Since I use Photoshop I use many layers and then group the layers with those lil folders in the layer menu...one labelled topography, one for cities and towns, one for trade routes, etc. so that I can hide or show whatever I want, when I want. Granted this makes the file size much larger but once the geology is done I flatten the image (except for one land layer) and then the size goes back to being manageable.
As for a tutorial, I'm currently in the process of my 5th rewrite (making this new version tutorial #6). This map is based on about 4 or 5 major new tweakings and then I changed my monitor settings and color settings so I have to edit all the colors. I have the last tutorial (#5) as a 600kb pdf with pics, 70kb doc without pics and a 15mb doc with pics. Tutorial #5 WILL make your map dark and brown (because I was using a bad color setting before) so I don't really recommend it, but it's there if folks want me to post it.
The techniques I use may look similar to other techniques but I just found this site about a week ago so my methods may not be the fastest or easiest or most efficeint (I am a novice after all)...they're just what I have picked up on my own over the past 3 years. The tutorial I'm thinking about doing is one sort of like the ones here on this site rather than as a file or video. This is because I don't have any way of making pdf files anymore 'cuz I used up all of my free online ones (via the Adobe free converter where you get 5 free conversions). I could probably find someplace to host the new document but I like the idea of trying something new so I'm leaning towards the ones like here. No idea where to start there so maybe I'll just pick that up as I go along...but at any rate I am attaching tutorial #5 to give you some idea of how my previous maps (the last 6 months) have been done. Remember my caveat...your map will turn out dark and brown so change the colors to suit yourself.
Anyways, time to make the donuts.
my quick edit is this...i forgot this map has the rivers on it so the actual time for what is shown is closer to 3 hours (stupid rivers, I hate 'em, they take forever) but the rest of the map took about an hour, the time consuming part comes early on where I edit out small lakes and such.
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