[Award Winner] Antique-style maps in Photoshop

[Ascension]

1. This is my first attempt at the antique style so it may grow and change in time. This is in Photoshop so I’m not sure if the details of the techniques translate to other programs but it should be fairly easy to make whatever changes as these techniques and tools are pretty standard.

2. First off, let’s set up the document: 2000 X 2000 at 300 ppi, rgb mode, 8 bit. Set colors to black and white. Filter > Render > Clouds ((pic antique 1)). Copy this layer. Create a new blank layer. Edit > Fill = 50% gray. On the layers palette, set the mode to Hard Mix, this gives us a black and white interpretation of the underlying clouds without the grays ((pic antique 2)). Rename this layer to “land” – to do this, on the layers palette, double-click on the layer name itself. Click on the “background copy” layer. Grab a big airbrush, set the flow to 10%, and use black to fill in the ocean and white for the land. Our landmasses should be white and the ocean should be black ((pic antique 3)). When happy, link with the “land” layer, click on the “land” layer, merge down (ctrl-e). Make sure that black is the foreground color then Select > Color Range > use black with a fuzziness of anything. Hit the Delete key then deselect (ctrl-d). Click on the “Background” layer and create a new layer, rename it to “ocean” and then Edit > Fill = 50% gray. Click back on the “land” layer. Add a layer style of Stroke…set the size at 2, color is black, and position is inside. We now have our landmass done, pretty easy too ((pic antique 4)). One thing to keep in mind is that when doing this style of map it is important to have a good deal of empty space in one or two corners. This will allow us to have some space to put in the title graphics, compass, scale, clipart, etc.