It all depends on what you are after. At the moment, the map has an illustrative feel to it - the smooth edged mountain and forest areas reflect the smooth coastlines, so it's internally consistent that way.
So I guess the question is, what are you after?
A 'pretty' map basically.
I am hoping to be able to use the same style and technique when I scale down to areas or even towns.
I don't want the 'real' map look, and want it to stay artistic, but I am certianly not happy at the moment with the harsh transitions between the various features, and agree the coast would look better being a bit mroe rugged. If I had to pick a style I have seen here its RobA's style of map I am aiming for rather than (say) HandsomeRobs.
Have you got access to a scanner? One way to get pretty coastlines if you don't find that Rob's tutorial works for you and if you don't have a tablet is to draw it with black pen and then scan it. This method probably gives you more control than any other.
As far as the features go, you should take a look at Butch Curry's photoshop video tutorials on Zombie Nirvana - he has a great way of doing Tolkien style trees by using a pattern fill and masking. Happimess has also posted a great tutorial on drawing Tolkien style mountains, which you can again do in pen and scan it for touching up.
Last edited by ravells; 04-28-2008 at 10:34 AM.
Gust to clarify, in GIMP you can stroke a selection or stroke a path. (and convert paths to selections and back again, and so on).
-Rob A>
My tutorials: Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional Map ~ All My Tutorials
My GIMP Scripts: Rotating Brush ~ Gradient from Image ~ Mosaic Tile Helper ~ Random Density Map ~ Subterranean Map Prettier ~ Tapered Stroke Path ~ Random Rotate Floating Layer ~ Batch Image to Pattern ~ Better Seamless Tiles ~ Tile Shuffle ~ Scale Pattern ~ Grid of Guides ~ Fractalize path ~ Label Points
My Maps: Finished Maps ~ Challenge Entries ~ My Portfolio: www.cartocopia.com
Ahh, ok thanks I will have to learn how to stroke stuff I guess (that just sounds odd to me!)
Well, I am working towards an accepted map by the DM, I have solved the sudden forest border problem by bluring my masks rather than the images, and I am much happier with these forests (still need to do it for the mountains). Now I just need to add a couple more small mountains he wants in and add more names to update the main part of it.
However he also wants the political borders of each country shown, and I am not quite sure how to do that as my original thought was to do a geograpical map then a seperate politcal one. Anybody have any suggestions on how best to combine these into 1?
You could use the path tool to create the borders then stroke them with a dashed line.
You could select areas and create separate channels then do an "inner glow" effect with a different colour in each area.
-Rob A>
My GIMP Scripts: Rotating Brush ~ Gradient from Image ~ Mosaic Tile Helper ~ Random Density Map ~ Subterranean Map Prettier ~ Tapered Stroke Path ~ Random Rotate Floating Layer ~ Batch Image to Pattern ~ Better Seamless Tiles ~ Tile Shuffle ~ Scale Pattern ~ Grid of Guides ~ Fractalize path ~ Label Points
My Maps: Finished Maps ~ Challenge Entries ~ My Portfolio: www.cartocopia.com
Just thought I would come back with the latest version of the map.
Its my understanding that the DM is finally happy with this version. Been a good learning experience, although I have ended up with a crazy amount of layers as a result of all the revisions.
You can never have "to many" layers(and you can always flatten and/or group them).
I like the look overall, resembles some of my earlier attempts. I'm not a big fan of the really smooth coasts, but that's just me. If you're happy with it and your GM is happy that's all that matters.
My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...
Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
I thought about roughening them up, but given its quite zoomed out I didn't think it would look right. However just looking at a map of europe I see I am wrong and it should be rougher, will do that next time though
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
