How to Draw Maps If You CAN'T DRAW!!

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  • Опубликовано: 4 июл 2024
  • How to you draw something if you can't draw?? I explain how to use simple shapes and value contrast to make easy world maps for DnD! I also talk about finding the joy of drawing and learning itself, and not getting so stressed and disappointed with the process!! Cartography for your Dungeons and Dragons game should be fun!!
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Комментарии • 195

  • @yuko13371
    @yuko13371 Год назад +286

    I don't even draw maps , I just love your art man .

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +35

      Thank you so much! Yeah, that totally works too, of course! Haha!!

    • @jimmyfrost2091
      @jimmyfrost2091 Год назад +6

      Same boat, I like drawing and his art style is just my jam.

    • @TronHammer
      @TronHammer Год назад +2

      same, the maps just always look dope and the commentary is wonderful to listen to ^^

    • @tangomango2353
      @tangomango2353 Год назад +1

      Same!

  • @captaincomet26
    @captaincomet26 Год назад +243

    I think that, and I am guilty of this, when people say they “can’t” draw what they actually mean is “I can’t draw exactly what’s in my head immediately with no practice” which, hey that’s why artists spend hours drawing and practicing. So any video where techniques are broken down into pieces and explained will always be appreciated.
    Love the videos as always, look forward to more, would love at some point if possible a better monsters video with your take on a Jelly or Gelatinous Cube. Have a good one!

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +28

      Thank you so much for watching!! I have some ideas for jellies and slimes and stuff, just need to figure out my visual take on them to make a cool video about them first! Cheers!!

    • @captaincomet26
      @captaincomet26 Год назад +2

      @@mapcrow amazing! Thanks for the reply, I look forward to whenever that one comes out :D

    • @knghtbrd
      @knghtbrd Год назад +4

      I don't think it's that. For me, it's "I can't draw what's in my head because I don't even know how to think about how to approach knowing what I would need to practice to be able to practice.
      Also the fact that I have basically no visual memory. Being legally blind does weird things to a brain. In my case, that's one of the weird things it does: No visual memory. But I've got great verbal memory. I could probably draw a Trogdor because StrongBad described the process as he was doing it. 🤣 And I can probably start practicing drawing the stuff described in this video. So that's a place to start: I can probably draw a village, then burninate it. And keep drawing a village and burninating it until I draw one good enough not to burninate.

    • @thekingofcats27
      @thekingofcats27 10 месяцев назад

      Like how you would go insane trying to draw something similar to the underdark without practice. Caverns have places so small it's claustrophobic and areas so grand that they go on for a mile or two. There might even be combinations

    • @doltBmB
      @doltBmB 14 дней назад

      @@knghtbrd Yes and unfortunately people choose to be super insulting about this by implying you should just be born with the knowledge of how to practice drawing.

  • @dgg1224
    @dgg1224 Год назад +23

    The thing I like to do most is texture. If you just draw a cloud shape, it's kinda nothing. But, if you do some basic smearing of your pencil marks, you can make it a forest pretty easily

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +8

      Yeah!! I do a lot of pencil smearing with my monster illustrations!! I don't like to use that on my maps as much because those get handled by players, and I don't want them to smudge the map! Haha!!

  • @SoFishtry
    @SoFishtry Год назад +26

    I think newbies (myself included, doubly so how out of practice I am these days) hear phrases like "dont draw things, draw shapes" and think it's some guru bullshit, but man is it so true. Videos like this are good demonstrations, would love to see a video like this taking the similar simple shape principles expanded into a more detailed architectural render or something just to hammer it home.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +7

      Heck yeah!! I know that it can be tiring to hear the same stuff over and over, and everyone is at a different place with visual literacy and spacial reasoning, but if you can figure out how to look for those simple shapes, that's all that drawing is. I think the trick for educators and folks sharing the process is to demonstrate how to look for those shapes in a compelling and rewarding way!

  • @argophontes
    @argophontes Год назад +13

    My favorite drawing book is "Fun with a Pencil" by Andrew Loomis, he breaks everything down in a similar way that you do in this video, then shows the process of building it up to as complex as you want.

  • @yo5tan
    @yo5tan Год назад +35

    I honestly think that this very concept of 'if you can't draw exactly what's in your mind, you can't draw' is pervasive especially in the art world, and I myself have struggled with it numerous times over the years. I also think, though, that a lot of people that say they can't draw really mean that they don't know how to start, and very few people are as patient and non-condescending as you are on that front, so you've really done an excellent service!

