Map Making Tutorial [PS]

[Safer]

A lot of people have read my story, Rise From the Ashes, and have asked how I did the map. Well, this is for all of those people who have always wanted to make a cool map for their story. However! If you already have the shape of your map in your head, this is not the tutorial for you. This process works with the Clouds render, which is completely and 100% randomly generated. Therefore, if you already have the shape of your map in your head, you're out of luck.

The finished product:


Note: This will not be exactly how yours will turn out. As said before, this works with the Clouds render, which is completely random. Also, while this may only be 300x300 pixels, it is completely orthodox to make a map of bigger size with the same method. Another version of the finished product can be found at a link located within the thread "Rise From the Ashes", a link to which is in my sig.

I give this tutorial a 3-4 difficulty star rating, probably because it can be very frustrating at times to get just the right shapes, and it is a bit time consuming. For this tutorial to go smoothly, go here and here, and SAVE the files to your computer (don't copy and paste, it'll remove the transparency from the markers). Then, open them up when the tutorial calls for them. Credits for the wonderful mountain and forest marker transparencies go to Andúrhil. Thanks a lot, man!

Part One: Preparing the Outline.
Part Two: Cleaning up the Outline.
Part Three: Finishing the Outline.
Part Four: Perfecting the Outline.
Part Five: Landforms.
Part Six: Cities and Text.

[Gracie]

Beautiful Outcome.

[Nata'kar]

That's quite a time-taker, this map.

My no-color map:

[Umi]

Graet tutorial! I am definately trying this. It is a great way to make maps. I'll post my results when finished.

EDIT: I give you: SARCIRDA!

[Keaton]

A lot of these things don't work on my version of PhotoShop. I don't have options for drop shadows, for example. I also can't copy nothing. When I select and delete the part to copy, I can't copy it on my version. It is a nice tutorial, though!

[Nata'kar]

Made this for Rob when he does Dunkar in Silronia

Valin is where Vyn and Vadrus live(d), and Varim is where Varimathras's altar is.

I realize it's really bad.

xD

[Safer]

Originally Posted by Aslan

A lot of these things don't work on my version of PhotoShop. I don't have options for drop shadows, for example. I also can't copy nothing. When I select and delete the part to copy, I can't copy it on my version. It is a nice tutorial, though!

If you're on a mac, which by your location I see you are, the control key has a different function. Instead, to copy, just go to Edit>Copy, and then you should have your outline. And to paste, go to Edit>Paste.

[Keaton]

Yeah, I know how to copy and paste (apple+C for copy apple+V for paste) but it can't copy the map because it's technically selecting nothing. ... It's still a nice tutorial, though. Just too long for my attention span (I don't have ADD... OH MY GOD A DUCK)!

[Coss]

I think I have a solution to your time-consuming border task: make a new layer (or keep it on the same one) then go to edit>stroke 1pxl black, center. Boom, nicer border.

[LinkRanger]

Originally Posted by Sora

I think I have a solution to your time-consuming border task: make a new layer (or keep it on the same one) then go to edit>stroke 1pxl black, center. Boom, nicer border.

QFT.

Nice tutorial. I went through a lot of crappy tutorials to get certified in photoshop by Adobe, but if those sods had only come to ZU they could see how to make a tutorial that serves a viable purpose.

[Safer]

Originally Posted by LinkRanger

QFT.

Nice tutorial. I went through a lot of crappy tutorials to get certified in photoshop by Adobe, but if those sods had only come to ZU they could see how to make a tutorial that serves a viable purpose.

Why thank you. ^^

Originally Posted by Sora

I think I have a solution to your time-consuming border task: make a new layer (or keep it on the same one) then go to edit>stroke 1pxl black, center. Boom, nicer border.

Yes, I have long been aware of the stroke technique. I just feel that doing it by hand makes it look more calligraphic when you double back over mistakes, plus, the stroke layer SERIOUSLY screws up little tidbits next to the smaller lakes (which are like ink-blotch marks) and makes them look like massive blobs. :\

But even then, 'tis a matter of preferrence.

[Nata'kar]

Originally Posted by Sora

I think I have a solution to your time-consuming border task: make a new layer (or keep it on the same one) then go to edit>stroke 1pxl black, center. Boom, nicer border.

z0mg. That works really good. Thank you Sora XD

EDIT: *just realized it says that in the tutorial* o_O

Oh well. I'm in the middle of another map.