Onwards we go with my attempts at making fantasy maps and perspective drawings for my campaign.

First off the shaded version of the line art presented earlier. I made a number of mistakes with this first attempt at perspective drawing. I will give you a brief summary, so that you cn avoid them should you also attempt something like this to accompany a map in the future:

1. I got the elliptical perspective wrong and thus the lake surface and shore doesn't look proper in the foreground.

2. I had not really a vanishing point in mind (at least consciously) when I drew the lake, so I think it is off in places and the picture looks a bit flat in places.

3. The reflections look wrong. I would presume they would need to point towards the beholder, but I am not entirely sure how they are influenced by the point of view.

4. Overall the shading, line weight and composition feels visually pleasing to me, but some more texture, light and shadow play etc. o the left may help to differentiate elements and make them more visibel.

Anyhow, if you have further ideas how and what to improve I am all ears.



In reaction to my first attempt I made a more considered second sketch, to be further refined. Tis time I chose a two-point perspective and did it properly. I had some issues with the double arched window. The column in the middle may look better as an actual support, so I may move it back and break it in twain.

The tree comes alogn nicely and I think I'll attempt to add a three dimensional feel via the bark texture and an application of the elliptical perspective. The scene composition is also more considered following the rule of thirds. For instance the ship is placed on an intersecting line and the tree and ruins follow the bottom and left row. Here, too, feedback is welcome.



Finally a WIP mock up of the guide to Greifshold that players (or GM's) would use. I made a version with modern layout, but couldn't resist to play around with some paper textures I recently made. The black and white style may also lent itself more to a printer friendly version. Illuminated, line-art letters may be something to look into, and maybe some more "gilded" details such as the little crown in the bottom.