Work in Progress: Jail - Art Breakdown (Patreon)

Hi all!

I get asked about the process for creating my maps quite frequently. With that in mind, I thought a quick breakdown of the different stages I go through when drawing my maps would interest you.

As many of you will know I am currently working on our fourth and final map for October, a multi-level jail.

Below is the break down of the top level of this forthcoming release:

Stage 1 - Planning

I block out very simply the layout of the map, this plan often changes halfway through but it's always good to get a rough idea of where you are going before you start!

Stage 2 - Lineart

Using a mixture of simple line brushes and some less simple texture brushes (that I have created previously) I will draw the barebones of the map. 

Stage 3 - Block Colours

I block out the map using simple colours, ensuring there is enough contrast to make the different elements, such as walls and floor distinct enough to be 'readable'.

Stage 4 - Shading

Using a dark blue colour on an overlay layer, I added ambient occlusion to the map. In simple terms within the sort of shading that would be present regardless of a light source. For example the base of a wall where it meets the floor or the bottom of a step. It gives the map depth.

Stage 5 - Environmental Details

At this stage I start focusing a little more on the detail, these could be subtle green patches to suggest mold and/or blue patches for water or moisture.

Stage 6 - Adding Props

Using a wide variety of props I have either created for previous maps or drawn specifically for what I am working on, I start to fill them with props.

It's really important to try and strike a balance between too few props and too many. You want enough to make the map feel 'lived in' without painting a DM into a corner with how they might use the room.

Stage 7 -  Lighting and Final Touches

This is where I will add the lights and the more detailed shading to really build up the depth. I will also add some colour correction and tweaks here and there to make the map look as good as possible. While this example is still a WIP it's not too far off the finished product but you'll have to wait till Thursday for the final things :D

I hope you found this breakdown interesting and perhaps even helpful! I am keen to do more breakdowns and tutorials in the furture. So let me know in the comments if this is something you would like to see more of :D.

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Join my Patreon community today and gain instant access to my archive of 100s of maps CLICK HERE to find out more.

Or if you want to have a look at all previously release maps to see if this Patreon is for you CLICK HERE

Thank you to everyone for all the support and I hope you enjoy the maps!

Released under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license

Thanks

George - The Reclusive Cartographer