What are some tips about scale

[Silky Johnson]

I am kind of struggling with trees and scale. What sort of tips do you have about implying scale in your maps?

[DrWho42]

maybe start with whatever would be the tallest in that world and adjust accordingly? for example, the tallest mountain in your map and work from there.

[Silky Johnson]

Thanks for the reply...

You may be on to something. I am starting to think it is more about a feel for geographical features.

[Azélor]

I usually do the exact opposite. I start by making sure the smallest elements on the maps look acceptable.
If you start with the big mountains, you might end up unable to put all the details you want in your map.
It does get easier with practice.
Something you can do if you have no idea what you are doing is to do some tests (before starting the actual map) were you draw the different elements of the map (mountains trees, etc) to use as a reference later.

[Greason Wolfe]

Have to agree with Azelor, probably best to start with smaller features, but, it is also important to consider the area being detailed. Is it a local town map, an area the size of a county/small kingdom, the size of a state/country, continental, world? And how you are depicting the features will also matter. Ultimately, it comes down to what you (or the client in cases of commissions) find most aesthetically pleasing.

[Tiana]

I always work big to small. Mountains are always some of the first things to get placed after water features, because I can always position smaller items on top. Alternatively though, you may consider working what's most important to least important. If the castle is more important than the mountains of course you may want to place it and plan around it. I often put text first so I can work nicely around it too, since text is important. But for key elements, I just make certain to place them on a higher level, I don't position them ahead of time, I might make markers, but my habit is to work landmasses, water, mountains, and then whatever makes logical sense from there... usually forests, but sometimes it's cities.

[JoshStolarz]

The scale on fantasy maps is never realistic. But, things should be scaled relative to everything else on the map. The suggestion of determining your mountain size and basing it off that is usually the method I use as well.

[KMAlexander]

Historically scale didn't matter either. Windmills were the sizes of towns, trees the size of cities, etc.
I think it's critical to match stroke size with the objects, the size and style of the stroke can really make a map with weird sized objects feel unified and intentional.