This year I'm participating in Inktober for the first time, and that means I have to do a drawing in ink every day this month! Today my mind went to map-making and I wanted to see if I could make something like Tolkien's maps of Middle Earth.

Not feeling like drawing a generic stretch of land, I gave myself the extra challenge of the map having to resemble a face. I had to make some compromises to make it work, of course, and while all the rivers flow downhill the general shape and layout of the island is a little awkward - let's say it was created by a vain sorceress?

After I had finished the map on plain paper I also made an enhanced digital version.

I'd love to get some feedback on both versions! I've added a detailed view of the parchment creases because I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. If there's interest I can write down how to do that in a little tutorial, but I wouldn't be surprised if such a thing exists already