I have much to learn

[jfrazierjr]

About Your question about border style - I know, that You're working with GIMP - but do anybody of Your friends/co-workers have Photoshop? You could easily gain wanted effects using one simple Layer Style - Inner Glow.
Tell me, if You'll have way to use Photoshop, in that case I'll write You some tut how to give your borders fancy 'antique' fading style (I just need to choose appropriate settings).

Gimp has such a plug-in, you just have to go get it and drop it into the correct folder and restart GIMP.

[Qbista]

Gimp has such a plug-in, you just have to go get it and drop it into the correct folder and restart GIMP.

Oh, that makes the case lot easier (to be honest - blame me, thankless Photoshop user - I didn't used GIMP any time).
Ok - jfrazierjr - settings in this GIMP plug-in are similar to that one from photoshop? (attachment) - if so, I post some suggestions at the evening (remember, that I'm talking about GMT +1 ; ) )

[Maccwar]

Yet more useful tips and things to think about, thanks folks. I've been busy upgrading gimp with extra brushes and scripts and I think the next version is going to be a big improvement.

This particular map is a player handout so I am not so concerned about the smoothness of the lines but for future maps I could see this being an issue. Is there a plug-in or script for gimp which allows you to draw fractal lines like you can in Autorealm?

As for what borders and coasts look like, I have a antique map from 1680 hung on the wall here (sadly too big to scan in for you folks). Its quite a work of art but the coasts are drawn as surprisingly smooth. Its also very inaccurate compared to google earth.

[Maccwar]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I think the second version (attached) is an improvement but its still lacking.

Are there brushes for waves (for the sea) or reeds for the delta area out there similar to the ones I've used for the mountains and trees?

My next job is probably going to be working on a city map which I'm guessing will involve a whole new set of techniques.

[Redrobes]

Heres a tip I can give to help with this map.

You look like your drawing roads with a mouse and they are coming out a bit jaggy. If you have the roads drawn on a layer then soften the image a bit and then up the contrast until its back to being sharp again. This will knock out the jaggy bits and make the roads smoother and they will join up better at junctions. Once done you can adjust the color of the road and apply it - preferably on a separate layer.

[jfrazierjr]

Another option with GIMP or PS is to use paths. It's a really good tool to learn in any event, even if you go with RR's suggestion(which is quick)

[Maccwar]

Nice one Redrobes, I shall give that a try. Not only did I have to use a mouse, I also had no mouse mat with me at the time and the grain on the wooden desk made some of my lines a bit interesting.

Long term I shall start trying to get used to using paths. Is there any way of making a line drawn using a path more crinkly other than visiting all the points on the route?

Thanks again.

[RobA]

Nice one Redrobes, I shall give that a try. Not only did I have to use a mouse, I also had no mouse mat with me at the time and the grain on the wooden desk made some of my lines a bit interesting.

Long term I shall start trying to get used to using paths. Is there any way of making a line drawn using a path more crinkly other than visiting all the points on the route?

Thanks again.

I could write a script to fractalize a path in Gimp, but find the path tools in Inkscape are much easier to use (and already have a path fractalize function)...

-Rob A>