Haven't update this thread for ages. Ok so here's some details on my process about mountains colors. This is related to my map of the 6 realms and you can also find the WIP of this map here where I previously posted this mini-tutorial.
Mountains coloring minitut.jpg
1. First, on a new layer, I paint the mountains basic color (with a desatured brown color not too far from the overall tone of the background) with a round fuzzy low opacity brush ( dynamic opacity set to pressure) to blend the color with the background.
2. I reduce the opacity of this layer to 40%. This isn't a necessarily stage, rather a choice I've made on this map. It helps blending more, having some transparency with the background colors (especially since there's some greenish, brownish and yellowish terrains on the map) so the mountains will keep some consistency all over the map while having some slightly different shade regarding the terrains where they're located.
3. On a new layer set to multiply, I use the same color with the same brush to add shadows. Assuming the light is coming from the left/up left, the shadows are applied on the right sides of the reliefs, with more pressure close to the main summits and the ridges then lighter pressure the more you move to the right, or on some secondary ridges that catch the light. No need to be overdetailed here. What you see on the picture is 100% screen size but the print size is likely 30% of that.
4.On a new layer set to screen, I use the same color with the same brush to add highlights. A quick wor with a light pressure on the pen, adding a general light on the left faces of the mountains. I didn't want overpowered mountains here, with higher contrast but this could be easily done with a stronger pressure for more lights.
5. On a new layer set to screen, I use the same color and the same brush to add more light, roughly focusing on main summits and top of the main ridges. Here again, regarding scale and print size, no need to go too fancy.
6. This is an optionnal stage I didn't choose to go with on this map but it's something I use sometimes : adding some extra colors on the mountains. I create a new layer set to color blending mode just below the shadows/highlights layers and with the same brush I paint some color starting at the top of the mountains and going lower on pressure near the bottom to blend the color with the mountain base. Here, some gray to give some natural rocky feel to the mountain but you can add whatever color you want depending on what you aim.
You can use other kind of technic/setting, for instance the overlay blending mode (with a dark desaturated color layer for the shadows and a very light desaturated color layer for highlights) also works well but it's up to everyone, depending on what you aim on the specific map you're making. The one I used here has the advantage that you work with only one color so its' easier and faster to do.
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