Tear's Saderan Tutorial using a sketch

[Vellum]

OK help me out here, using CS3 to do tear’s tutorial for the Saderan map (http://www.cartographersguild.com/tu...-tutorial.html). I want to be able to use a map outline I’ve created, not the filter/renders/clouds method as the first step in Tear’s tutorial. My steps.
1. Open my sketch in PS, this becomes my background layer
2. Create new layer(called base), use brush tool to draw over my land / water separation line.
3. Use paint bucket tool to fill water area black / use paint bucket tool to fill land area white. Both brush tool and layer are 100% opacity at this point ( I lose the view of background sketch).
4. Create the paint layer / layer adjustment / threshold sequence.
5. Paint water black / land mass white, I have to turn off the “base layer” to see my background sketch.
This doesn’t seem like I’m doing this right, as I lose where I've painted white at this point. How do you PS experts set something like this up?

[Korash]

I don't use PS (more of a gimper), but it sounds right to me. You should have a black and white image of the land mass (full white land and all the rest black). Unless you have other info on your base map, that should be about all you need it for. If there are other things on the sketch, just bring the background layer up above the landmass one and carry on... I would suggest lowering the opacity of the background layer and locking it. This way you will still be able to see what is underneath, and have no fear of accidentally adding to or removing from it.

I hope that helps...or is at least not sending you on a wild goose chase....

[aquarits]

I have the same problem, i use to low the opacity of base layer just to can see where to paint. But after this point i cant keep going. Cant see the effects in the threshold layer.

[amberroberts09]

I have also same problem can't see base layer.