[Award Winner] Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional RPG Map

[Thanin]

Thanks jfrazierjr! I agree that, once I looked at the map in the jpg format, the spread filter was way too high, so I went back and readjusted all the masks to a lower setting. I also experimented with your mountain suggestion. I think Id like it for some mountains, but this specific map isn’t built for that look, unfortunately. Although I took your advice on the tundra and I think youre right, it integrates much better. Though I’ll probably go back and keep the snow/tundra part less blurry.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[jfrazierjr]

I have to say I really like how my suggestion turned out, even if you did not. Looking below the town of Pashvie, the blur created a nice "pass" type effect in the new copy while that area looked kind of odd in the original technique.

Also, I LOVE the mountain lake idea (and am trying to do something like that on my current map) but I can see how using my blur messed that up a bit. I am sure there is a way to fix that area a bit while keeping the rest of the blur area intact. I have been playing (though not perfected) creating multiple channels from the same selection and making each selection a bit different in size by changing the threshold and using a bit different blur for each. I am far from being artistically inclined, but I am just playing around with some ideas and trying to learn how GIMP works. The only problem with the approach of having multple maskes is that ones you merge mask and go past your undo buffer size, you can't get rid of it, so I have been playing with saving the file under multiple names to allow me to go back if needed.

Oh, and if you feel like playing with it, you could also try doing the same bluring thing on the dirt layer to make the dirt->grass transision a bit more naturual looking. Again, not sure how it would work (I have not gotten my latest map to have the dirt layer look good yet so skipped ahead) but give it a try if you like.

Over all, very nice map. The rivers look a bit blocky, but that might just be an artifact of saving to this format or the original map may not have been big enough. My only real complaint is that the city icons don't really match the map style. They are very pretty, but I would probably use overhead type views of the towns in some way as you have for the rest of the map. Not a big deal, just something to think about.

[Thanin]

Man I think youve convinced me; the super blur on the mountains just might be the way to go. And I think I can save the mountain lake. As for the towns, theyre really just straight copies from CC3, so they arent that important... but Ill probably end up keeping them cause I spent so much freaking time putting a blur and bump map behind each one.

[jfrazierjr]

The less blur you have on the mountains (perhaps 35-50 px or so) the more the details are going to stay somewhat sharp. Again, the amount of blur you use on the layer mask will go down the smaller you original map resolution is to make the same effect.


Personally (I keep finding more things that I like about it), the moutains above Mirkarna that got blured down into some nice hill things looks really cool. The blur actually made them "pop" a bit more as their own features instead of fading into the brown background as in the original.

Another thing I found was the river "peeking" through bits of Farileaf Forest. That's really a nice touch.

Joe

[jfrazierjr]

Also, check out Rob's quick tutorial about how to create variable blurs in GIMP here: http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=2016

I have not played with it, but I can see how this might be a way to make for some fairly precisely controled blurs for creating layer masks and blending two layers into each other.

[Thanin]

Ahh another great tutorial by RobA on exactly what I was needing. Thanks for the heads up

[su_liam]

Heheh... I thought the towns were made of love.

[RobA]

Re: blur vs. spread...

I tried a lot of things, but found that blurring the mask often left the mountain edges too soft for my liking, hence the spread technique...but as said it really depends on the map. The last I made with this technique I kept blurring then spreading, then applying a mosaic filter then blurring some more...

I guess this is a bit more art then science

Glad you all liked the tutorial, and it is really nice to see people's efforts posted here!

-Rob A>

[jfrazierjr]

I tried a lot of things, but found that blurring the mask often left the mountain edges too soft for my liking, hence the spread technique...but as said it really depends on the map. The last I made with this technique I kept blurring then spreading, then applying a mosaic filter then blurring some more...

Perhaps when you have a few minutes, you can post up few screenshots to show this technique.

Glad you all liked the tutorial, and it is really nice to see people's efforts posted here!

Your welcome. I even repped you for the tut. I am not very artistic, but I have learned quite a bit about GIMP from your tut's and playing around.

Joe

[Lucjan]

My God, this is exactly the style of map I've been wanting to do, and the tutorial is amazing!

Much thanks to the fellow who spent so much time developing and writing this.