  • @baydenwoodland1235
    @baydenwoodland1235 Год назад +36

    My wife and I loved watching this. I've been learning to draw just in the last few years, having spent the rest of my life telling myself I wasn't "good enough". My brother is a fantastic artist and an inspiration to me but as a younger person I felt overshadowed by him and wouldn't let myself just learn and take time and patience to enjoy the process.
    My wife I think is really having a big creative burst now and engaging with drawing again for the first time since she was young. It's really great to watch and encourage.

  • @zombietoothache
    @zombietoothache Год назад +3

    This was like watching blue's clues when Steve would draw in his handy dandy notebook. Admittedly, that is probably got me into drawing. Now im known as "the guy who is better at art than me." Im glad that I now have a video I can send them next time they want me to draw a map

  • @timjones4146
    @timjones4146 Год назад +4

    Back in the 80s I liked the PBS series "Secret City" hosted by Commander Mark (Mark Kistler). He has a number of books on drawing as well. His TV programs and books are primarily aimed at teaching drawing techniques to children but they are equally valuable to "no talent" adults like me. 😀

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Mark’s VHS of seven secrets of drawing got a lot of watchtime from me! Love LOVE secret city!!

  • @tabbybatgaming
    @tabbybatgaming Год назад +3

    Omg I had an Ed Emberly book as a kid and I completely forgot about it until you unlocked this core memory!

  • @krakenmeup23
    @krakenmeup23 Год назад +7

    I’m a cartoonist, or at least I want to be, and I can’t tell you how much your videos mean to me. You’re practical, but place an importance on creativity and joy I sometimes lose when I’m obsessing over perspective or line weight.

  • @blakespangler3111
    @blakespangler3111 Год назад +50

    Just started the video, but I’ve got to say I love your work. You’ve been an inspiration to me. I’ve even made my own recordings of map drawings. I really love your style and how you layout your maps.
    Edit: I think my favorite drawing book so far has been “You Can Draw Marvel Characters” by Dan Jurgens. It’s really been a great help putting shapes and volumes into the physical form of superheroes.
    I would love to know the more technical side of things, how do you take the time to record and how do you schedule out videos and what not?

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +6

      Thank you so much!!

  • @RafaelElectronic
    @RafaelElectronic Год назад +8

    The most transformative drawing book for me was Michael Hampton's "Figure Drawing: Design and Invention". It's a masterpiece

  • @rayjustice5387
    @rayjustice5387 Год назад +2

    Not necessarily an art book exactly but the animators survival guide is great

  • @jacobfromohio5347
    @jacobfromohio5347 Год назад +3

    For my favorite book on drawing I'd have to suggest another Ed Emberley book; his Drawing Book of Animals! I have fond memories of my childhood sitting down practically glued to this book as I drew all the funny animals I could.

    • @Emploon_Yeesly
      @Emploon_Yeesly Год назад +1

      I had never heard of Ed Emberley until now, but I looked up his books and realized my second grade teacher used them in my class. I specifically remember the dragon. This is a revelation!

  • @GregMcNeish
    @GregMcNeish Год назад +16

    This was a fantastic little tutorial on how to get started drawing a map. I've always felt overwhelmed even attempting to do it, because I didn't know how to start. This will get me out of the starting blocks, so I can actually do the process of learning and practicing. Cheers!

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +3

      Glad it was helpful! Cheers!!

  • @GrafXohoo
    @GrafXohoo Год назад +6

    This video comes in PERFECT timing... im working right now on a map for a game and i wasted sooooo much paper... thanke :)

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +3

      Ha! That's awesome!! But, I'd say that Junk Mail is a waste of paper. Drawing isn't.

    • @GrafXohoo
      @GrafXohoo Год назад

      @@mapcrow Nah... when it is a enitre stack of paper and all wasted für "training" and it really doesn't look good.. trust me...

  • @letazieg4077
    @letazieg4077 Год назад +3

    I draw often but I have a lot of trouble keeping things simple and not trying to add too many details right away. This was super helpful! Now I have some basic shapes I can use to get my ideas out so I don't go too crazy right away and get in over my head!

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Awesome! Thank you! So glad this was helpful!! Yeah, it's a good idea to lay everything in with basic proportions and shapes before getting too focused on the details. It's tough to put off drawing the stuff you are most excited about right away tho! Haha

  • @vincentbettenfeld572
    @vincentbettenfeld572 Год назад +4

    I was doing super small pixel art and I didn't expect it but your advice works very well with that style!

