Starting with a Map

For all those just beginning on their fantastical journey, or for those who have done this before but want a new perspective, welcome to our weekly topic “Where to Start with your Fantasy World”. Our first post should be obvious from a distance: we think you should start with a fantasy map. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of creating your map first, how you can find guides to help you draw them, and what you can add to them to help you build your word. 

Firstly, though, if you want more tips and trick, you should definitely check out our other posts in our Worldbuilder’s Corner. Check out our other articles here: https://www.red-quills.com/blog/

Otherwise, you can head over to our YouTube page for instructional tutorials and in-depth videos on our processes: https://www.youtube.com/@RedQuills

The Benefits of Starting with a Map

Creating a map from scratch can feel like a daunting task, particularly if you tell yourself that you don’t have the skills to draw one. But you should start with a fantasy map, and that means that you need to get over your insistence that you aren’t good at it - because that’s a lie. 

Drawing a map can be as easy as pie, if you just know what to do. Grab a large, blank piece of paper, at least three thicknesses of pen (I use 0.7mm, 0.4mm, and 0.5mm), and start with the big pens moving to small. Draw your coasts and mountains first, then label, and then fill in the details. If you want a step-by-step, definitely check out our YouTube channel. 

But being able to visualise your world is an incredibly useful tool when you’re just starting out, and drawing a map has two benefits, not just one. Yes, you end up with a visual guide for your use, but more importantly drawing your world for several hours on a page is like a guided meditation on visualising what it looks like. It’s the best writing tool there is. 

When you have a map, you also gain some consistency. Don’t forget to add your scale and be definite about where your roads and rivers go, because you can use them to calculate journey times and distances. Doing it early will save you a ton of time later, and you won’t have to go back and fix anything!

Practical Tips for Creating a Map

As I mentioned earlier, you can take some brief tips to draw a map, but I would definitely recommend that you have a brief watch of a tutorial first. When you start with a fantasy map, you don’t want to have to scrap it and start over, so take your time and make sure you know what you want to do before you pick up a pen. 

Here’s our introduction to mapmaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_X7zYZzMQI&t=80s  

And another guide here, on the different styles of map: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ls5vvtQHfc&t=3s

Make sure that you have the right tools for the job. There is a general feeling that it doesn’t really matter if you have good tools or bad tools - it’s all about the hand that wields them. But I disagree: you need to have the right tools for the job to make it really stand out. 

A quick list of what you should have: 

• A blank sheet of A3 or A2 paper
• 0.7mm black fineliner pen (for coastlines and map borders)
• 0.4mm black fineliner pen (for mountains)
• 0.4mm coloured fineliner pens (for labels and detailing)
• 0.1mm or 0.05mm black fineliner pen (for any detailed work)

Additions to Help Worldbuild

If you’re creating your world, you want to start with a fantasy map, and you want to start with a map that has the details that you need in order to work creatively. In this case, there are a couple of additions that would recommend, if you’re feeling confident in your skills:

Timeline. Around the border of your map, leave a small amount of room to draw a timeline. It’s a great resource to have, and adding it to your map just consolidates your worldbuilding resources onto one page. Very useful!

Illustrations. Depending on your confidence with a pen, these can be great to help you to visualise the sights and landmarks around your realm. 

Creation and Primordials. In creating your map, you have the ability to add your history into the drawing of it: you can dot ruins and temples around the land, make continents in the shapes of dead gods, or leave clues as to the battle in the heavens. 

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I hope that this was a helpful guide for you to creating your fantasy world. It is a brief overview, but please feel free to comment any questions - or share your own tips and tricks for when you create your worlds!