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Writer's pictureNicola Hawley

How To Draw An Illustrated Map: A new instructional blog and video series

Updated: Apr 16

Have you ever wanted to draw your own illustrated map? (If you don't really know what one is, click here for an explanation). Well, my new How To Map series aims to teach you how to do just that, from start to finish, going into all the tiny details you'll need to make your map extra special.


Contents

An illustrated map of Godstone, Surrey in black and white shows St Nicholas Church. The rivers and lakes are picked out in blue, and the border features white daisies on black squares; like tiles.
One of my mini maps, custom drawn for a client

WHAT WILL I NEED?


Media


I mainly draw on Procreate on the iPad, so this is the medium through which I will teach, which means it would help if you had some sort of digital drawing tool.


You will also need access to Google Maps, and a Pinterest account might also help, as I pin photos up for you to use as inspiration.


I'm hoping that once you've seen the process on YouTube, you will also be able to follow along with traditional media.


If you want to do this, then you will need:

a pencil

some paper

a compass

a protractor

a rubber

a ruler

a light box if you have one (if not, you can just use a window on a sunny day)


BOOK RECOMMENDATION


If you want a more in depth guide to traditional media illustrated map drawing, you wouldn't go amiss by buying Helen Cann's book Hand Drawn Maps, which I highly recommend.


TIMETABLE


Each blog will be released on Wednesdays at midday, and will coincide with the release of a YouTube video that gently talks through the process and aims to be a relaxing watch. At the moment, my plan is to release the blogs and videos in this order. I'll link each as I upload them.


LINKS TO BLOGS AND YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Part 1: drawing a compass rose BLOG & YOUTUBE

Part 2: adding detail to your compass rose BLOG & YOUTUBE

Part 3: formatting your compass rose BLOG & YOUTUBE

Part 4: drawing a title block BLOG & YOUTUBE

Part 5: adding details to your title block BLOG & YOUTUBE

Part 6: laying out your map BLOG & YOUTUBE

Part 7: drawing landscape details BLOG & YOUTUBE

Part 8: creating the border BLOG & YOUTUBE

Part 9: lettering

Part 10: putting it all together part 1

Part 11: putting it all together part 2


A black and white title block that is very fancy, it reads 'a map of Bruno's Perigord'
A title block from one of my maps

I hope, by the end of this series, you will be able to draw your own map. Please feel free to send them to me at nicola@howellillustration.co.uk. I'd love to see them, or if you'd like any more information, comment below and I'll do my best to answer your questions!


As always, thanks for reading

Nx


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