Thanks for your comment! 😺 I’m glad that the KZbin recommendation brought you here, and welcome to the channel. I try to make videos that are informative and relaxing. (It’s something that I like to watch myself after a busy day.)

Thank you so much! I like drawing maps and making these types of videos; it’s very inspiring to share them and I’m glad that you and other people seem to like them. (Also, I can’t stop myself from talking about Eastern Farraway - I know it’s a fantasy world with imaginary people, but it sometimes feels more real to me that the world around me, lol.) 😺

@@midnighttower4717 Oh I know the feeling all too well, even though it's an imaginary world we have still walked through the roads and streets of that world. To us these worlds are more than real

Thank you, that’s a really cool idea! 😺 (I shall add it to my secret side-project list ideas, moahahaha!)

Hahaha, thanks Ren, you’re a star. ❤️ Also, I really liked your last video and I learned a lot. (Including quite a lot of “basic” information that I feel like I should already know. (Hm, you can use italic on maps…Wait, what?) Your video has this nice “Let’s have coffee and chat about maps” feeling and at the same time is incredibly useful! Thank you for making them and helping other (aspiring) map-makers.😺

@@midnighttower4717 amazing! This is it: rules are rules, we can embrace them totally or we can break or morph some. In the fantasy illustration we can stick to the standard design rules, yes, but should we? Always?? Lol. Many designs works that inspired me have broken boundaries with rules. So. Experience and enjoy the journey ❤️ - Also, thank you for the kind words and the feedback. I sometimes fear my tutorials are “TOO” basics. But i can’t always tell what i take for granted and what not.

@@midnighttower4717 oh. But i need this: coffee and map talks hahaha

@@renflowergrapx I completely agree! I think it’s good to know the rules, and then you can happily decide if you want to stick to them, or break them. Especially when it comes to fantasy map-making: It’s an advantage to have a basic understanding of geology and say, for continent or mountain formation. And I like it when you can add a fantasy/magic explanation to something so that it makes sense to the worldbuilding. For example, I know that there is a desert in one of the D&D campaigns that has a desert, which is quite illogical from a geological perspective map (it might be Forgotten Realms, I don’t remember). However, the somewhat unnatural location of the desert is later explained by that once a golem was left there and ordered by its master to dig. The golem was abandoned, but since it’s a magical construct, it has never stopped digging. With time, this led to that an entire desert was created. When it comes to tutorials, I like it when it contains information for different levels. It makes it useful for hapless beginners (like me), but it can also contain useful information for the more advanced viewers. Sometimes even simple tools or tricks can be overlooked as you create your own solutions or workarounds. (I’ve been drawing digitally in Photoshop for years, and I still never uses masks and I happily ignore naming my layers, lol.) Coffee and fantasy maps for the win! 😺

@@renflowergrapx Hahaha, it's the best combo! 😺

Thanks Todd! ❤️ This was only meant to be a little side-project, but making fantasy maps has rapidly become my favourite hobby (and obsession, lol). I’m starting a new project this autumn and I’ll be sharing my progress as I try to make an entire fantasy map using dip pen and watercolour. 😺

Thank you for your kind comment! ❤

Haha, thank you! 🙂 We usually end up with many more minutes of bloopers than of usable footage! We're hopeless!

Aaaw, thank you! Welcome to my little corner of the internet, have a cup of tea (or coffee) and make yourself at home. This channel is tiny, but I’m hoping to that people who like fantasy, maps, worldbuilding, books, cats, and nature will feel welcome and stay around. 😺

​@@midnighttower4717 This channel is a true gem, I can't wait to see your other videos. Your drawing and painting is beautiful, and I am impressed with the small, minucious details you managed to make with the dip pens. You deserve a lot more views.

@@CarolinaMarcelino-ql8tp Thank you, Carolina! ❤ One thing that I really like with the dip pen is that you can make tiny (and I mean tiny!) details because the strokes are so thin. With a dip pen I can write letters doll house small, in a way that I couldn’t do even with the smallest ink pen. So you get a wider variety… but it requires much more skills (which I haven’t mastered yet, but practice makes perfect, right?).😺

​@@midnighttower4717 Practice does make perfect, and you're doing wonderfully already!

@@CarolinaMarcelino-ql8tp Thank you so much! Your comment made my day! 😺

Thank you so much! It’s kind comments like yours which encourage me to make more videos - and even more fantasy maps! 😺

Aaaw, thank you! I hope that your fantasy map will be amazing and that you’ll enjoy the process. If you like to post your result on social media, feel free to tag me. I love to see what other people are creating. Here’re the links to my social media: Instagram: instagram.com/midnighttowerrpg/ Twitter: twitter.com/Midnight_Tower Facebook: facebook.com/midnighttoweroxford/

Sounds awesome! 😸 Please save us from ourselves (and pesky, embarrising (embellishing? Embolism-ing?) mistakes). Also, just to confirm: Yes, Vesper does listen to The Cure.

