Making A Cosy Fantasy Map Step By Step

Welcome to The Forgotten Sondaise. It's a land that lives in the quiet spaces of the world, a place of misty ruins and a gentle, unshakeable optimism. It’s a world I’ve been dreaming up, and today, I want to build it with you.

Sappy? Maybe. But this map honestly slaps. If you want it, you can download it for free on the Red Quills' Patreon.

Or watch the full video tutorial on the YouTube channel.

Hello, adventurers, and welcome back to the Red Quills. My name is Ryan, and I believe that worldbuilding isn’t just for epic battles and sprawling empires. It can also be about creating places of comfort, warmth, and peace. Places that feel like coming home. In this video, I’m going to show you how to draw a fantasy map that really captures that feeling. We’ll be using nothing more than some simple tools, bright colors, and a bit of gentle storytelling to bring a cosy world to life.

This isn’t about making a perfectly scaled, geographically accurate chart. It's about creating a feeling. It's about making a piece of art that invites you in, that makes you want to wander its winding paths and rest in its sun-dappled glades. So, find a comfortable spot, maybe grab a cup of tea, and let’s start our journey into the heart of Sondaise.

Now, I’ve made a map of this land before, a long time ago. That original version is available on the Red Quills Patreon. But for this series, in which I look at creating maps for specific genres of TTRPG campaigns, I thought that it was the perfect focus for something cosy and comfortable. So, let’s check out the Forgotten Sondaise.

 The First Marks

Before we can set foot in Sondaise, we need to gather our supplies. But don't worry, you won't need a ton of fancy artist's materials. The beauty of this style is its simplicity. I’ve got a nice, thick piece of paper - something that can handle a bit of ink and marker without complaining. I have a simple mechanical pencil for our first sketches, and a trusty eraser, because our journey is all about exploring, and exploring often means changing your mind.

And then, the stars of our show today: these wonderful acrylic paint markers.

I just love these because they lay down such a smooth, vibrant, and solid layer of color. They’re what will give our map its bright, cheerful personality. And finally, for our details, a couple of fine liner pens for those crisp, final lines that will really make our map sing.

I have used acrylic markers for maps in the past - those who have seen my series of making maps for adventures at the start of this year will know that - but the reason that I decided on this style was because I saw a few thinner-tipped acrylic pens and had a bit of inspiration. They’re cheap to get your hands on - this was from a local Kmart, down here in Australia - and easy to use. If you’re starting out, with a bit of patience, you can find it very doable. 

Now, I want to talk about something that I know holds a lot of people back.

It’s that little voice in your head that might be saying, "But I can't draw." I want you to gently ask that voice to be quiet for a little while. Today, we're not worried about being perfect artists. We're focused on being patient storytellers. We're going to build our entire world from the simplest shapes you can think of: circles, triangles, and gentle, flowing lines. Forget realism; we’re embracing a warm, illustrative style that feels handmade and full of heart. The goal isn't some flawless masterpiece; it's to enjoy the quiet, meditative process of creating a world, one line at a time. This map is a doorway, and we're just drawing the frame.

Shaping the Land

Every world begins with a shape. That first mark on a blank page can feel a little intimidating, but it's also the most exciting. With our pencil, we’re going to sketch out the main landmass of Sondaise. As we do this, I want you to think ‘soft’ and ‘gentle.’ We’ll be using soft, rounded shapes for all of our landforms. There are no sharp, aggressive angles here. The coastlines are worn smooth by a calm sea. The bays are like gentle, open arms, inviting you in.

Let’s start in the corner here and just… let the pencil wander. Let it curve and sway. Don’t press too hard; this is just a guide for now. Let’s create a little inlet here, and maybe a peninsula that reaches out like a curious finger. See how it flows? There's a real rhythm to it.

As we draw, let's talk about the name: The Forgotten Sondaise. When I hear "forgotten," I don't think of something lost to tragedy. I imagine something that has simply drifted away from the noise of the world. It’s forgotten like a quiet side street is forgotten by the roaring traffic on the main road. It’s a place that has chosen peace over prominence. The people here don’t mind being forgotten; they actually cherish it. It’s what keeps their home so peaceful.

So as you shape your own land, think about its story. Why is it shaped like that? Is it a single island, or a whole cluster of them? Let your hand move, and let the story begin to tell itself through your lines. There are no mistakes here, only new coastlines to explore.

The Lay of the Land

Now that we have our general shape, let’s give our world some dimension by adding some mountains and hills. In a lot of fantasy maps, mountains are these jagged, forbidding things. But in our cosy world, the mountains are old and kind. They’ve been worn down by wind and time into gentle, sleeping giants.

To draw them, we're going to use one of the simplest shapes out there: the triangle. I’m going to place a small range here, on the western edge of our land. I’ll start with one triangle, then nestle another one slightly behind it, and another one next to that. By overlapping them, we create the sense of a range, a family of mountains standing together. See how they’re more like gentle mounds than sharp peaks?

