Create interesting roads (GIMP)

[holyhalo]

Kal Big MK II.jpg
This is the current world of Kalyssia, after many re-imaginations, and it is finally populated in the general areas. Some places still need development however so there will be more populated islands as well. The problem I have now is that I can't seem to find a good way of depicting the roads. I'm not a fan of the white and black stripes some people use and I was hoping for something that seemed realistic. How would I go about it and is there a good or interesting way of creating roads? I've gone through most of the tutorials in GIMP but none of them feel right for this map. while the bossman is happy with the map as it is I feel as though the roads are too... Paint-y, no offense. They lack the air of professionalism I'm trying to keep.

[Jalyha]

hmmm... well...

They look too *thick* and that's going to add to that "paint-y" feel. All the different colors adds to that. I've never seen orange yellow or maroon roads.

I would create a path along your roads. Then either "stroke path" (keep it at a 1px width... your roads shouldn't be wider than your towns) with a dark, rich brown, OR you could go "path to selection" and fill the selection with a texture. I don't have any textures but the one that came with GIMP, so the one that *I* would use is going to be a limited selection.

Crinkled paper, pink marble, walnut, cork board, cobblestones... anything brown/beige/pinkish might work. OR if your nation is a modern one, you could do black, like a regular street, or white like you might find on google maps.

Either way, you'll do better stroking or filling the path than using whatever tool that is. It doesn't look like paint, so much as marker :s


Keep in mind I'm a total mapping-newbie, so there's probably a better way than mine, and I'm sure someone will post it.

In the meantime, I'd make a copy of your whole map and experiment and see what feels right to you