Making Dungeon Maps on a Whiteboard!

[@robertcooper5702]

If you score a line grid into your whiteboard with a modelling knife using your straight edge, the v.thin scorelines will 'fill', after applying the ink and then rubbing it off with your chosen grid colour. Blue is good. The permanent grid. I've used this technique on a fair few whiteboards over the years since 1985/6. It's laid flat on the playing surface, played on, wipe the map and the grid is ready straight away.

[@JPCoovert]

GREAT idea!

[@sequoiadubeau1477]

Thank you

[@RydenSchrock]

What?! Did you read my mind I’m literally making a dnd sheet right now! Love the videos! Keep up the good work!

[@wordsofjed]

Very cool! LOVE the tokens. Another version of this that might address some of your issues: Layer 1: Magnetic sheet (or just sheet metal, if all your tokens are magnetized). Layer 2: 1 inch grid paper, large enough to fill a frame (maybe the stuff they make for easels?) Or, draw your own grid on plain paper. Layer 3: Plexiglass or other clear acrylic, with the highest gloss you can find. Put all that in a frame, and you have a custom whiteboard with a grid protected by the plexiglass/acrylic! The whiteboard marker will work on any non-porous, glossy surface, and you could even use wet-erase markers for things that you want to be semi-permanent.

[@TallestSchuler]

I used plexiglass. One side is the grid and on the other side I draw the map. Then I use the whiteboard as a white background.

[@sethusk]

This is so cool. I love how it looks on the wall. It passes as just being cool gamer art, not just a totally functional map!

[@radgamerdx9055]

You can place a clear dry erase film over the grid, draw on it and remove it after. This should give the board longevity without having to apply chemicals or redo the grid. It may be somewhat pricey but the idea is there. You can also transfer drawing over to other surfaces. Look for..."Dry Erase Surface, 27.5” x 25’ Roll, Clear" Great Vid, Good Luck.

[@robertcooper5702]

Score a grid on your whiteboard with a v.sharp modelling knife. Use a steel rule. The blue pen ink will settle in the minutely thin line. Job done. I've used whiteboards for DnD maps since 1986!

[@carterevanroust]

The highscool where I work has whiteboards that already have the light blue grid. You could buy one to use as a dedicated one. I'm going to start a D&D club there and I had considered using magnets as tokens if they send me to a classroom where I have to use the board, rather than a table.

[@Reanimatedself]

I just ordered the stuff for these tokens. My kids and I are excited to make them! We have been using your videos for homeschool art class focus and loving it!

[@enzosepulcri3123]

I had been waiting for your video. You inspire me so much!

[@AlexRem_]

Hi, thanks for your interesting videos. I can advise you to sand the board a little, apply markings, then varnish it and draw maps on top of the varnish

[@OlDirtySam]

Haven't viewed your videos for a while now but planed to make a first adventure for my niece and thougth: "Hmm there was this guy who had awesome map drawing tutorials ... i should look into this before i start the drawings ... damn what was his channel?" and then this video popped up! Happy to be here again.

[@ragnarockerbunny]

When my partner DMs, she prints out the map over several A4s or draws it on one A3, then uses DC fix (self adhesive film) to cover the map. Then it works just like a whiteboard, and one player is designated the "map master" and whenever a detail needs to be filled in about a room that player fills it in. Kinda works like an analogue fog of war.

[@JPCoovert]

I’m definitely gonna look into this! Thanks for the tip!

[@baosia]

If you have access to a laminator you could laminate grid paper and use white board pens on them... good for making small and quick sketching sheets. Fix with magnets on a plate and you have a playable surface

[@dart1609]

Thank you very much for for this video. I was looking forward to this. Snd special thanks for thanking me.

[@WhoisThatFreak]

You can get a print on a pvc paper. It would be permanent, you can just magnet it from the corners. Also, amazing video as always.

[@samontheancient9949]

Sup, JP. I think it's a good idea to apply a layer of matte primer on this board, and then draw the grid with a marker. You can use acrуlic primer aerosol can, it will be more convenient than applying it with a brush

[@samontheancient9949]

Сompletely forgot about whiteboard markers. You can then cover the grid with a colorless varnish (it can also be sold in the form of an aerosol).