Aha, the Venn-diagram overlaps: I’m a fantasy nerd and biologist with a deep love for nature at heart. I used to work for a conservation organisation many years ago (before I went rogue and started writing books & drawing dragons and maps). 😺 Thank you for your kind comment!

@@midnighttower4717 very cool. May your art making long continue.

@@Ginmaree Thank you, Ginmaree! I hope so too! 😺

Thank you so much! 😺

Thank you! This is just a fun side-project that I started earlier this year. I’ve watched plenty of talented watercolour artists and map-makers, but I thought I might share my own beginner-friendly attempt to make watercolour fantasy maps. Although this is a small channel, I really enjoy making these videos, and I’m happy to hear that other people like them too. Thank you so much for your kind comment! 😺

My sacrifices to the youtube algorithm have finally paid off, lol.

Thank you so much, your comment made my day! ❤️ I wanted to share my fantasy maps videos in a different style, and instead of a time-lapse video, I thought it could be nice to do calm transitions and mix it up with various nature shots that I’ve filmed. Also, my cat Sally is a 100% Velcro-kitten, and she tends to follow me around the house. (I have two cats, but the other one is diva-uninterested in anything I do, except when it comes to food or treats, lol.)

Thank you so much, Suri! ❤ It’s fun making these videos and I like sharing my fantasy maps. I’m still a beginner when it comes to watercolour painting, but it’s oddly rewarding to create and practice painting. (I’m used to digital art, so this is all new to me.) I hope other people might find my videos inspiring and calming. Nothing needs to be perfect, it's all about the journey. (Just like in life, really.) 😺

Thank you so much for your kind comment, Sophie! (It made my day!) While I like watching speed-up artwork, especially concept art and digital art, because you get to watch the artwork come together, I wanted to show more of the whole process. I’ve recently started adding nature shots as well, as an addition to the art video. This is a fun side project that I’ve started recently. I’m not a professional artist (or videographer, lol) but I like making and sharing these videos and I’m happy that you (and other people) seem to like them. 😺 Cheers/ Tove

Thank you so much! 😺 We’re super-happy with how the book turned out with all the amazing fantasy art and the design. It’s always nerve-wracking to create a book, but I’m honestly insanely proud of the final result. Thank you so much for supporting the Kickstarter - It is thanks to you and everyone else who backed the project that made this book possible! ❤

@@midnighttower4717 In return it's been a please to support small creators on kickstater - these books all feel like genuine labor of love and it shows! Also the token artwork is too darn good! (and cute too!)

Aaaww! Thank you so much! 😺

Hi Todd! Sorry for my tardy reply, I’ve been on holiday for a while. I use Langton watercolour paper, which I cut out from the sketchpad. Since I don’t use tape, I tend to put the paper in press under heavy books. At the moment, they’re stored willy-nilly with no direct system at all. I think you might use wax to seal the paint, but I haven’t tried it so far. Thanks for your comment! 😺

Thank you so much! 😺

Aw, thank you so much for your comment, Tom. I’m pretty new to this, and your comment made my day. ❤️

Awww, thank you, Mike! I’m going to paraphrasing Keanu Reeves here: “YOU are awesome!” Thank you so much for your kind comment, it made me very happy! 😺

@@midnighttower4717 🥰

I completely agree: I think maps, and especially maps for fantasy novels and roleplaying adventures, create something amazing: It makes an imaginary place real. (At least my brain tends to go: “Well, of course it’s real: Look: Someone made a map over this place.) Maps also spark the imagination, both readers and players tend to start asking questions and envision the area. My old D&D maps were made just so that I could keep track of places, but with time it became my strongest tool as a DM, and I still use them for worldbuilding and ideas for my books. Also: Drawing dragons and fairies at 59 years old: You just became my personal hero. Thank you for your comment and an awesome start to my day! 😺

Thank you so much for your kind comment! I’m happy that you like this video, James. 😺

Aaaw, thank you! You're most welcome! I’m still new to making videos like this so it’s nice to get feedback. I tried to vary the music a little bit for this video and used two different tracks, but I wasn’t sure that it was going to work, so I’m glad that you liked it. 😺 This is a side-project (and my new hobby) where I’m sharing things that I’ve learned from writing books and fantasy adventures, but also where I share my attempts to become better at drawing maps. It makes me very happy to hear that the videos can inspire others, too. I hope you'll have a wonderful and creative day! 🖌️🎨☕️