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +2

      Glad it helped! Yeah, in my experience, shapes are even more important than lines in pixel art! I grew up using low res screens and modding Sim City 2000, so still love to work with pixel art when I can!!

  • @zapptuff5186
    @zapptuff5186 Год назад +8

    I find your videos very helpful as you have a wonderful use of minimal lines to produce highly dense, detailed, stylised and lovely maps. I have a joint condition that makes activities like walking or even holding a pencil very painful but resources like this one truly help me find techniques to gradually realise my ideas that have been relegated to imagination alone.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +3

      Wow, thank you! Yeah, medical conditions are definitely an issue that keep people from working the way or amount they want to. I've been experiencing more of that kind of thing in recent years, which is why I need to be careful to use grip tubes and an ergonomic computer setup, otherwise what I have will deteriorate fairly quickly.

  • @MeZmerTized
    @MeZmerTized Год назад

    Walmart is currently carrying bunny shaped pencil grips in their Easter aisle and they're stinking adorable.

  • @bolicob
    @bolicob Год назад +1

    Yeah I need to get back into practicing drawing. Art classes in highschool and college really helps force you (read:me) practice regularly. I gotta get back to it

  • @madcountofdumont7742
    @madcountofdumont7742 Год назад +1

    Oh I love Amber, so glad they are working with you. Couldn't think of a better combo!!

  • @matthieukiriyama7219
    @matthieukiriyama7219 Год назад

    My favourite textbook for artists is Arthur Dow's "Composition: Understanding Line, Notan and Color." It's an 1899 book, but it can be bought cheap as a fac-simile.

  • @henrikdithmer4184
    @henrikdithmer4184 Год назад +1

    Picking up drawing is the best thing I've ever done for myself, after believing I couldn't possibly learn it for... 15+ years. It has vastly improved my nental health.
    Currently working ny way through Framed Perspective (but Framed Ink is also amazing). Favourite drawing book is probably Bridgman's - it might be a mess to read, but his figures just look rad as hell.

  • @bluemanblue2316
    @bluemanblue2316 Год назад

    Lovely video. Great advice.

  • @VerbenaComfrey
    @VerbenaComfrey 2 месяца назад

    This is wonderful! thank you, you've really inspired me.

  • @LibraGamesUnlimited
    @LibraGamesUnlimited 11 месяцев назад

    I taught myself how to do much the same thing here using MS-paint. It is a really good method to go outdoor maps. I also figutered out how to do a modern city map (a map that divides the city into districts) by drawing various boxes, moving them together so that they're all connected, then randomly replacing some of the lines with free hand drawn lines so that they're not all straight (which would make them look fake).
    I can do inside maps this way but more the old school kind with the text key rather than the modern ones that show all the detail. :)

  • @TheRabidChipmunk
    @TheRabidChipmunk Год назад +1

    I don't have any art book recommendations but I wanted to say what you said at 9:54 made me cry lmao. I need to hear that

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад

      Thank you for the kind words! And I'm glad I could help say something you needed to hear! Making art is emotional stuff!!

  • @tommyb5899
    @tommyb5899 10 месяцев назад +1

    Such awesome tutorials! Really enjoy your your passion and energy!

  • @Ngtef
    @Ngtef Год назад +1

    So inspiring! Ur vids are so nice and chill mate, ty for making them. :)

  • @GabyGibson
    @GabyGibson Год назад

    I've been wanting to draw maps for a long while and I'm glad I found your videos!

  • @EddieNugget
    @EddieNugget Год назад

    The amount of raw emotion I heard in your voice this vid, blew me away - I completely agree with your thoughts on the process. Thanks for the great vid!

  • @katiekofemug
    @katiekofemug Год назад

    Emberley is my go to for fun and inspiration. I'm on my 7th copy of Make A World as I've worn thru several and given others away. BTW, Mark Kistler is on RUclips now. He started doing daily shows during COVID. I was so thrilled to enjoy the memories from my parenting days when I was encouraging kids to give it a try with Captain Mark and the Draw Squad, etc. If you aren't a book person or need to 'see it done' his vids are excellent. I just discovered you via RUclips recommend list while watching JP Coovert. I'm truly enjoying your tips, tricks and encouragements. Yes, even Old Biddies dig a good adventure map with a rousing tale!

