smitchellmaps

Reminder About Subscription Model Transition

Hey everyone!

Just in a few days my Patreon blog will migrate to Subscription payment per month model (instead of old payment per creation model) and enter into new 2.0 era. I'm a bit anxious about it since it's a risky situatuion - I'm losing a good chunk of my income and probably can lose more. But I'm really positive and excited about new ways of our interaction, new type of posts that you can already see now, and what's coming next.

After all, subscription mod...

Creative Post - Overthinking and Drawing Quick Landscapes With Color Demo+ PSD

Hello!

In one of the latest Creative Posts I wrote that I'll do a few extended articles on drawings and painting my art pieces. To be honest, I didn't think that it would be so hard!

Few words on overthinking and mistakes

Sometimes I'm overthinking my abilities in certain areas of art. For one painting I'm really happy with my colors. For another - not really.

I decided to be more consistent with my skills and to accept the truth - the process of creation is rarely...

WIP - Huge Amber City, Cliff City and Shattered Planet!

Working on a few cities right now - first one is Amber City.

This one is really big (approximately similar in size to the Navuria map, but a bit tighter and with more classical medieval architecture). It has a few different districts, big port and a huge castle.

I tried a few different angles and color schemes for this one and here is a progress so far!

 The next upcoming city is an...

Zalfari City

Zalfari City - Versions [Master+ Tiers]

New city of purple crystals and colorful sunsents is ready!

This city has a few main features - highly fortified walls, main big castle-like structure and crystal mines. After a few tries with colors and design the map is finished and I really like the result, hope you will like it too!

2024-10-09 12:38:06 +0000 UTC View Post

Great Ruins and Flooded Lands

Be ready for the new environment pack full of ruins and dangers!

This pack was made through polls on my Instagram page, where my followers chose the theme by voting for the first and second part of the theme's name.

Great Ruins + Flooded Lands = romantic hourney through not so terrible post-apocalyptic world!

Reminds me of Zelda games.

Please enjoy!

Land of Giants and Little Villages

Are your players brave aenough to travel to those places?

This pack was made through polls on my Instagram page, where my followers chose the theme by voting for the first and second part of the theme's name.

Lands of Giants + little villages = really fun and challenging landscapes!

Cliff Settlements

What dangerous adventures may wait for you there? And why villagers build their houses so high? Is there a story behind it?

You've voted for this theme in this month Patreon Poll. It wasn't your first choice, but hey - a lot of people definitely wanted it!

And I really like the final result!

Taverns and Inns

New taverns and inns set for your adventurers to explore!

You've voted for this theme in this months Patreon Poll! I had a lot of fun drawing and painting it too.

Important Update on Billing system and Tiers of my Patreon!

Hi everyone!

Big news are here! I'm full of stress and excitement, so here we are!

Per Creation No More!

I wanted to let you know that my Patreon blog billing system will be updated from "per creation" model to "per month" model in about a 1.5 months (should be live on 1-st of November)

I decided to make this change right now because sooner or later it will be mandatory for anyone anyway! But the good news is - I've been thinkin...

Let's choose a theme for the next Environment Pack

Hiya!

Are you ready to choose the next pack of landscapes?

But before that, quick blog update: I'm making some updates and changes into my posting process. I want to be more open about my creative process and my journey, and you can already see it in my recent posts. I wanted to do it for a long time, so please expect more!

Also, soon there will be one more really excited change to my blog, I'll tell you more when it's ready!

And now, let's vote!

WIP - From 3D to full line for the Zalfari City

One more step towards finishing this beautiful city.

Last time it was like this:

 And now it's a bit detailed!

I tried to do a more focused and refined lines in the city itself, and more relaxed and curvy lines outside the city. It gives more readability so we could know where is the focus....

WIP - Zalfari City, locations and sketches

After 2 weeks of recovering from Covid I'm finally on my PC again!

Working on a new city painting. It's a commission piece, so there are important locations I should design and paint.

Usually I do a quick 3D blocking sketch in SketchUp. It helps with the lighting reference and perspective without damaging my creative process. I'm putting all the important things that should be visible and detailed at this stage too.

I like to draw a little sketches of the the most important ...

Castle in the Mountains - Quick Bonus Landscape + Little Ink Sketch!

Quick landscape I did few days ago while practicing my skills. Thought it looks cute and may be useful in some great heroic adventure!

I've been recovering from Covid for the past two weeks without any chance to sit on my PC and draw, so I grabbed my sketchbook and my ink pens for more traditional practice. And it's been great!

I started learning watercolors and gouache too and it's amazi...

Altars and Obelisks

New set of mystery places is ready for you to enjoy!

Wispurring Paws Village

Wispurring Paws - Versions [Master+ Tiers]

The map was commissioned by Kawna Minis, please check their awesome work!

Forest Valley Region

Forest Valley - Versions [Master+ Tiers]

The map was commissioned by Kawna Minis, please check their awesome work!

Forgotten Places of the Old Empire Environment Pack

One more pack for your collection!

Upcoming City WIP

All sorts of great things are coming very soon!

Glacier Bay - Drawing Process [Early Access]

New drawing video is here!

Watch full line drawing of Glacier Bay painting!

Forgotten Lands

Forgotten Lands - Versions [Master+ Tiers]

This map was commissioned by Alfonso M.

Baelfyre Port City

Baelfyre Port City - Versions [Master+ Tiers]

This map was commissioned by Alfonso M.

Sundred World

Sundred World - Versions [Master+ Tiers]

The map was commissioned by Jack L.

Destishire Town

Destishire Town - Versions [Master+ Tiers]

The map was commissioned by Anthony S.

WIP: Arena Village & World Map

Two upcoming paintings!

We spend a long time without new world map, so here it is!

May and June Updates!

Hello!

Just wanted to tell you about recent updates of my Patreon blog.

As you may know right now I'm concentrating on improving my art skills. Unfortunately that means less full detailed process videos for now. I'm not that confident still to share something that I'm not sure of. I'm planing to write a few Creative Posts on the topic of burning out and losing confidence and how to deal with it though!

And that's one of the reasons I do a lot of Environment Packs now. I'm re...

Creative Post - Misty Gardens Full Line Demo

Full 1+ hour real time demo of me drawing the full line for the Misty Gardens painting.

Glacier Bay (Updated)

Glacier Bay settlement painting plus a few extras!

Tried lots of new things on this city. Please enjoy!

(Archive includes no pins version)

The map was commissioned by Justin S.

Far Cities Environment Pack

Get ready to explore new lands and cities!

Sky Castles Environment Pack

New sky castles environment pack is ready. Please enjoy!

Desert Towns Environment Pack

Set of settlements in desert environment.