Welcome to the watercolor maps class! This is a class about making a decorative map with watercolors. You'll learn how to take a digital map and, using procreate to trace, put it on paper and paint it. We will also cover some painting techniques to add detail to the colors and areas of the map.
Want to join us for class? It's offered on-demand and available now for all Tier 2 students. Some classes are also available to Tier 1 students. Click here to see the Tier 1 Class Listing.
Procreate Set up I use:
8.5x11”
*700 dpi
*(the higher dpi, the fewer layers you can have. For general drawing, 300 dpi is fine. I use 700 for my calligraphy)
Procreate steps:
If digitizing and drawing each element individually, draw the icons larger than they will be in the final product. This will allow you to get more detail in and let your small drawings look more intricate!
For empty spaces on your map consider location appropriate items such as:
You can also fill empty places with a compass. Your compass could be as simple as an arrow with an N for north, or far more intricate with the directions spelled out. Old maps would be a great inspiration here!
Don’t forget to label your map! I usually use simple type for locations and more “fun” calligraphy for the map title
Looking for a place to print your maps? My favorite vendor is Printswell. A few notes here:
For stand alone pieces that won’t be framed, 120# is a nice weight and 240# is very stiff. If you are framing, 100 is a good weight (this is a good weight for folded cards too).
Instructor: Allison McClanahan
Instagram: @wildwoodcalligraphyandpost
Website: wildwoodcp.com
When you subscribe, we will send a 14-page printable packet to your inbox with a supply list, instructions, anatomy of the guideline, a minuscule exemplar, 5 traceable worksheets, and several different guideline sheets. Welcome to the world of beautiful writing!