To give them a bit of form, we can add some very simple shading. Let's imagine a gentle sun is shining from the top right. This means the right side of our mountains will be in light, and the left side will have a little shadow. I’m just going to add a few soft pencil lines on the left of each peak. It’s not dramatic; it's just a whisper of shadow that helps lift them off the page. These hills aren't a barrier. They’re a gentle, protective wall that shelters the land. They are a place of fragrant herbs and ancient, moss-covered stones.

The Flow of Life

If the land is the bones of our world, then water is its lifeblood. Rivers bring so much movement and energy to a map. And just like our coastlines, our rivers will be gentle and meandering. No straight lines here. A river is lazy; it always takes the path of least resistance.

I think a river should start up in our hills. It just makes sense. The rain falls on the hills, gathers into streams, and they all join together. I’ll start a line up here in the hills and let it wander down towards the sea. See how it curves and bends? It’s in no hurry to get where it’s going.

And what should we name it?

Something that feels tranquil. "The Serene Stream," maybe? Or how about "The Willow-Wisp River," because maybe on misty nights, little globes of light dance along its banks. I like that. The Willow-Wisp River it is.

Let's have our river pool somewhere in the middle of its journey to form a lake. I'll draw a simple, soft oval shape here, and have the river flow into one side and out the other. This will be a central point for our land. Let's call it Lake Aloume, known for the sweet, pale blue berries that grow only on its shores. I’m using a French-style naming system for this, anglicising it for my purposes. I think that conjures up the right image of idyllic countryside, don’t you? 

These features tell a story. This lake becomes a landmark. It could be a source of food, a place for quiet thought, or, as I imagine it, the place where the locals gather for a yearly celebration. Maybe they float lanterns on its surface once a year, sending their wishes out onto the quiet water. Adding these little details is what transforms a drawing into a world.

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We're about halfway through our journey, and the soul of Sondaise is really starting to come together. If you're enjoying this peaceful process, this quiet act of creation, maybe think about subscribing to the channel. We’re building a small community of gentle worldbuilders here, and I'd love for you to be a part of it.

And I have a question for you. As we create our forests, it makes me wonder: what would you name a cosy forest in a world you created? Let me know in the comments below. I honestly love hearing your ideas; they always inspire me. Alright, let's get back to our map.

Finding Shelter

Our world is beautiful, but it needs people. It needs a place to call home. So let's add a settlement. We're not building some grand, fortified city. The people of Sondaise don't need high walls. We’re creating a cosy, welcoming village.

I’m going to place a few villages around: some castles, some towns, an inn or two. But let’s look at the general style. Let’s look at New Galdys. It just feels like a natural place for people to settle. To draw it, I'm going to use the simplest shapes. Just a few tiny squares and rectangles with little triangles on top for roofs. That’s it. Maybe one or two of them can have a tiny wisp of smoke curling from a chimney. That immediately suggests warmth, hearths, and home.

I’ll cluster them together, but not in a stiff grid. Let them feel organic, like they grew over time. A path can wind between them.

As you draw your little houses, imagine who lives inside. Maybe this is a village of artisans - weavers, potters, bakers whose bread smells of cinnamon and honey. They might trade their wares with people upriver, at a small dock we can draw on the lake's edge. This isn't just a location anymore; it's a community. It has a culture. And all of that story is conveyed in just a few simple, humble shapes. You’re not just drawing buildings; you’re drawing shelter and belonging.

The Final Touches

Our map is vibrant and full of color, but now we need to bring back the definition. It's time for the final details, the little touches that will make it feel complete and personal. Time to ink. I’m going to take my fine liner pen and carefully trace over my original pencil lines.

I’m using a soft touch. The goal isn’t to create a harsh, black outline, but a gentle, defining line that cleans everything up and makes the colors pop. I'll outline the coastlines, the riverbanks, the mountains, and the edges of the forest. I'll go around our little houses in Mistberry Hollow, adding back their doors and windows.

Once the main features are inked, we get to add the magic: the labels. The lettering style you pick adds a ton of character. I’m going for a slightly whimsical, hand-written script. Nothing too formal. It should feel like someone from Sondaise wrote it themselves. So, I’ll carefully write "The Forgotten Sondaise" in a flowing banner at the bottom.

And there we have it. Take a step back and look. The Forgotten Sondaise. It’s more than just lines and colors on paper now, isn't it? It’s a place. A place with a story, a feeling, and a soul. A world born from simple shapes, gentle storytelling, and a palette of bright, hopeful colors.

We started with a blank page and a quiet idea.

We shaped the land with soft lines, raised gentle mountains, carved a meandering river, grew a welcoming forest, and built a home within it. You don't need to be a master artist or a seasoned cartographer to build a world. All it takes is a bit of patience and the desire to create a place that feels like home. The process itself is the real destination.

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey today. I truly hope it brought you a bit of peace and inspiration. If you felt inspired to create your own cosy map, I would be overjoyed to see it. We have a wonderful community on Discord where you can share your creations, and you’ll find the link in the description below.

And if you’ve fallen in love with this little corner of the world and want to see more of it, please consider subscribing. Our journey isn't over. In our next video, we'll travel deep into the heart of Sondaise and tell the story of Mistberry Hollow and the people who call it home. Until then, be well, be kind to yourself, and keep creating.