  • @greatbad5618
    @greatbad5618 Год назад

    I’ve been drawing for awhile but often over-complicate things. I love how simple and emotive these tips are!

  • @pekkaastala
    @pekkaastala Год назад +1

    This is a cool video! But also, if you don't want to draw... just make your players do it. The chances are someone in your group likes drawing (whether it's by hand or in some mapmaking app), and if you tell them "Here is a rough sketch of the proportions... I want a mean-looking forest about here. And a city here. And an abandoned tower here. And a mountain range here.", they're probably happy to make a prettier version of your rough sketch. And they'll be lot more invested in the world and in the map, too.

  • @danielbackman4764
    @danielbackman4764 Год назад

    Great video and some really really clean design. I'm pumped to try these advice out!
    Favorite book in the field: Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud

  • @suzannetol
    @suzannetol 3 месяца назад

    This was a really insightful video. I just started making some maps for a story I'm working on, and this video showed me, I'm making things way more complicated than it needs to be. You're tips will greatly improve my map making skills. Thank you for the wonderful insights!

  • @emhorrorseed84
    @emhorrorseed84 Год назад

    wow the ed emberley book at the end !! that made me nostalgic to when I was really starting to learn how to draw as a kid that I went and found my copy !! My partner and I love your videos so much dude and were always so inspired :)

  • @jessecunningham9924
    @jessecunningham9924 Год назад

    I’ve made maps before and I thought I knew enough to make good ones…but this video taught me SO MUCH!
    Love what you do here and I love your art and talks.

  • @sestalon
    @sestalon Год назад

    Thank you crow. Very helpful video

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад

      Glad it was helpful! Cheers!!

  • @luffysh
    @luffysh Год назад +2

    love your content. You make this a relaxing watch

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Glad you enjoy it! Cheers!!

  • @Severin1111
    @Severin1111 Год назад +4

    For those who think they can't draw:
    My hands are shaky as hell, didn't draw until I was well into my 20s and precise movement is not something my body seems build for.
    I learned to draw, because I was lucky enough to know an artist that was very supportive of me. I'm not great. Lines are still shaky in places, some proportions are off.
    It's decent enough though. I can show it to people and they'll know what I draw. Normally even tell me its good, great even sometimes. Some people even claimed I'm talented...which is bullshit...i just put in the time to get over the hump of "I can't draw".
    Fact is: Draw once. If you like it: Draw more. If you hate it: Don't. Skill will come in time. You can accelerate it, by listening to people like Kyle, but you don't need to.
    If I can do it to the point where I can create something to be proud of, I'm sure you can too and I'm sure whatever you draw will be beautiful. Not necessary perfect, but beautiful still. I believe in all of you.
    Art can be fun, if you let it be fun.
    Wow...that sounded way more pretentious than I hoped...erm...I'll rephrase it:
    Just have fun drawing armadillos in armor and castles in the sky, even if sometimes the armadillos become dinos and the castles look like barns standing on sheep.
    Guess that's better? Dunno...just really want to draw some sheep with castles on their back now.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      I really love this comment! Thank you for sharing!! Running into physical limitations is rough, and even insurmountable for some. It's wonderful to hear your perspective on this stuff!!

    • @yanaleigh
      @yanaleigh Год назад

      I also have hands that shake, some days worse than others. It's frustrating. But once i managed to accept i can't change that but realized i still want to draw i realized i was going to have to change the style i was aiming towards. I'm never going to do a lot of fine lines, but that doesn't mean i can't have fun and make maps for campaigns.

  • @myanther8439
    @myanther8439 Год назад

    love it thank you!!

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад

      You're so welcome! Cheers, Myanther!

  • @K-H-28
    @K-H-28 Год назад +2

    Thanks for some great Monday morning inspiration and motivation! Looking forward to trying things out after work

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      You got this!!

  • @michaelcoetzee4344
    @michaelcoetzee4344 Год назад +3

    Thanks my dude.
    Just recently started the art skill journey and your encouragement is always so nice.
    Love your videos as well as your art.
    In my books you're an example and someone to aspire to.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Awesome, thank you!! Yeah, some folks think that the key to improvement is "brutally honest feedback" and I feel that the reason I continued too draw long enough to improve was because it was fun and important people encouraged me!! Cheers!!

