[Award Winner] A few tips

[Schley]

Sorry I wasn't more clear. Don't merge the layers until you're finished with tweaking the layer-style attributes of the drop shadow. When you merge a layer with a layer-style active it will rasterize the layer. This means that it converts it from an algorithm driven layer, who's attributes you can edit in the layer-styles pallet, to a pixel mapping layer that is like any other painting layer. You only do this at the end if you want to edit the drop shadow with erasers or brushes.

I've included some screen shots for illustration.

Hope I made more sense this time.

[Badger]

No worries then ... I was actually doing it right, just wasn't clear on what 'Right" was exactly

I was finishing up a wip that I had going a couple months ago, decided to reorganize the layers and what not (I'm a notorious layer slob!) and OMG ... this is just a town map with about 19 total buildings... and I have a go zillion layers... I can't imagine what one of you larger city maps or even that corymyr map had in layers .... I gotta hand it too you brother, you got a knack for the tedious and gruelling chore of layers...

Can't rep ya cause I gotta spread it around first... but I'm giving this thread a five star

Anymore tips and tricks are most appreciated... You've moved to my top favorite cartographer

[Mr. Greengoat]

So a couple weeks ago I was scrutinizing the maps in Keep on the Shadowfell and I said to myself "I got to find out how Mike Schley does those cobblestone walls in the dungeon maps." And then I scrutinized your website but still couldn't figure the process out. And then I found this website and figured someone would have a good idea. And then I see you posting here.

So how are those neatly little outlined stone walls put in there? Some type of pattern applied to paths? Inked by hand? Trade secret?

Love the maps, very clear and flavorful at the same time.

Thanks Mike.