How do I Improve This?

[KristopherGrows]

I am converting a hexmap into something pretty. Here is what I've managed so far playing with filters and the airbrush in GIMP (before and after). Any suggestions on how a novice should proceed?

World Map.jpg
World Map2.jpg
World Map3.jpg

[Korash]

It looks like you are at least heading in the right direction. Are you using masks at all. because it kinda looks that way. The edges of the various textures and colors are way too sharp. Try using some blur on the mask itself. That will allow the texture to fade in as opposed to the sharp edge. To do that, click the mask to make it active, then use the blur filter on it. You can also use a low opacity brush on the edge of the mask to do the same thing with a finer touch...Continue experimenting because I think you might be onto something good here

One suggestion to add to your work flow...while experimenting, use the Save As often to save the various tests so that you can come back to something later and continue a train of thought.

[johnvanvliet]

Gimp has some good plugins
i use Linux OS's ( dropped Microsoft 10 years back )
you will need to build them from source
but one dose have a MS windows build you can use ( gmic)
current gmic gimp plugin ( for windows )
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gmic/files/windows/



the other is called "resynthesizer"
http://www.logarithmic.net/pfh/resynthesizer
-- a VERY!! OLD windows version ( win xp 32 bit Gimp 2.4 might run on 2.6 )
http://www.logarithmic.net/pfh-files...dows-0.13b.zip

the current on git
https://github.com/bootchk/resynthesizer


i would start by using resynthesizer to inpaint the text and remove the names and some of the black lines

--- more to come with example ( procrastinating doing other things so .... )

[KristopherGrows]

thanks. The edge blur is already helping smooth my mask edges on newer versions.

[KristopherGrows]

Gmic I have, though it requires much more trial and error to learn. The masks were largely made with its hard mix blend mode.

[johnvanvliet]

Gmic dose take some time , but so would ImageMagick
however i have been using it since BEFORE it was Gmic it was just an example in the CImg.h graphics library
for doing PDE ( partial differential equations )

most of this example image was done using "resynthesizer"

inpainted the names and lines using masks with "resynthesizer"

then denoised with gmic ( --remove_hotpixels 20,3 )
reduces the size of the image 50%
then ran 5 iterations of "resynthesizer" to enlarge it

-- not near perfect but not to bad for one evening

[KristopherGrows]

World Map7.jpg

Thanks all. The project is already improving markedly. One trick I found useful for the mountains was to fill higher elevation masks with decreasing opacity fills of the same color to let greater amounts of the base texture show through, which simulates steepening peak lines.