Thread: Which do you prefer?

Originally Posted by Karro

Hey, I like the beveled effect on the rivers and water bodies, but I can't figure out how to do it myself. I've looked all through the Filters drop down, and the only reference to "bevel" that I can find is the "Add Bevel" under the Decor submenu, and that seems to produce a new image that may or may not have a bevel in it... How do you do it?

Thanks, the bevel is the one you mentioned. I think it goes way to deep, even with 1px, so will probably give Rob's suggestion a try. When you click on the bevel menu, in the popup window, there is a checkbox, turn OFF the "make a copy" or whatever it says, and turn ON the one for keep bumpmap. I find it easier to keep this extra bump map layer for making layer masks correctly later. Also, with a separate b/w, it's easier to play with "blotting" out bits of the rivers so you can get some to run UNDER parts of the forests and have them peek out every so often as they meander. This map does not have any examples of that, but I would probably use a black air brush approach with one of the galaxy brushes in white and it makes a perfect layer mask template. hmmmmm.. will have to play with this in a bit. At least thats my assumption at this point.

Originally Posted by Karro

I tried out DanChop's forest techniques, as you suggested. They turned out quite well.

Cool. And the work in progress is where? I really love the way Dan did his forests also.

Originally Posted by Karro

In all, I think your maps are looking great! There are a few things I would work on with the appearance of the cities (I don't like the yellow back-glow so much, I think I prefer the earth-tones back-glow that RobA's original tutorial used), but that's a fairly minor quibble.

Thank you very much. I spent MOST of my time on this map playing with custom gradients and blending and messing with different masks. Also, I wanted to spend some time learning how the text to path and the stoke path stuff worked. I started to do a few paths for trails, but got some messed up and in different styles, so I just deleted that layer and posted. None of these are really anything more than me playing with GIMP. The landmasses for all the examples are just randomly created and thus the lack of fractalization on the land->sea conversion. I just made up the names for what ever popped into my head at that moment. heh.. you don't like red on yellow?????


Joe

Originally Posted by RobA

Joe-

I really want to complement you. You have taken this technique and turned it way up! This is truly artistic - very painterly!

-Rob A>

Thank you Rob. Coming from the GIMP master, that means tons. Perhaps soon, I will actually start playing with a real map that actually means something...

Joe

Originally Posted by RobA

Back here I explained one way using a blurred copy of the river layer as a bump map. This gives much more control than the Decor submenu.

-Rob A>

Originally Posted by Karro

You are all over GIMP! I'll dig through the forums to see what great advice I can find! Thanks!

Someone SOOOO needs to gather up all of Rob's tips/links and consolidate them into an index! Perhaps the sticky topic could be "GIMP - RobA says how to do ...."

Joe

Originally Posted by jfrazierjr

Thanks, the bevel is the one you mentioned. I think it goes way to deep, even with 1px, so will probably give Rob's suggestion a try. When you click on the bevel menu, in the popup window, there is a checkbox, turn OFF the "make a copy" or whatever it says, and turn ON the one for keep bumpmap. I find it easier to keep this extra bump map layer for making layer masks correctly later. Also, with a separate b/w, it's easier to play with "blotting" out bits of the rivers so you can get some to run UNDER parts of the forests and have them peek out every so often as they meander. This map does not have any examples of that, but I would probably use a black air brush approach with one of the galaxy brushes in white and it makes a perfect layer mask template. hmmmmm.. will have to play with this in a bit. At least thats my assumption at this point.

I think I've almost got that part figured out, but i'll need to play a lot with the settings. I think I want it a little more subtle than what it appeared in my first attempt (haven't got an image of that yet).

I think, initially, I will try leaving the forest completely exposed, as I like to see it's path, but might try the partially-hidden effect you're going for, as well.

Originally Posted by jfrazierjr

Cool. And the work in progress is where? I really love the way Dan did his forests also.

My most current WIP is here.

Originally Posted by jfrazierjr

Thank you very much. I spent MOST of my time on this map playing with custom gradients and blending and messing with different masks. Also, I wanted to spend some time learning how the text to path and the stoke path stuff worked. I started to do a few paths for trails, but got some messed up and in different styles, so I just deleted that layer and posted. None of these are really anything more than me playing with GIMP. The landmasses for all the examples are just randomly created and thus the lack of fractalization on the land->sea conversion. I just made up the names for what ever popped into my head at that moment. heh.. you don't like red on yellow?????


Joe

Yeah, red-on-yellow isn't my favorite thing on this map, though I understand it. In my old maps, I've often done a red circle to mark towns and cities because it's bold-looking and clearly separate from the underlying geographic map.

What kinds of cutom gradients were you working with?

Originally Posted by Karro

What kinds of cutom gradients were you working with?

Well... if you look really closely, you will see some of the underlying grass color very lightly on the mountain sides. I think I got lucky with my greyscale since attempts to recreate with the same gradient or different modifications have of that gradient came out rather horrible. Basically, my idea was to have some tiny bit of green on the mountains (without doing it manually) and somehow I got that with this map. Wish I could figure out how to get this part to look right consistently.

Joe

Originally Posted by jfrazierjr

Well... if you look really closely, you will see some of the underlying grass color very lightly on the mountain sides. I think I got lucky with my greyscale since attempts to recreate with the same gradient or different modifications have of that gradient came out rather horrible. Basically, my idea was to have some tiny bit of green on the mountains (without doing it manually) and somehow I got that with this map. Wish I could figure out how to get this part to look right consistently.

Joe

Hopefully you can figure out how to reproduce it, then share the process with us all!