  • @MitchT97
    @MitchT97 7 месяцев назад

    I’m a bit more of writer but given I need a map for my world building this is amazingly helpful. Even if I don’t end up using a physically drawn map this has actually helped me visualize the shapes and lines I want for my map better in my head. Gave me a little clearer image of what I want and how to represent certain objects. Thanks

  • @Cirkux
    @Cirkux Год назад

    Lovely

  • @curvy4655
    @curvy4655 Год назад

    Excellent, I'll certainly come back to this next time I start a map!

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад

      Heck yeah! Don't wait too long on that fun cartography time!! Haha

  • @MemphiStig
    @MemphiStig Год назад

    Ed Emberley is the best! I had his books as a kid and I loved them. If you start anywhere, start with him. He'll stay with you for life. And your videos are great. Simplified without looking dumbed down.

  • @MrSwar-yt3rc
    @MrSwar-yt3rc Год назад

    Love your stuff sometimes I watch it twice so i can draw along the second time

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Thank you so much! That’s wonderful to hear!!

  • @jeffjones9411
    @jeffjones9411 Год назад

    This is great, Kyle! I really enjoy your channel and the map making tips. In my own map drawing I've started incorporating isometric details because of your tutorials and I'm becoming proud of my progress. I'm curious to know how you draw interior maps, for a dungeon crawl for example. Congratulations on end of the semester!

  • @MisterDantastic
    @MisterDantastic Год назад

    I went ahead and bought the book you recommended. I really like the simple way you present everything - your maps and such always look professional and fun... and in a way that makes me think, "I should be able to do that!" rather than, "How is that even possible?"
    It's inspiring. Thanks a lot for your channel.

  • @callmegoats
    @callmegoats Год назад

    I will give this a try in occupational therapy, thanks.

  • @angelalewis3645
    @angelalewis3645 2 месяца назад

    The waterfall is cool.

  • @domodata6219
    @domodata6219 Год назад

    Don't know any how to draw books off the top of my head, but I just bought a few Yoshitaka Amano art books. I love the way he draws noses!

  • @croissant2434
    @croissant2434 Год назад

    i've started to draw for 6-7 years now, not really extensively or regularely (a fault I know I have, so I take that into account when things doesn't go as I imagined in the composition.)
    and I know I have so much to learn, and those videos make things look simple... because they really are! drawing can sound so overwhelming because of all the parameter you can take into account (if you apply them like color theory, that I choose to.... not follow, cause I have yet to make sense of it), that it can feel too much to digest.
    but your content is a bowl of a fresh air with how simple you explain and show things.
    yes, drawing is just about lines and shape.
    and there something amazing to look at those triangles, squigly etc form very compelling decors.
    thanks you, once again, for your content.
    I think I can say for sure that you are part of the many peoples who teach me, in their own way, to love the creation process, both with their passion, and clarity.

  • @AxiomDelver
    @AxiomDelver Год назад +2

    this video feels like it was made for me

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад

      Heck yeah! Glad to hear it!!

    • @DarkAvengerVIM
      @DarkAvengerVIM Год назад +1

      Ditto. I've got Dysgraphia and whistfully watch these videos about drawing beautifully drawn maps.
      Something impressing a more simplified approach is very welcome.

  • @KattKirsch
    @KattKirsch Год назад +1

    TThese videos are so helpful, I'm finally taking that time to start filling these notebooks I "swear I'm gonna draw in someday," and sometimes it feels like I've chosen an impossible task, but no matter how overwhelming it is, I think I can manage a few triangles here and there.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +2

      I'm so glad! Yeah, don't let those notebooks boss you around! Feed them some triangles!!

  • @rezthemediaruler3768
    @rezthemediaruler3768 11 месяцев назад +1

    Oy. This Channel is really helpful for people like me that are trying to bring a little more life to their Table.
    The Video about making a Map for a Dungeon was what brought me here and I am staying for other Videos with good and helpful Advice.
    I just started to put my interest in DnD and try to gain back the ability to Draw.
    When I was in School, I had a natural Talent to Draw nearly anything.
    That Talent however was gone, after not using it for over one and a half decade…
    Things like drawing little things and simple Characters bring me Joy and keep things alive.
    You are doing a good deed in helping people discover ways to produce Art and letting them develop their own Adventures and great Stories.
    Be proud of it.
    My Subscription is yours.
    Have a nice day!

  • @cydeadhunter456
    @cydeadhunter456 Год назад

    YES!!!

