Draw a Map of the World

Step 1: Trace the map of the world

Your map of the world does not have to match reality exactly. The outlines that you can download here provide you with a good starting point. Use a pencil to trace them without applying a lot of pressure on the paper. A light pad works really well for this, but you can also use a window or place a bright lamp under a glass table.

Step 2: Colored border

Choose the darker pencil from your pair of colors and color the inner edge of the continents with small, circular movements. Try to stay in the lines. Change your color from continent to continent.

Step 3: Gentle color gradient

Now choose the suitable lighter color for the respective color of each continent and color another broad stroke lighter in color toward the center. Slightly color over part of the area that has already been colored in order to create a gentle color gradient. You can leave the middle of each continent white or color it in however you like.

Tip: For colors that deviate a little more from each other, it is worth using a little trick in order to get an even smoother color gradient. For this, simply press the tip of the lighter marker into the tip of the darker marker in order to absorb some of its color. Then color in the transition between the light and dark color using this mixture.

Don’t worry: This won’t harm your markers and the darker color will come right off the tips once you start coloring with it.

The colorless blending pen will make the transition to white paper even smoother. Use it to color over the edge in gentle circular movements to thin out the color. 

When you are finished coloring in all the continents, your picture should look something like this:

Step 4: Sea

Now color the outer edge of all continents with the flexible brush tip of the water-based Tombow ABT Brush Pen. Leave a small gap between the water and the colorful continents and color only about a half centimeter toward the middle of the sea with small, circular movements.

Now take your water brush or a simple damp brush. Color the blue stripe toward the middle of the sea such that you get a soft color gradient. 

Step 5 (optional): Letter the continent names

If you would like, you can now label the continents. Here, I used the matching Tombow Fudenosuke colors to label the continents with fine brush lettering. Alternatively, you can write the names with a black brush pen or with fineliners.