Aug/Sept 2014 Lite Challenge: The Caverns of Chaos - Home of the Blob

[Bogie]

I had a couple of appointments no-show on me this morning so I started playing with "the blob".
I found a couple rock pics on cgtextures that I am going to use to make caves.
Here is what I am starting with:



I applied the blob as a mask and then did a little photo editing ( bevels and shadows ) and I end up with this:




Next I'll layer it over the floor and then add effects.

[Bogie]

Mostly finished, may add a few touch-ups later.

### Latest WIP ###

[lostatsea]

Looking nice Bogie. I assume you put a outer glow around your "Wall " Layer. Instead of black Which seems to me to separate the walls from the floor . How about trying a color between the light floor and darker walls to see if that will "ground" them together.

[Bogie]

Thanks. Yes I did use a black outer glow to highlight the walls.
Do you mean I should use a colored outer glow ( brown instead of Black ) like this:


Or that I should not use Outer Glow at all, and should add a colored highlight that is painted on and goes over both the floor and wall so they are not "separated".
Like this:

[lostatsea]

I meant the first but the second softens the sharp edge of the wall much better. I would make the overlap on the floor smaller or just soften the transition between the two. Lower the opacity a bit perhaps .

[Bogie]

I like the effect on the upper half where the beveled wall is dark, I don't like it as much on the lower half where the bevel is bright. Is there a way to get the bevel to be dark all the way around?

[lostatsea]

Sure you can set the highlight to a darker color and the blend mode from screen to multiply ! That ;with some tweaking should give you the effect you want !

[Francissimo]

Ii love how each cartographer of the contest develop really different approach from an abstract form and your idea of a cavern is really cool!

[Bogie]

@ Lostatsea: Thanks, I tried it and it works well.
@ Francissimo: Glad you like it. I've done a couple regional maps, but encounter maps is more my style.

[Chick]

Just out of curiosity, what are the buckyball thingys in the basket?