Clouds + Ground = ...err nope thats not it

[bradlavario]

I am trying to figure out how to make basic texture. Up until now I just used tiles but they look really flat, and all the maps I see look like they used clouds to make the ground all bumpy, but try as I might, I can not seem to get my ground anything but flat.

Any ideas? Easy to follow tutorials? (I try to read and follow the tutorials, but some of you guys are on such a high level, I can't even follow them, and some tutorials don't show the interface of photoshop, so they are hard to follow)

Any help would be appreciated.

[pasis]

I use special grey scale "bump maps" below the actual texture layer and then set the texture layers blending mode as multiply (or some other depending on the effect wanted). I will create you a step by step quick guide later today.

[Midgardsormr]

It depends on exactly the effect you're looking for. If you're going the render > clouds route, try this:

Put down whatever ground texture you intend to use, then go to the Channels palette and make a new channel. With that channel selected, filter > render > clouds.

Now, turn off that channel—you don't need to see it, you just need it to exist. Return to the Layers palette and select your ground layer. Filter > render > lighting effects.

In the window that appears, set the light type to directional, and in the Texture Channel dropdown, select the new channel you made (by default it will be called Alpha1). Now, you can adjust the little line in the preview box to change the light direction and angle. A shorter line will result in a brighter image (the light is shining more downward). You can also adjust the slider bar at the bottom to increase or decrease the strength of the effect.

That's just one way to get some bump in your image, of course.

[pasis]

I made a quick guide and posted it into the tutorials section. Just follow the link http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?16688

As you can see from Midgardsormr post, there are different ways to do it and you can select the one best suits for you or combine several methods.

[bradlavario]

Ignore the land mass, it was just a doodle to test stuff...

Okay, I took what Midguard posted, I did that, was not bumpy enough...
so then I stuck another cloudy light render under it and set the the first layer to multiply, still not bumpy enough...
so then I stuck a layer above it with 0% fill and set it to bevel and emboss and scribled on it with the "blade of grass" brush, finally it was bumpy enough...
so then I went through one of Pasis' tutorials on mountains... I dont think I did it right, but it kinda looks like a mountain....
so then I made rivers... just cuz...
so then I made another copy of it, and distorted it all to hell and used that layer to color dodge the map all crazy shades...
so then I folded it, because I am addicted to folding stuff....

and this is what I got....

texture test 03.jpg

So my next question is, how do I get rid of that bevel running around the outside of the island? Its a by-product of using lighting effects, but is there a trick to do this without creating that bevel?