Go for it! I started drawing maps after I got inspired by other cartographers. I used to draw simple maps during our D&D adventures, to keep track of where we were, but with time it turned into a type of chronicles: The names of towns and inns along the road became landmarks over where we had had wonderful - or dangerous! - encounters. The first maps I made were very simple, and it wasn’t until last year I started experimenting with watercolours. It’s so much fun and I highly recommend it! Thank you so much for your kind comment! 🐱

Meget tak! 😺

Thank you so much! This is just a little side-project that I’ve been working on, but I thought it could be fun to share my map-making attempts and thoughts about fantasy worldbuilding, which might be useful for other writers or illustrators. 😺

Aaaw, thank you Ian! 😺

Thank you for your kind words, I’m happy that you like it! 😺

Aww, thank you so much! 😸 I used to paint with gouache when I was younger, and I really liked the vibrant colours and consistency of the paint. Watercolours are an entirely different beast. I still haven’t completely figured out how the layering effects work and the different techniques, but it’s fun. - And terrifying! I’m so used to working with digital art, where everything can be erased or adjusted. I hope that you start painting maps for your campaign, it’s great fun and I’ve always felt that having a map on the table makes the fantasy world come alive. (It’s like: We got a map! This place is r-e-a-l!)

@@midnighttower4717 they're very different paints despite being so similar! I've had to unlearn working from light to dark (though sometimes it's ok) and layering transparently, instead going thin to thick paint. But the vibrant colors are so nice, like you said! I agree about maps, and there's a charm to having them as well... Or perhaps I just like cartography 😁

@@NefariousHippie Huh, I’ve never thought about which order I work from (light to dark, or dark to light). I’m such a noob, lol. 😺 The layering aspect of watercolour is very similar from working with digital art, so that is familiar to me, but obviously, there is no delete or CTRL + Z button with real paintings. (Which freaked me out in the beginning.) Now, I’ve learned that mistakes are okay, it’s part of developing my art skills and nothing to be ashamed of. Maps are awesome, I’ve started drawing them last year and although I’m far from an expert, it’s so much fun! (I secretly hope to make maps for my books one day, if I can reach that level of skills.)

Hahaha! The matrix has you, Ryan! I’m a beginner at mapmaking and this is just a fun side-project. But I’ve quickly falling in love with watercolour maps (and making these videos) and I thought I could share it with other people. Personally, I really enjoy watching concept art and map videos, it’s so inspiring! Thanks for subscribing, and I’m happy to hear that you like my videos. 😸

Thank you so much, it makes me very happy to hear! 😺 Kind comments like this really make my day!

Thank you so much! I like doing these videos and sharing them (although I'm not a proffessional, this is just a fun side-project). But hopefully it might inspire others to pick up a pencil or brush and draw something. 😺

It works both way, then. Starting my day and reading comments like this… It makes me so happy! Thank you so much for your kind words! 😺

Thank you so much! 😺 I like working on smaller pieces of paper, it gives me room (no pun intended) to experiment and try different versions of what I’m drawing. The size of the paper is actually great for making bookmarks, I made a video where I painted an Elven bookmarks inspired by Arwen’s necklace, the Evenstar. If you want to have a look, here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWPYYohve8yLmNk Cheers/ Tove

Hi Dennis! Eh, the maps aren’t available as a downloads (I didn’t know anyone would like that, lol). 😺 But if you like, I can scan them and send them to you?

Thanks Kit! ❤️ I happy to hear that you liked my video, and oh-my-gosh! I can totally relate to what you mean: Drawing maps changed my entire fantasy world! When you start adding towns, mountains, and rivers to paper, it kickstarts your imagination - but also prompts a row of questions: 1.) How to people live in environment like this? 2.) Are they completely self-sustaining or do they trade with others? 3.) And if so, what do the trading roads look like? 4.) And do they pay taxes, or tolls? 5.) And will some people try to avoid that and turn into… smugglers? (And so on, for all eternality, lol.) It sounds super-exciting with a dark underground cave system! Maybe you could do some sort of overlaying maps? That would be so cool! 😺

Thanks Todd! I really enjoyed making these bookmarks and I thought it would be fun to share the process. I’m glad you liked it! 😺