  • @KyleMaxwell
    @KyleMaxwell Год назад

    I can't speak to my favorite books about drawing, but I do love the RPG art of Luka Rejec (Ultraviolet Grasslands).

  • @MoonlitShoreWalk
    @MoonlitShoreWalk 5 месяцев назад

    I'm starting my first homebrew campaign as a DM, and I am loving all of your world building videos! I'm hoping to start and finish the starting map today, and because of your guidance, I think I can do it! Thank you for all the help and inspiration, and keeping things simple so I don't overthink it! 😂

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  5 месяцев назад +1

      That makes me so happy to hear!! The stress of drawing just means you are taking it seriously, the trick is not to let the stress keep you from actually doing what you want to!

  • @gabrielathero
    @gabrielathero Год назад

    Thank you for this tutorial! I even struggle with stick men, but if all goes well, i might need this some day ^^

  • @seanfsmith
    @seanfsmith Год назад

    Such a fan of Tony Dowler's HOW TO HOST A DUNGEON which is part drawing, part solo game

  • @lucidberrypro
    @lucidberrypro Год назад

    My favorite book right now is "Maze Quest" by Laura Horton.
    It's an activity book, like a treasure hunt. It inspired me to look at drawing maps more like a board game as opposed to a regular map. It helps me to think about what it might look like when my characters are traveling through something, and not just getting them from Point A to Point B.
    I bought this book to compliment "Fantasy Mapping, Drawing Worlds" by Wesley Jones. It's a more technical book. Using the two together is really nice for what I like to draw, which isn't actually map related lol.
    I'm saving this video in all of my playlists! I'm still new to map making, and trying to figure out how to add things like places and filler areas has been difficult. Your drawings of tiny shapes made me think of trying drawing them on sticky notes, so could move places about and draw a map around them 😯🤔
    Thank you so much for your videos! ☺

  • @fredeuhrbrand3789
    @fredeuhrbrand3789 Год назад

    This is very good advice! I'm getting into drawing because of the game. Only the first forest seem weird to me (the cloud) it isn't as clear cut obvious as the other once. Beyond that I use almost All these technics now. Thanks!
    Cheers

  • @jordanfish7111
    @jordanfish7111 Год назад

    Watching Commander Mark on PBS taught me to draw and if I'm being honest, I think Map Crow has a similar vibe that Secret City had.

  • @vurrunna
    @vurrunna Год назад +1

    A little detail I appreciate about your videos: Beyond just using an HB pencil and printer paper, you also always draw "hard," pressing the pencil in to get it's darkest color (like folks do when writing), instead of doing lots of light sketches (like us artists normally do while drawing). It adds just that extra level of "Anyone can do this." You don't need particularly good line control or skill with using a pencil, you just need to draw some basic shapes in a way that gets the idea across.

  • @yanaleigh
    @yanaleigh Год назад

    I love books by Lynda Barry! She's been my greatest inspiration and help.
    Also, for folks wanting drawing practice the Sequential Artists Workshop has an youtube channel with a billion videos on topics from basics to very specific, and do live, free, draw-alongs most Friday nights. And those archives are also on the site.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Love Lynda Barry!! The Syllabus book is really amazing!!

  • @meganely670
    @meganely670 Год назад

    New sub and 1st video love the content.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Thank you so much!!

  • @morgangleave8518
    @morgangleave8518 Год назад +2

    Loved this video Kyle. I think if more people relaxed about art and drawing, and just went for it, they'd have a lot more fun.
    Right now, my go to drawing guides are: Kawaii: How to Draw Really Cute Stuff: Draw Anything and Everything in the Cutest Style Ever! by Angela Nyugen, and Chibi Art Class: A Complete Course in Drawing Chibi Cuties and Beasties - Includes 19 step-by-step tutorials!: Volume 1 y Yoai. Great references, so I can get expression and life into my work.

  • @alejandroespinosa894
    @alejandroespinosa894 Год назад

    In my personal experience "I wish I could draw" really means I wish I knew some way to structure my practice so I can see regular improvement (big or small) regularly, so I don't get discouraged from pursuing drawing as an artistic expression.

