A few of my maps

[Mike_H]

These aren't as good as most of what's posted but I am trying.

Serpent kindoms
The town of Notlob
An island

[Simon33600]

Well, a lot of maps here are amazingly good so there is no dishonor are your first attemps being below that level of excellency...

It's actually pretty good...
The comments I'd do would be:
-To blur the edge of the forests in the first map using a blurry mask layer. It is a technique you apparently mastered in the other two maps, so I would go and apply it to the forests in the continent map...
-I would also add a blurry edge yellowish area on the desert, to make it look different from the other areas...

-On the second map, I would add a bit of texture to the fortications, maybe some roof shape or crenalations. The other roofs have more texture, and the ground is rather realistic in texture, so it feel strange for them not to be more detailled. Also, they are not shadowed like the other buildings are...

-On the last map, I would make the edge of the forest go closer from the shore. Maybe you could blury the layer mask a bit more so that the transition is smoother... Maybe you could also add a thin sandish looking outline around the coast...
-Less map and more personal thinking: there is what looks like an awesome bay opposite Port Kylar that would offer great protection to the ship and widens to let a lot of ships in. In fact, it is wide enough as to be a ressource into itself, people can probably still fish on it while the weather gets stormy outside... And even on the other side of the arm on the East, the little nook would make a pretty good spot for a port... Both of these location would actually make better ports than Port Kylar that seems pretty exposed. Is there a reason why nobody settled there? In the real world, the bay would probably be circled by several towns...

[Mike_H]

I was really playing around. Never considered these for anything other than for the fun of it. But I will take your suggestions it heart. I used GIMP for the maps so some of what you suggest might not be possible but I'll try to figure it out.

Perhaps I'll move Port Kylar over to that bay. To be honest, I had forgotten about the bay. This was my first completed map really.

I used a texture I had from a program that came with a CG magazine I got a while ago. Just was learning the process more than anything. I had meant to do more on the fortifications though, I'll go back into the original file and replace the ground with something more appropriate for the rest of the Notlob.

I did blur the edges of the desert but I guess the colors don't contrast enough to be visible. Oh well, I don't claim to be great, just still learning.

[Simon33600]

The ground texture of Notlob is actually really pretty and I am duly envious...
But it is realistic looking while the rest of the map is more stylised...

I am a GIMP user myself, so most of my advices should be achievable in GIMP.

As for the desert, I dont know, it doesn't appear different from the rest of the continent to be. What I would probably do is to delineate grossly the desert area, on a new layer on top of your ground layer. Then fill it up with the same colour and bump it the same way (is it how you achieve the relief? Or is it part of the texture). Anyway, produce the same thing, then go to the the colour pannel and tweek it until it gets more yellowish and deserty looking. Then put a blurry edge mask so that it transitionate smoothly and you should end up in a green area that get drier toward the center...

[Mike_H]

Unfortunately the only one I have the original file for is the island. But I will keep your advice in mind for future projects.