First post

[Jkaen]

I am not familiar with PS but can you not use masks to protect against the filter for the coast / river?

[torstan]

Sorry NK

I'm also not a PS person. However if you walk through the steps for using the filter, we may well be able to help. My guess is that you are applying the watercolour filter to a layer with the land or the water on it. If so, you should be able to duplicate the water layer to make the rivers more prominent.

[Ascension]

Just copy the water and put it on top before applying the filter to the land, that should hide the odd stroking...but personally, I like it so I wouldn't change it either (I like the more artsy look anyways). Nice job.