Canyon Lands - Top Down

[snodsy]

Following up on the last Tutorial I just finished I thought I'd use that style and play it out on an existing topo map.

The USGS website has topo maps of the entire United States for free use.
https://viewer.nationalmap.gov/basic...opo%20Download

So I downloaded a PDF topo map of Big Bend Utah, close to MOAB (Arches National Monument) - The PDF comes in layers - main topo, secondary topo, rivers, water sheds, forested areas, trails and roads. Also an image file.

I am able to take this PDF into Adobe Illustrator - it comes in as one layer - but in Illustrator you can grab similar color/stroke elements at once and then move each to it's own layer - so I can grab a blue water line and SELECT SAME COLOR STROKE and it selects all blue lines.

Then in Illustrator, on each layer I color the elements BLACK and select each layer individually and cut and paste into Photoshop. I can then color each layer in Photoshop as a COLOR LAYER STYLE.

HINT: Size the Illustrator file same size as what you want the photoshop image to be - then cut the Illustrator Art and then OPEN NEW PHOTOSHOP File - It knows that artwork is cut and waiting to be pasted, so it makes the art board the same size as the file you are ready to paste.

I will use the secondary topo lines, as well as the watershed, as just reference, but keep the main topo lines to build my cliff sides. I also BLUR the Illustrator import topo lines since they comes it a little harder edge than my BRUSH in photoshop.

So here is an area that I started adding my style of topo lines to the Main Topo lines from the USGS.BigBend_Utah1.jpg

Here is USGS map brought into Illustrator to start. I'll continue to add this style over the entire map.
BigBendUtah_Moab_USGS.jpg

[Mouse]

Hey Snodsy

Its a delight to see you doing another map.

This looks seriously interesting, and I'm definitely going to be watching

[snodsy]

Update from weekend line work. Defined flood plain and ground levels. Will add human activity and some geological features - arches and such as well as vegetation. The Main contours lines throughout the drawing are USGS contour lines brought into photoshop.

Comments welcome.

BigBend_Utah4.jpg

[Ilanthar]

It's looking awesome, Snodsy! The shading is excellent, as well as the contour lines. I suppose you'll add some shading to the rivers? They look a bit flat right now.

[Steel General]

Very cool...

[Mouse]

I agree with the Steel General.

I see Ilanthar is almost impatient for you to finish everything already! LOL!

(umm.... so am I )

[ChickPea]

This looks amazing! I love those deep shadows.

[waldronate]

Very nice linework. One thing to watch out for is that watercourses always cross contours at right angles (follow the path of steepest descent).

[DanielHasenbos]

Very nice start snodsy! It's great to see you do another map again. Will keep an eye on this one!

[ThomasR]

That's gonna be awesome !