Lagorma: A Novice's First World

[RedStache]

EDIT: WIP 2 added!

This is a world I've had kicking around in my head for years, and I've gone just about as far as I can without having an actual map down. As such, I've been snooping around the tutorials and using those that have caught my eye, and I am now in the process of actually building Lagorma. The primary tutorial I'll be using is Ascension's atlas style tutorial, because in my experiments with following it, it's easy to follow and produces very nice results.

Anyway, here's what I've got so far for landmasses. There's still going to be some refinement involved here (particularly where lakes are concerned), but I figure getting some comments and criticism at this stage before going any further would be a good idea.

Lagorma_WIP1.jpg

Lagorma_WIP2.jpg

I now yield the floor to those who might wish to give some feedback!

[Ascension]

My main thought is that the coastlines are fairly "drawn-looking". I see that you roughed them up a bit but, I think, you need more. When you're doing the pixellate-crsytalize steps start with a bigger number and work down. I think in the tut it starts at like 9 or so...up that to 25 then 18, then 12, 9, etc. This will really rough up your coastlines but the smaller numbers will refine it.

[RedStache]

Thanks much for the feedback! I had actually been using a different method I found on the site for roughing up the coastlines, but repeated use of the Crystallize filter has produced wonderful results. After a little policing to make sure certain features remained intact, I'm left with some delightfully rough coastlines as well as a wealth of small islands just off said coasts. I'm glad I keep copies of layers before applying filters to them.

I have to say, it was quite the welcome surprise to see the creator of the tutorial I'm following be the first to reply.

Now to delve deeper into the tutorial and bring in some color and terrain!

[Diamond]

Yep, Ascension's stuff is some of the best out there, on this site or any other for that matter. You can't go wrong using him as a model.

[RedStache]

Added a new version, now with color and geographical features! Still missing rivers, but any input on what I've got so far is welcome.

[Ascension]

Right now, looking at the color version, I'd erase about half of the mountains...looks kinda busy. What I usually do is: instead of erasing mtns I use the Lasso tool (with a feather of 50) and circle a chunk then drag it over by some other chunk thus creating mtn chains instead of mtn clusters. And thanks for the kind words D.