Map of the Free Sea, campaign map for my future D&D game [WIP]

[Telenor]

OK, so, after failed try to find some one who will do it for me I've tried to do it by myself. With basic help of eViLe_aAgLe(THANKS!) I've managed to start. Here what I got now.
The map of Free sea.jpg
It is my first handmade map and I'm totally not an artist, so it's not so good as it could be, but still. It took a hell of a time for me to get to this point and now I'm filling the islands one by one, but I already have few problems:
my main limitation is my skill to draw, so lots of world components are created during map drawing("Oh! cool, I can draw blah-blah here! OK, I'll explain it this way...") and some times I just do not know what to draw on the free space (of just can not draw what I want), second problem is I'm still in search of cool border for my map, so if anyone have something that would fit - please show me))

SO! any suggestion, notices, anything?

[dasneviano]

It looks pretty good so far.
I'd definitely lower the opacity of the hexagons to the point where you can see them if you want, but they're not the first thing you see.
Maybe do the same with the waves. I suppose they'd look better fainter and without that drop shadow.
Everything else looks pretty well done. I'd worry about a border after you finished the other islands.

[Acidrain]

Not bad at all, i see those hexagons it reminds me of the old days of an older gaming title but it makes sense in using grids even today which lacks in many games in relationship to territory and defining that.

[eViLe_eAgLe]

A nifty little trick, is the clone too. Alt click on like the trees and re-paint them into a different area. Saves alot of time, and same with mountains too!

[Telenor]

yeah, about hexes... actually map will be without them, and I will print only hexes on transparent paper to make different layers of information for players(it will be a great mini-game for all overland exploration. I'm trying too build campaign around it.)
so here is the map without hexes.
The map of Free sea.jpg

about clone tools - I've tried, but it happened, that it is easier for me to draw a whole new mountains than to adjust clones to look good on new place and do not be obvious clones.

I was thinking about some interesting land features like cracks in the ears or similar, but first I can not draw them and second - cracks do not actually fit into idea of small island with subtropical climate.
If anyone know some cool technique - please, post some links or sample)

Also I know that even water around unpainted island is unfinished, I'm just focusing on them one by one.

[Telenor]

May be some of you know a good way to add some crops to ma central island(into big free space on the east part)?