I mainly play D&D and I’m using the open 5e systems for our books. The adventures are compatible with Tales of the Valiant (Project Black Flag) and Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition, and can easily be converted to Pathfinder. 😺 I’m using Faber-Castell pens (they’re called Pitt Artist Pen Fineliner) in two sizes: 0.3 (which I use the most) and a thinner 0.1 for shading and finer details. I used 0.5 previously, but I find that it’s a little bit clunky for me. (Having said that, it could be because I’m new to using ink and the fact that I’m using coldpressed paper that is quite textured. It’s okay for drawing, because minor mistakes doesn’t show (the mountain was Totally Meant To Look Like That, don’t judge me), but it makes writing neatly quite hard. For the watercolour I got a small Windsor and Newton field set as a Christmas gift that I really like. (I’m a beginner, so it suits me perfect). 🖌️🎨☕️ Cheers/ Tove

@@midnighttower4717 That's really interesting! I have Micron pens, but I have a few Faber-Castell brush pens and I think I'd like to try their fine liners, so I'll take a look at that. I recently got a Sakura Koi water color set to do some highlighting and shading on drawings, but I'm finding I enjoy it so much I'd like to use it more. I'm definitely going to water color some maps now, so thanks for the inspiration!

@@toddirvine5886 I think the Microns pens are really good, too. I haven’t used them myself, but I’ve seen other artists here on KZbin who are using them. The Faber-Castell works really well, there is virtually no staining from the ink when I add watercolours to the drawings. Watercolour is really fun, because it’s a different type of medium. You have to think in layers and can’t just mix colours and dab on the colour. - But that what makes it so fun!! Plus I love the way you can experiment with watercolours, letting the colours mix by themselves in larger blooms, using salt, lifting colours, etc. There is so much to explore! Best of luck with your watercolour maps! 😸

You’re more than welcome to my little corner of the internet, Todd. I’m also new to watercolours, so I don’t really know what I’m doing, lol. But I’m a big believer of “happy accidents” and “failing forward”. (In both art, and life, come to think about it.) I’ve been playing D&D for more than 25 years now, and started publishing a handful of shorter adventures on Dmsguild and DrivethruRPG five years ago. (With the crazy goal of earning some pocket money to buy Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foe). In 2019 we ran the first Kickstarter and, well, things have been pretty crazy since then. I’ve recently started making these videos as a fun side project. I draw and paint late at night, and film during the weekends if I’ve time. It’s fun and there is no pressure, I know that I’m a beginner and it’s very relaxing. I like sharing the artwork and my thoughts about worldbuilding, hoping that other might find it interesting or useful. 😺

@@midnighttower4717 I think the content is great. Part of why I'm commenting so much (aside from just loving the videos) is to help the algorithm direct these videos to more people. It's also refreshing that you're a beginner with your painting, though your maps look amazing! I'm a beginner too, and sometimes it's daunting watching people who have been painting for decades. There's a lot of focus on being "good at art" instead of just enjoying making something.

@@toddirvine5886 Aaaaw, thank you! That is so kind! Thanks for your comments and for helping to support the channel. It’s just a little side-project that I’m doing and I’ve no idea where this will lead. (Maybe nowhere, and that's okay, lol.) Also, I think that you’re absolutely right with that there is a heavy focus on people who are “good at art, instead of just enjoying making something.” Although it can be inspiring and fascinating to watch insanely talented artists creating art, I sometimes get that feeling of “I will never get that good”, or “It’s too late for me”. But then I remind myself that the art that I create is - in its own way - unique and that there is a learning curve to everything we do. There is no contest or completion. Also, since I’m new to this I give myself the full freedom to fail and make plenty of mistakes. I wouldn’t expect myself to be able to play a full violin sonnet by Bach if I just picked up a violin, right? Striving for 100% perfection isn’t a healthy goal, but having fun and improving a skill is! 😸

Thank you so much! I’m a beginner and new to this, so kind comment like yours, are very appreciated! 🥰 I’ve done digital art for our RPG books for a couple of years, but working with ink and watercolour is completely different. (I still wish there was a CTRL + Z button sometimes, lol.)

Thank you, Todd, your comment made my day! I like making these type of videos, and I thought I might as well share my thoughts about worldbuilding and Eastern Farraway while I’m trying to improve my mapmaking skills. 😺

I know right? The good old books where kind of… rubbish in a sense. The papers kept falling out and the covers got scuffed so easily. Still, I got plenty of amazing memories from that time, so I can’t complain, lol.

Hang on: So you’re based in Australia and DriveThruRPG print your books in Australia now? That is awesome! Thanks for sharing! I know that DrivethruRPG are collaborating with Lighthouse, but I didn’t know that they had started using printing facilities in Australia! Nice!!! 😺

Aaw, thank you! This is just my little corner of the internet that I like to share with other people who like fantasy, worldbuilding, and (on occasions) silly interview videos. 😺