Mountains

Chains 

Mountains occurr in chains more often than not: long, thin chains spanning many leagues. These chains are not straight in the least: they curve and wind about the map. They are shaded and are tall upon the map, filling in much needed balance and dead space. Mountain chains provide a contrast to plains and forests, so use them wisely and with great care. 

How to draw them 

I tend to draw mountains from the top down. In this way I get an overlapping effect that details the shading technique. They can be drawn from the bottom up, and sometimes this is necessary, but for the most part I would stick to overlapping. Mountains can be quite large or quite small: some mountains on one of my best maps are smaller than the surrounding hills. This technique provides for an interesting layout, without predictable, monotonous placing. Let the mountain chains compliment each other. Let them flow with the land and cut through the flat, open areas like black knives. 

Why use them? 

Mountains provide depth and elevation within a map. Without them, your land would be a plain interrupted by forests and the occasional river or swamp. If you look at a map closely, the land appears 'higher' between two closely spaced mountain chains than it does between two widely spaced ranges. You can use this illusion to generate the effect of highlands in your map, a feature that should not be overlooked. 

Practicing a few