The Isles of Soquakask

[CartoGeo]

I really like this map for the detail that is being sculpted out as you add more and more variation to the map. How did you do some of this? I am a CC3 user and haven't broken into how to use Photoshop CS4 for map making. Could you, would you, post a basic summary of what steps you went through or where you learned to do this kind of map? I am aware of the 'how/to' tutorial section but haven't gotten a chance to view the ones I find relevant. Great map!

[Flaterectomy]

A quick run-down of how I made the map up to this point (note that I use Photoshop 7, not Photoshop CS4):

For the landmass:

New layer, apply the render -> clouds filter with standard black and white colours selected. Make a Threshold adjustment layer and fiddle with the threshold level until you see something you like. Copy and move around segments of land that you want elsewhere, and use the burn and dodge tools to add and remove land. Select the final land shape, make a new layer and fill the selection with your basic soil colour (in this case, fairly bright green).

For the mountains:

Select the landmass, apply render -> clouds and then apply render -> difference clouds twice. Select and delete the darker areas of this layer, and set the blending mode to overlay or multiply, depending on how dark or bright you want things. You'll likely have to play with this layer's overall brightness and contrast to get something that works. You can then select this layer, make a new one and repeat the process to get some extra peaks on top of it. Select the lightest shades of the peak layer and fill a new layer on top with white to make snowy peaks. You can decrease the opacity and repeat the process on just the very bightest shades if you feel that once isn't enough.

For this map, the base mountain layer is light grey and set to multiply, and the peak mountain layer is slightly darker grey and set to overlay.

For the coasline:

I have a white outer glow on the basic green landmass layer. I duplicated the landmass layer, and gave the duplicate a thinner, brown outer glow to make it flow into the white outer glow below it. I also added a similar thin brown inner glow to make the transition smooth on that side as well.

As for the rivers and the ocean, the previous posts in this thread give plenty of information on those aspects. And the textures are generally just that; textures overlaid onto the layer, and then sufficiently altered to look the way you want them to, which mostly means playing with the blend mode and their brightness and contrast.

I think that many of the methods used come from things I read in Ascension's tutorials, such as the way I made the mountains, and the gradient overlay I used on the landmass to have greens and browns fade into eachother.

That's about all I can think of. Hope it's useful.

Now to get back to actually mapping, instead of writing about it.

[Kingbreaker]

I enjoyed looking at this map. It manages a delicate balance - satellite-level precsion mixed with artistic stylization - well. Nothing about it feels jarring or out of place, for the most part.

Regarding rivers.

As I see it, it's an issue of realism. If you opt for a satellite-style map, you make a conscious decision that realism is important. But if you add just the two or three major rivers, and not all of the rivers that would show at the same level of resolution, it feels somewhat forced.

Does that make sense at all?

I do like the rivers in the latest image.

[Torq]

Great looking map Flaterectomy. The sea texture is wonderful too.

Torq

[Flaterectomy]

(...)
Regarding rivers.

As I see it, it's an issue of realism. If you opt for a satellite-style map, you make a conscious decision that realism is important. But if you add just the two or three major rivers, and not all of the rivers that would show at the same level of resolution, it feels somewhat forced.

Does that make sense at all?

I do like the rivers in the latest image.

It does make sense! These islands are fairly big, but not meant to be huge, so I didn't plan on adding many rivers. I've added a few more in the version posted below, though, because it simply looks and feels better. Thanks for your input.

And thank you too, Torq, for the kind words!

Now, I need some more input. Below there are two versions of Soquakask, one bright like before, and the other desaturated and with a colour filter. Personally, I prefer the desaturated version, bit I am of course biased towards my latest idea, and I do realise it loses a little bit of pop this way. (While typing this, I've experimented a little with having the original colour seep through in high-light form here and there, and that might be another viable alternative.)

In any case, I'd really appreciate some opinions on this.

[Jykke]

Desaturated in my opinnion looks a bit better.. Maybe you could do a composite image of some kind for interesting results?

[Gandwarf]

Yep, I like the desaturated version better also.
Cool map by the way

[Ascension]

I'm partial to the bright, sunny, tropical, happy bunnies one...despite my penchant for dark and spooky. We don't get to see happy maps, generally, only dangerous ones...and the sunny one makes me smile. Makes me want to go on vacation.

[Steel General]

Make it 3 for 3, I prefer the desaturated version - looks more natural to me.

[Kingbreaker]

Desaturated, please. Just like my lipids