[@ToonGrin]

Could always use a clear coat spray seal and see if that will lock it in, it might wipe because it might not be absorbed by the board but it doesn't hurt to try. You could try permanent blue market as well.

[@Raznag]

Great tomb! I love it!!!!

[@GeoffreyToday]

Such a neat idea. If drawing the map on the white board is a problem, but we still want the magnetic properties of the white board, I bet that a single sheet of your large white graph paper placed over the white board would let you get the best of both worlds. You get a paper surface for ease of drawing, no need to find a way to add permanent blue lines to the white board, and the magnets on the tokens should still work through the single sheet of paper. I think the only issue would be finding the best way to secure the paper to the whiteboard surface.

[@OlDirtySam]

Wouldn't magnets do the trick? Btw it would have the additional benefits of beeing able to switch maps reasonable fast.

[@nemesis12357]

They actually have wet erase markers that are easy to take off with water, but dont rub off so easily.

[@LegendStudioGames]

I've used vis a vis wet erase and they're exactly what he needs here

[@reneesteeves3698]

that cross hatching give me Dyson Logos map feels

[@blamp666]

Use adesive book covering film like those you use for school books over your grid, it is cheap and your wet markers will work without taking any of your blue marker ink off. I've done that and it works, use the board all the time. Even when I am out of space I use it on the wall with magnets on the minis.

[@JPCoovert]

GREAT idea!

[@blamp666]

@@JPCoovert yes its perfect and its working as intended. You can't even spot there is a plastic cover there. Just be careful so you don't get bubbles while applying it. Enjoy.

[@Axiie]

Bit behind the release on this one, but... I like to run big environments in D&D; the kind of things that would be insane on a 1 inch grid. To make them fit the table, and actually leave more space, I added a corkboard to the back of traditional 5mm graph paper, drew the maps on those, and used drawing pins to track the movement. We ended up sticking little banners to some taller seamstress pins for the characters, and different coloured roundhead pins for the different monsters. Don't need many of those, since you're only having about two or three different creatures per combat. I'm interested to see how you'd turn something like that into something beautiful. Decreasing the scale to 5mm squares, can you make it as wonderful as a 1 inch grid?

[@JPCoovert]

That sounds super fun! Adding it to the list ;)

[@CONTINGENCY_sys]

Perma grid. Overspray it with clearcoat. or... plexi or glass overlay on the white board works wonders. I did plexiclear. I had to host over 13 events each week for ttrpg plus my own games. It works wonders. Have fun mapping.

[@CONTINGENCY_sys]

Up off the table is so nice for players as well, saves the neck and great for visual. Presentation boards work great for those like business meeting ones with rollers you can roll out and flip over after the event starts to get the "table set" for play.

[@tburns5943]

Super cool 😎

[@derek_davidson]

Use wet erase markers for more permanent things (like a grid) then dry erase for Everything else

[@jpalo7733]

Try acetate as an overlay and reveal new parts of the map. Or sell a map of the catacombs then have the players accidentally fall into them. Then let then find their place in the catacombs buy building their own map on the overlay and situate it to the whiteboard to find where they are.

[@emilyr2836]

Sharpies tend to be pretty permanent on whiteboards (and erase with anything that contains rubbing alcohol if you want to change things). Though now that I think of it, I think regular dry erase markers contain enough to erase the sharpie, so that might not work out long term...

[@JPCoovert]

Yeah. That's the problem, drawing overtop with the dry erase will take out anything underneath!

[@darrendurling5845]

Draw your grid then spay the board with a sealer or varnish

[@Josh-ii8ix]

Grid idea...auto striping tape?

[@LegendStudioGames]

You need to make triangles instead of squares with your dyson hatching.

[@rogerbensonmn]

I put a piece of plexiglass over my white board...I can draw on the plexiglass for spells and such....but won't smudge the original drawing.

[@JPCoovert]

ohhh! good tip!

[@mapcrow]

Dang! That’s a great idea!! You could do the lines and white on the back of the plexi, then the dry erase on the front surface!

[@jeffreymoffitt4070]

Blue sharpie?