  • @jamie-douglas
    @jamie-douglas Год назад

    I just watched this entire video with my copy of 'Make a World' by Ed Emberley sitting next to me. I was all ready to indignantly comment, wondering why you didn't mention this book--and then at the very end of the video, you did. Not only that, you said it is your FAVORITE BOOK ABOUT DRAWING?!? This is the first and only comment I've ever left on a youtube video.
    1. Visual Vocabulary!! Two great words that go great together.
    2. You shouldn't be buying reams of printer paper!!!! As an assistant professor, you absolutely need to take that shit from the copy room. It's an important perk, and you're entitled to it. My partner is a prof too, and she keeps me flush with free art supplies from the mail room, bless her.

  • @andrewburgess9578
    @andrewburgess9578 Год назад

    Thanks for that ... going to start getting my toes in the water. Any more tips would be greatly appreciated.

  • @bluecorvidart
    @bluecorvidart 9 месяцев назад

    It's so funny when you do any kind of art -- or I guess anything that makes you familiar with something obscure? and then you'll be sitting watching a video like this and suddenly go, "PILOT G2! MY BOY!" like your favorite character made a cameo in a Marvel movie.
    I have a lot of drawing books, but I don't know that I'd call any of them very good! I think I've probably learned more just sitting and copying reference material, whether it's actual reference books or just other artists -- I have aphantasia, so it doesn't help me much to simply understand how things look, I have to understand how they _work._ I think the reference book that's kept me the most company over the years is _Medieval Costume, Armor, and Weaponry_ -- though I understand that's not much help for learning to draw maps, haha!

  • @thedeaderer8791
    @thedeaderer8791 Год назад

    Holy crap I had the Ed Emberleys book about drawing with thumbprints and completely forgot about it untill today

  • @CharlieWellsPlus
    @CharlieWellsPlus Год назад

    Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud is tangential but amazing

  • @Toddalotapodamus
    @Toddalotapodamus Год назад

    Not books, but I really like David Finch's RUclips channel, David Finch, and VZA. Both comic related. Good stuff there.

  • @esbeng.s.a9761
    @esbeng.s.a9761 Год назад

    mountain 2:24
    house 4:06
    forest 5:40
    dead trees 7:00

  • @artaweunderhill4480
    @artaweunderhill4480 Год назад

    Hi there found your channel by chance. Can´t draw too :) ... I used Battle for Wesnoth Map Editor to make RPG hex maps. One has to press the Like-button for all the good stuff about art perspektive shadows and shapes to make RPG maps really beautiful.

  • @warriorprincess3972
    @warriorprincess3972 Год назад

    i get the same when i tell people i'm a nurse and they answer "i could never do that, i wish i could". sure you could, but you don't want to , there's a difference.

  • @mathsalot8099
    @mathsalot8099 Год назад

    I love this!! Because it shows how to be a mediocre artist through study and practice. I can do that! I don't think I'll ever be "good" at drawing because of a lack of coordination and fine motor skills, but I belive anyone can be at least mediocre at anything if they put enough time and practice into it. (Physical/Mental limitations excluded, of course)

  • @hypersapien
    @hypersapien Год назад

    The points you describe about embracing the journey and not shortcutting to the end results are points I've been trying to argue in the ongoing debate about the efficacy of AI generation in art.

  • @starbomber
    @starbomber Год назад +1

    Edit: Oh man, favorite book about drawing...? That's, hard, I'm staring at my meager bookshelf and I don't see any drawing books D: Also most of the advice I've gotten about drawing has come from other artists, not necessarily from a book per-say. Although thinking about it, Bill Peets autobiography was a good read. Not much in the way of practical drawing advice in there, but it is a good story and it's full of great illustrations.
    hardest part of drawing is drawing straight lines. It takes *lots of practice* to truly draw straight lines (and some people can't due to their hands). Of course, if you can't draw a straight line you can usually use a ruler or other tools. I took a drafting class in high school (which is quickly becoming a lost art btw) but I learned that you are allowed to use a *ton* of templates and tools when you draw.
    Even though I tend to use a lot of digital tools, I think this tutorial will be a great help for me because I tend to draw a lot of my maps *impromptu* on a dry erase mat or on tiles.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад

      Ohhh! I should talk about how to draw battle maps on marker board! That'd be a fun video!! Cheers!!

  • @ravenshadowz2343
    @ravenshadowz2343 2 месяца назад

    I would recommend Mark Kistler's books on learning to draw, he teaches the basics of drawing. His books will get you over not thinking you can draw, everyone can draw if they really want to, with just 30 minutes of practice a day, that's all it takes.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  2 месяца назад +1

      I learned to draw by watching Commander Mark!! Heck yeah!!

