March 2017 Challenge: After the Storm

[kacey]

This background is gorgeous Mouse, have you used any photos to get this effect in the water?

[Mouse]

Your background is turning into something gorgeous! A really cool and inspiring idea you have here

This background is gorgeous Mouse, have you used any photos to get this effect in the water?

OMGoodness!

Thank you - both

Kacey - I don't actually remember what I did. I was just pootling around experimenting with different layer effects and transparencies and just scribbling, erasing and smudging in various shades of white green and blue on different layers, over the generally pink green and purple plasma space background that I started with... In fact I'd stopped caring about it by then because I was already feeling quite miserable that I'd failed to get it right, when it all just kind of... happened.

In truth, though - its not really water at all.

If you look at any photograph of real water you will see that what I've done isn't anything remotely like it. By loosing myself in a low mood I seem to have accidentally discovered some sort of essence of how I feel about water, and expressed it as a substitute for the real thing... if that makes any sense?

I suspect that this strange illusion isn't going to work for everyone - only for people who have the same or similar feelings about water as I do.

[Mouse]

Well... the map isn't going so well, so this might turn out to be a bit of a flop, but at least I tried, right?

(and I've had loads of fun and learned another ton of stuff about GIMP)

The houses are rendered from CC3, imported, turned greyscale, and burned into the parchment (not literally, but you know what I mean).

The rectangle of texture I've made from a swirl filter. I'm not happy with it, but I can't think of another way of representing the flooded area other than just a straight plain fill, and that looks even worse than the texture.

There's a lot of map to be drawn yet, though, so it might look all right in the end

### Latest WIP ###
After the Storm22.jpg

[Quenten]

This is SOOOOO good, Sue.

[Mouse]

Aw thanks Quenten

[Greg]

Wow, this has come on a long way since I last checked. As in, when I last looked, it didn't even exist!!

Interesting, eye-candy backdrop, but what I'm really looking forwards to is how that map in the middle progresses! I love the way you've done the sea squiggles!

Also, Gregory Gilbert Guzzlewit, now that is quite a name!

[Mouse]

Thanks GLS

I'm still struggling with the map right now. Its a lot harder to do than the border... and I may just have gone a bit overboard with that!

Secret of making great names? A tendency towards alliteration (taken to the extreme in this case with three G's in a row) and a bouncing or flowing rhythm when spoken out loud. My neighbours must think I'm completely nuts for all the times they catch me repeating all the variations when I'm trying them out for worthiness!

Update coming soon

[Mouse]

A bit more map. Not great, but an improvement on the last one

### Latest WIP ###
After the Storm23.jpg

I'm having a problem with how to depict the fact that the area is underwater. Its a lot easier to paint it than map it! LOL!

Any suggestions are welcome

[kacey]

The map looks good so far...Fantastic maps has a tutorial called How to turn a map into an under water landscape, not sure if that will be of interest to you but I thought I'd point it out.

[Mouse]

Thanks Kacey

I'm having second thoughts about whether the parchment is even the right way to go with this. Still. I have a couple of appointments today and a busy weekend, so I may have a complete rethink before its too late, and part of that will be revising all the Fantastic maps vids