Midsummer Archipelago

[Funso]

I am a mapping newbie, I am afraid, so this is bound to be lacking in so many ways.

I am wondering if this is not an archigelago at all. Aren't they strings of islands
rather than bunched up islands in a sea? Anyway, i like the word, so I am using it for now.

I am trying to recreate the look S. John Ross uses as closely as possible with this map. I tried ZombieNirvana's water lines technique, and messed around with it a bit, and think it looks ok. I also think the paper looks more like a rough wall than paper, but the paper took so long to make that I eventually stopped trying to make it prettier. I'd love to get that pebbled look that some paper textures have, but couldn't capture it as I wanted.

I'm really struggling making a border for this. Ross's look very authentic, and would love to come up with something as great. Are there any tutorials around that cover that sort of thing? I've not found anything yet.