Noobie need help

[betomuraro]

I think that you might want to learn about layers in GIMP (or any other graphic software, it's the basic for operating), For what I understand you want to geet a grass texture among others and blend it with the plant map in black and white, if it is true, you have to add the texture layer before you place the plant, and paste the plant on the top layer, I dont know if GIMP has any blending mod for the layers, on Photoshop you just have to place the layer above the texture layer and set the blending mode to one that satisfy your style.

In other way, I dont recomend you to use those map making software, at least for me they're no good because you have limited resources in eiditing your map even if they have'nt a steep learning curve, probably it wil get the same time for you to learn to do the same thing (if not better things) on a real graphic software.

for maps this style I use some resources I found in another forum dedicated to make some online tabletop RPG maps, they have a lot of overtop objects, all you have to do is to clip it from the file and copy over your map, real simple.

Edit: You might as well learn about pattern stamp tool they will help you with the roads, lakes and anything you might want to draw that is not grass.