[Bonus Post] An Insight Into How I Colour My Maps (Patreon)

Hey everyone,

Rarely, do I show much of my process so I thought I'd make a brief timelapse colouring a map for a commission that I have currently!

On average it takes me about 20 minutes to colour a map though this process has been made more and more efficient over my time as a cartographer for the last ~5 years, originally it would be close to an hour! A lot of my inspiration came from browsing some of the top maps in r/wonderdraft though I often struggled with the paler/parchment styles that a lot of the maps go for. Don't get me wrong, they are stunning but I personally prefer a more vibrant, 'juicier' look - you can also see this in my battle maps!

I think most importantly, I've come to realise the importance of colour and how much our eyes love to pick up on different shades, highlights and contrast. It's why my palette is so huge - there's no such thing as one perfect green but instead numerous greens that also dip into yellows and browns and reds. And, as my favourite (though, kind of sad) Bob Ross quote goes, "Put light against light - you have nothing. Put dark against dark - you have nothing. It's the contrast of light and dark that each gives the other one meaning."

If you make maps (or any sort of art to be honest), don't be afraid to experiment with your colours and palettes

Cheers :)

~ Matthew.W