How do I make forests like this in photoshop? Are there any tutorials close to this?

[swiss]

https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...394#post154394

I contacted the artist and did not hear back. However I think he hand drew it and thus may be a moot point because my hands are dumb. Does anyone know how to create this look in Photoshop?

[Mouse]

Yes they are hand drawn. This is just one example of a style that seems to be widely used for showing forested areas in a great many regional maps.

Don't let the fact that they are hand drawn put you off so easily. Making beautiful things takes time, patience, and practice.

If I was going to draw forests like that I would start with a bushy outline, drawn fairly faint, add a few light suggestions of tree shapes inside the area, then shade around the edge of the forest on the side away from the sun with a very fuzzy edged brush using an overlay layer, and then add the colour last.

That's only how I would do it if I wanted forests of that style. My own style is different to that, however, so I've never actually done it that way. Here is a map under development by Voolf, which might seem to be heading for forests that, while they might not be the same, have a style that is similar in root origin to the style of Ramah's. Its at an early enough stage right now for you to be able to see all the different stages if you watch how it goes

You may even be lucky enough to get instructions from a more experienced cartographer who uses this technique right here on this thread, or a reference to a tutorial that I wasn't aware of. (In which case I will also learn something new)

[swiss]

Thanks Mouse! Yeah I should probably at least make an attempt before I throw my hands under the bus. =)

[Mouse]

I look forward to a Forest WIP thread then

That's probably an even better way to get advice/support - while you practice