  • @HallowLiar
    @HallowLiar Год назад

    I watch the video for map crow, not the video. Both are great! but map crow is da best :}

  • @prollybee
    @prollybee Год назад

    "that is why i draw" i miss that. sometimes i feel like going to art school and burning out was a mistake, other times i wish i could go back lol

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Burnout is a really rough thing to go through. My dad had to rescue my drawing desk from the dumpster 4 years ago. I was so burnt out I literally thought I’d never need it again.

    • @prollybee
      @prollybee Год назад

      @@mapcrow gods, that is so relatable. if you'll forgive me asking, how did you move on? ironically, burnout helped motivate me to finally *come* out, but years later, i still can't find that original joy.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад

      I'm just seeing this now. Sorry for missing it. For me, I was teaching, and that was motivating me to ask questions that I didn't know the answer to. Do something you've never done, do something to surprise yourself, invite friends over to draw cartoon characters from memory, spray paint memes on broken down boxes. Don't look for the joy in the same place you left it. Cheers!!

  • @camrouxbg
    @camrouxbg Год назад

    For a long time I told myself I can't draw. It wasn't really until I started getting interested in painting and actually experimenting with things that I started to change my mindset. Also, someone told me a long time ago that "If you can write, you can draw." Because writing is drawing, *by definition.* So I definitely agree with you that anyone *can* draw. It's just that most of us have convinced ourselves otherwise. Everyone starts at the same point --- it's just that some people get more support and resources provided by parents, family, community, teachers, whatever. Master artists were not born with the ability to draw. They learned, and they practised *hundreds* and *thousands* of hours.

  • @marysherrill6918
    @marysherrill6918 4 дня назад

    Planning where to put everything is where I have trouble.

  • @gillcaz
    @gillcaz Год назад

    Ethering Bros are good!

  • @nicholascolares8646
    @nicholascolares8646 Год назад

    I do draw, but get stuck with too many ideas... Recently focussing on small maps, islands and villages.
    Thus the question, would be worth to place the crops fields for a large kingdom, or even for a small town?

  • @percussion44
    @percussion44 3 месяца назад

    Book on drawing? Andrew Loomis "Drawing the head and hands"

  • @speedylinguine
    @speedylinguine Год назад

    Late to the party here but I was wondering if you have any resources to make engaging maps on an online map maker. I’m currently running an online game as it makes it easier to plan but after watching the video about making a more in depth map I want to make sure I’m doing it right

  • @HarrowKrodarius
    @HarrowKrodarius 7 месяцев назад

    Honestly if I had an group I could DM locally and not online. I propably would have been drawing it myself instead of using a map making tool like inkarnate. Or would maybe have actual drawing tools for my PC. so I could print it out later. (I still wish I have those tools even for inkarnate. but mouse works fine enough for me.)

  • @Omega_Orion
    @Omega_Orion Год назад +1

    Hey map crow I've been dealing with some nerve pain in my right hand, and was wondering if you have a recommendation for a giant grip like the one you're using in the video or at least some keywords to help search for a good one? Thanks so much for the free learning resources

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +2

      There is a link the description to the kinds that I use!! I hope that helps!!

    • @Omega_Orion
      @Omega_Orion Год назад +1

      @@mapcrow thank you so much

  • @melinnamba
    @melinnamba Год назад

    I can draw. Quite well actually. But I do struggle with maps. I always get to caught up in the details. Sometimes it helps to get back to the basics and remind yourself that maps really are about simple shapes. They actually are a great beginner project. You mostly need time and patience to produce satisfying results. Skill is optional and will develop over time.

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад

      Yup! All about them tiny shapes!! Cheers!!

  • @furnandochowski3254
    @furnandochowski3254 Год назад

    Hey, look! Another video.
    :D

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Hope you enjoyed it! Cheers!!

  • @92Nizo
    @92Nizo Год назад

    That map you drew reminds me a lot of “The Legend of Zelda - A Link to the Past”. Is that just me? Or was that maybe even on purpose?
    Whatever, I like it :D

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  Год назад +1

      Yup! That's the map I drew!!

  • @DJGeoskWizard
    @DJGeoskWizard 10 месяцев назад +1

    Has mapcrow ever done a tutorial for a canyon?

    • @mapcrow
      @mapcrow  10 месяцев назад +1

      I have not, but I THINK that JP Coovert has it in Flik Silverpen's Guide to Making Maps.