how to draw in a mountain range in photoshop

[Falconius]

If you are using Windows you can take screen shots by pressing the Windows Key and the PrintScreen key at the same time, which will put it on your clip board and then you can paste it into a painting program to get a file out of it. I'm not sure why you think you need to fork out large sums of money, let alone any money, unless you intend to purchase maps. To help you though we really do need more specifics. More specific questions, more specific goals, more specific examples etc. Incidentally just defining your mapping problems more specifically often helps tremendously in and of itself.

[Mouse]

I am sorry to hear that you feel that way.

But you could always come back again in a few weeks time if you change your mind and want to give it another go?

There are many mapping styles that are not so infernally technical and complicated (that one you chose seemed very complicated way of doing things from my point of view as a non-PS user). Maybe it would be better to start with a more simple or natural approach where things don't rely on knowing how to manipulate textures and blend modes and such.

I'm thinking that it might be easier to start with some of the mapping methods described and demonstrated by Jonathan Roberts at Fantastic Maps?

Here is his top down mountain demo...

[Azélor]

If I understand correctly, you want something random that is not random. Or something were the placement actually make sense.
You could draw the height map (elevation map) instead of generating it.
Or generate some areas and erase/draw those that don't make sense.

Personally, getting good at making maps can take time, like any skill.
You get better while doing it.
Your first map is probably not going to be very good unless maybe you already have artistic skills in similar art like drawing.
You will get better.

[Jaekaido]

@Mouse okay then how would you guys suggest i go about starting, as the way i have been isn't working where should i start? can you give me a link.

@Azelor i want the same effect as the lines that the difference clouds make but in a brush form is that even possible?

[bkh1914]

i want the same effect as the lines that the difference clouds make but in a brush form is that even possible?

One approach is it draw a gray-scale elevation map of your mountain ranges.
Then use a grunge brush on another layer to add the texture.
I've made grunge brushes from sections of a noise clouds for controlled cloud-like textures.
(I use GIMP, but I'm assuming you can make custom brushes like that in Photoshop.)

But mostly, it comes down to trial and error.

Remember, separate layers and the undo key are your friends.

Edit:
Another way is to create your mountain ranges (gray scale height map) and then
put a low opacity noise cloud layer over that to add texture without changing the basic shapes.
I've found that to be easier than drawing in the textures with a brush.

[Mouse]

I am really sorry Jaekaido.

I've already made the only suggestion I can think of about where to start, and even that might not be right, since Fantastic Maps is all about drawing maps rather than generating them automatically with PS layer effects and filters.

I really can't do any more to help you until you start your first WIP, because giving advice about problems I can't see is something I've never managed to master.

[Jaekaido]

sorry for not responding sooner i have had stuff happen with my wife's back recently, while i can draw for some reason i cant draw in photoshop as i don't have a tablet and pen and will not be able to afford one for quite a while but even then i doubt i will be able to draw in photoshop as i don't know photoshop that well and how it works with a tablet. i am not giving up just yet i am going to try and hand draw maps and look for other tutorials here in the guild so i still have fight in me for it. i really do appreciate all the help you guys have given me and i don't want to let goand waste your time as i know there are others who need help too.

[Falconius]

In that case I suggest you go down the vector drawing program route, it works fine with a mouse except for very specialized functions (like calligraphy etc). It is a little more intensive to start out on than a raster based program but once you climb that hurdle it ain't so bad.

Inkscape is the free one a lot of folks, as well as myself, use for their vector stuff around here.

[QED42]

This tutorial might be what you are looking for to get the mountains how you want https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ight=mountains

[Kellerica]

While I can understand your frustration, the sad truth is that making good maps takes a lot of time and effort. If you could just press a few buttons on PS and end up with a fantastic, ready-to-use map, there would not be a need for this forum to exist. You say that you can't make as nice maps as the people in here, but please take note that most of said people have put many years into learning and practicing.

With all that being said, this forum is dedicated to trying to figure these things out together. So, I thought I'd share my own method for making those Ascension/Tear type of mountain ranges when I need it done fast. This won't end up looking quite like the Ascension style ones, but maybe it'll help you a bit. Judge for yourself.



1. Start out with bottom layer of whatever you want the color of your ground to be. I'm going with a beige-ish hue in this example.

2. Next, make another layer on top of this one, this time setting the color to be just a tad darker than the layer below it. Give this layer a mask, and with the mask selected, Render some Clouds. After that, switch to Difference Clouds and repeat it a few times. After that, move back to the layer itself and give it a Bevel & Emboss layer style. Set the Technique to Chisel soft, and play with the numbers until you get something you like. Here, my depth is 115, Size is 35 and Soften is 2. Set the layer opacity to 25% percent or even lower. This is not meant to be the mountain layer, this is just a quick method of giving the ground some texture and not have it look all flat and boring.

3. Now, moving on to the mountains themselves. Make a copy of the previous layer, set the layer opacity to a higher value, and then fill the layer mask with black. For this next step, I have made myself a set of custom brushes (see attachment) that have been made using the Cloud filter and painted into these handy tools. These things mimic the look you get with the cloud filter, but you can have much more control since you're actually painting the mountains where you want them. Set the brush opacity to something between 10-45 %, you'll quickly see what works best for you. Click-click-click away where you want your ranges to rise, and switch back and forth between black and white occasionally - sometimes the ranges end up looking best when you first raise them, and then chop little bits away. The less opacity on the brush, the more easily you can alter the ground on very subtle levels, and have complete control over where you want the lower or higher points to be.



Feel free to play around with the layer style options when you're working - the great thing about this panel is that you can try different number values and color or pattern overlays and go very easily back if the result is not to your liking. For my example here, I ended up cranking the Bevel's Size up to 55, but left the other values as they were.

4. If you feel like doing so, consider having a pattern overlaid over this level (and possibly the one below that too). Here I used a wonderful Bloodstone texture made by our very own Mouse, had the opacity set to 35% and then had the original Color Overlay's (the beige one) Mode set from Normal to Color. It is a subtle difference, but I think it benefits the whole.

And that is pretty much it. With this, I can fairly quickly produce a simple bump map that can be further worked on.

I don't know if this will help at all, but here's hoping. Ask away if there is something I can clarify.



(All of this is pretty much entirely stolen from Ascension and Tear's techniques! I've just put my own twist on things. Credit goes to them.)