First (serious) attempt at map-making (PS CS6)

[Dörne]

For my first post, I decided to share with you my attempt at making a continental map.

For it I used the Saderan tutorial, made by Tear, my map-making idol:
http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=8086

1 - I started by making a land mass using a collage of various countries from Google Maps. After filling in the holes I coloured in the Ocean and put a Stroke on the white mask:




2 - After that I made an elevation layer using a duplicate colour layer with a Bevel&Emboss effect. Using a Hide All layer mask and a Cloud filter on the layer mask, It generated a wonderful effect! After a bit of altering using a soft low opacity brush to make more significant mountain ranges, I came up with something I liked.




Will reply to this with further updates.
Any criticism is appreciated!

[Dörne]

Cont.

3 - Made mountains using a slightly different method. I filled a 0% Fill layer and applied a Pattern Overlay with a rocky texture. Then I placed a B&E effect (similar to the Elevation one used earlier) and a Hide All Layer Mask. Using a small soft brush I drew in the mountains.




4 - Made a very, very slight change to a pattern below the mountains layer, to make it blend more seamlessly into the surrounding colours. Also made the oceans using the exact same method used in the Elevation layer. Then I shaded it using a soft low opacity brush painting black on a new layer. Made it have several layers, the shelf, the regular depth and the abyssal plains.




All I have for now...

[Azélor]

It's looking good.

[arsheesh]

Nice land-forms. The mountains look good as well, and I really like the highlands in the south. Off to a great start.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[Dörne]

Thanks for the feedback guys, It's greatly appreciated

5 - Added in grass/greenery. Using a fully green layer, I then applied a very subtle pattern overlay to it to give it some depth. Next I added a Hide All Layer mask and painted in the greenery using Soft Low Opacity brushes. After I had my basic shapes I used the Spatter Filter to give it some randomness and make it less artificial.




6 - Thought about adding an image wide Pattern Overlay with Blending Mode set to Difference to give the colour some more depth. I used a small scale pattern so as to not interfere with the detail of the map.

[Diamond]

Good call on that overlay - it really helps bring out the color. Really nice work on this so far.

[arsheesh]

Agreed. This is coming along nicely.

[Dörne]

Nice to see my work getting good reviews Thanks again for the support!

7 - I decided to try and experiment a bit with dynamic brushes to try and pull off some forests. Added a Green Layer (slightly darker than the grass) and put in a Patter Overlay of a sandy-ish texture to try and give it some depth. I pulled off a nice looking result once I set the Layer's mode to Multiply, helping it blend into the surrounding colours. Then I made up my own brush using a bunch of random dots i drew up. Using Shape Dynamics and Spacing settings, I came up with a decent enough look that I rolled with. (Perhaps in the end of this map I'l write tutorials on every method I've used so far)

[Domino44]

Really nice work so far! I like the look of this a lot.

[Dörne]

@Domino44 Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it

8 - Taking a break from the actual terrain/greens/etc. I used the Pen Tool, made the Fill a transparent colour and the stroke a dotted line. Then I just drew away. Dots were made using a low opacity hard pencil tool with the colour black.



9 - Now I made a few of the areas (in case you are wondering what this is, I'm currently adapting this map to my fantasy roleplaying adventure, thus the need for several areas) I took in consideration the town locations and the overall geography. Made a layer on top, clipping mask on the Land Mask, and I brushed in a primitive sketch of it. Then I just added some detail on the crude lines and it came out nicely (This layer is meant to be hidden, that's basically why it's got such a weird colour).