Random Fantasy Map Tutorial, GIMP 2.8

[Kazou]

Just some random fantasy map tutorial done in GIMP 2.8, it's a technique that I discovered by messing around in gimp in one morning. Also would anyone tell me how to attach pdf files? It has 33 steps as seen below. You guys can experiment making some type of forest and rivers in this style, I'm too fricking lazy to do that... >.<

1. Open up a new file, select fill with - foreground color, anything goes for the size in this tutorial.
2. Start by clicking the Free Select Tool, then select some vague shapes that you want your
landmasses to look like, nothing precise should be decided yet, then fill with White. Then Select >
None.
3. Create new transparent layer. Move it under the black & white layer.
4. Use Filters > Render > Clouds > Solid Noise in this layer. Don't use turbulent. Detail 15, Size X
16, Size Y 16, click OK.
5. Go back to the balck & white/landmass layer, use Gaussian Blur 100px radius.
6. Select Mode: Multiply on the layer.
7. Now Merge Down to the solid noise layer.
8. Then go to Colors > Threshold, play with the black triangle, choose what you think looks good.
9. Then use Fuzzy Select Tool, click on the black area outside the white areas. Select > Invert or ctrl
+ i.
10. Now use the Bucket Fill Tool and fill the selected areas white by pressing shift + Left Click.
11. Now use Select > Invert (Ctrl + i) again and then Edit > Cut (Ctrl + x), Select > None.
12. Then Create a New Layer, transparent.
13. Select a new color 'b5975e' and fill the layer in that color.
14. Now duplicate the layer with white landmasses.
15. Go to the new layer and use Select By Color tool and click on white.
16. Now select new color 'e6c077'. Then fill in the selection with that color.
17. Now that you have your basic colors and shapes, keep the selection and go to Pencil tool, then
make it 2 pixels large and use circle brush.
18. Then create a new transparent layer select it and then go to Edit > Stroke Selection, choose
Stroke With Paint Tool and select Pencil, click Stroke.
19. Now create a new layer and click on it.
20. Then make the radius of the brush 10px.
21. Repeat the Edit > Stroke Selection like in Step 18 then Select > None.
22. Go to Filters > Gaussian Blur and make it 40px click ok.
23. Now select the landmass from either the duplicate layer with color or the one with white with
Select By Color Tool.
24. Go to the layer in which you just blurred the 10px line.
25. Use Select > Invert or Ctrl + i, then use Edit > Cut or Ctrl + x.
26. Now Invert the selection again, then create a new layer move it under the two landmass layers.
27. Grow selection by 40px. Select new color '799cac'. Then fill selection.
28. Now Select > Invert or Ctrl + i. Select a new color '688694' and fill the rest of the layer. Then blur the layer with 60px radius Set the
layer Opacity to 70. Select > None.
29. Create a new layer above other layers. On that layer use Render > Clouds > Plasma, set it to be
3,5 large and click the randomize then OK.
30. Now go to Colors > Desaturate and select Lightness and click OK.
31. Now on the same layer use Mode: Grain Extract and set the Opacity to 20.
32. Name the places in any font and size you want.
33. Now click save and name it, then Export, now you have a map done.

At the end (without labels) it should look something like this.