what's my opinion of this book? I like it. I have a lot of issues with it that are more personal taste than anything, but my map drawing has significantly improved thanks to this book. I even intend to try my hand at drawing a full-on properly decorated map. Inked, painted, the whole bit. Might take me a while to work up to that.

I had a copy of this book before that got lost in a move this is its replacement and its a great reference book for anybody wanting to make fantasy maps.

The book is well-made, and provides many examples of making RPG maps. It gives good instructions and ideas. I wish the author would've provided a link to videos showing the process, kinda like the Bob Ross series. "Ok, now we're going to paint the scary castile icon near the moor ... just tap that brush ...". A great beginner book.

Totally worth the money I paid. It's organized and the instructions are absolutely easy to follow! Presentation wise, it is absolutely genius. I look forward to making my maps more full and appear to be more lived in. 10/10.

The book covers both traditional pen, ink, and watercolor illumination for cartography as well as digital, layered techniques.Jared Blando is clearly an expert in this field, and his cartography is stunning.The first half of the book describes various techniques for drawing fantasy maps, and the second half of the book takes the reader step by step in creating a map from scratch.The book is lavishly illustrated in colored figures showing each step in detail.Whether you are an aspiring game master, cartographer, member of the SCA, or just interested in maps, this is a great book for you!