How do I paint/detail biomes on my world map, using photoshop?

[Foul]

Good afternoon folks,

I just hit a wall in my map making, I realized that I don't know how to paint biomes. I tried watching tutorials
on how to blend colors etc... but I just can't seem to get it. So my last hope is asking you guys, experts in map making.

I have 2 examples here from my actual map: http://imgur.com/a/4Dxdp

The first image has no blending and the second one looks too shiny, gradienty and awful, it looks terrible.
I want to find a way that makes it look organic, subtle when the terrain change biomes, but I have no idea on how to do that.

So if you guys know how to do that or know someone or a link to an amazing tutorial, please let me know!

I use Photoshop CS5 + wacom intuous.

[Freodin]

I would never claim to be an expert in map making, but I have considered this question before.

I haven't tried this out beyond some early tests, but what you might do is use dithering instead of gradients to blend two biomes. You could either use some kind of filter - I am sure something like this exists for Photoshop... I personally use GIMP with G'MIC - or build it up by hand, using some kind of spray tool.

This idea might need some - of even a lot - more detailing out, but I think it is worth a try.

[Azélor]

I would use colours that blend well together. Personally, I also have a hard time doing this but I think it's easier to do if the colors are similar. For example, similar luminosity and similar saturation.
Also, in my opinion, very saturated colors seems harder to harmonize with one another (and may of them are also impossible to print if that is a concern).

The other thing might be to use a semi-transparent bush and make lateral strokes by increasing the opacity (or simply having multiple strokes over the others is going to increase the opacity since they skack) to serve as a transition.

[johnvanvliet]

for the cartoon look the top one looks the best

if there is no real variation in colors and you are using just 5 basic colors , there is no need

if you are using many colors
( like this part of a test , that is not working out well but the colors look good )
then blending just works out


the rivers are NOT working in this example

but the coloring is

add more colors then just 5 , unless you ARE going for the comic book look