Adding Color to an Island Map

This was my first attempt at a watercolor map for my 5e campaign. You can tell that I’m no artist, but I thought it would be fun to show the other players, and they would get a kick out of my feeble attempt.  After watching JP Coovert’s video on using simple, cheap watercolors to add some color to my game maps, I made a trip to the local arts & hobby store. A pack of cheap brushes and a schoolkid’s pack of basic watercolors was all I needed. I already had some decent Micron pens. Maybe the talent will come later.

I prefer playing IRL at a table, face-to-face with my friends, instead of Roll 20 or another VTT. I love these little art projects that make the world come alive and add a splash of custom color and fun. This will NOT be last attempt. It was fun drawing out my map in pencil on good heavy art paper before wetting the brushes and paints and experimenting with the techniques in the video below.

Give it a try if this inspires you.

JP Coovert is a popular YouTuber in the Dungeons & Dragons, and Shadowdark space, but he writes zines, books on tips for maps and miniatures, and more. He’s a very enthusiastic guy who has made content creation for his gaming hobby a career. His upbeat attitude for games and art is infectious. I highly recommend watching few of his videos. Start with the one I have shared below. Good luck!

Watch the video: Simple Trick for Coloring Your Maps! by @JP Coovert aka ‘Flik Silverpen’.

You can follow me on YouTube: @EruditeDM, or on X: @EruditeDM. Feel free to email me at EruditeDM@gmail.com.

And please make sure that you sign up to our mailing lists for free articles and cool content ideas for games like Shadowdark RPG and other OSR games!