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Re: Stupendous! (Score: 1)
by eanondson on Tue, December 31, 2003
(User Info | Send a Message) | A How-To? Hmm, that would be a bit troublesome. I wouldn't know where to start, maybe though...
Well first, I can easily say this, I made judicious use of layers in Photoshop. One with the background, a second with forests/swamps above that, a third with coastlines/rivers above that, and the fourth for roads/cities/landmarks.
For the texture of the ground, I would use the Brush Tool set at a very large size, draw one level at a time, darker and darker as I wanted to give a sense of "elevation" or "ruggedness". As I drew darker and darker, I would shrink the brush size when I meant to give a sense of a ridge line.
With the open water, I would just select the open space from the Coasts layer, then switch to the Background layer. Gradually use the "Contract Selection", and then "Feather" the selection. "Fill" it with a slightly darker blue, and repeat. Wait until you see this effect with the Thillonrian Peninsula maps. Can you say "Underwater Topography?" :)
With the forests, I have two different shades of green for coniferous and deciduous forests. Started by Color selecting the particular green. I also have two different pattern which I "Filled" via an alternate mode (I honestly can't remember how) into the forest color so that only a faded aspect of the pattern would imprint into the green. Then I "Contracted" the selection, "Feathered" it, then used History Fill at 30% opacity, "Contract" again, "Feather" again, then History Fill at 100% opacity.
Hmm, oh, the topography in the forests. I just went to the background layer, used the "Magic Wand" to select the elevation colors, "Feathered" the selection. Switched to the Forest layer, and would alter the Contrast to lighten it. Switch back to Background layer and "Deselect" then "Feather" lighter and lighter elevation layers, each time furthering the Contrast more to give the appearance of topographic change that is there.
Adding the pattern and topography texture to the forests are highly tedious. But the most tedious is doing the Mountains. You'll see what I mean when the Thillonrian maps get up.
I hope this is even slightly helpful. What helps most though is expertise in advanced Photoshop... with a good academic foundation in Geography ;) (my major in college).
Eric Anondson |
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