Two Gimp Maps: Both Learning Projects

[Ascension]

Personally, I'd stick with the first one and maybe adapt a few things into it...like softer or muted colors and slight textures (just to put some bumps on it and break up the aces of flat color). I like the general direction of the mountains in the first as well and would change the whole thing to a hand-drawn style. Sure the second one has more flash but sometimes you want the steak and not the sizzle.

[Wilduck]

Personally, I'd stick with the first one and maybe adapt a few things into it...like softer or muted colors and slight textures (just to put some bumps on it and break up the aces of flat color). I like the general direction of the mountains in the first as well and would change the whole thing to a hand-drawn style. Sure the second one has more flash but sometimes you want the steak and not the sizzle.

I'm looking to do that pretty much exactly as you stated it. I'm not sure how to go about it though. The mountains in that map are borrowed from another map, and so I don't really know how to work in that style. I'm planning on looking around at the tutorials for a while, maybe pick up something that can do vector graphics (inkscape?) and go from there. If, however, anyone has suggestions for where I could go specifically, I'd much appreciate it.