For those of you that liked the look for my Antilarium map, I'm sharing how I made it. It was generated randomly in Photoshop, and then touched up (and of course map elements were overlayed).
To start with, you need Photoshop CS3 or higher (you can try earlier versions, no guarantees).
- download the MapMaker action set I created from this post.
- Install it in your Photoshop. Go to your "actions" palette, and in the flyout menu (the little triangle top right) there is a "load actions" selection.
- Create a new document, at least 24" wide by 72 dpi.
- Click on the two actions - be sure to "Set Map Colors" first, then "Make Map".
The action will create a random map that looks something like what I've attached. You can then play with hues/saturations and other photoshop tools to change the colors to what you like. This method uses difference clouds, so the nice thing about it is it creates a nice topographical effect.
To modify the land/sea ratio, just edit the foreground color. By adding more white, it will create more "sea"; more black = "larger landmasses".
If you don't like the look of the map you generated... just click the "Make Map" action again until you get something you find interesting. It's quite fast.
If you use it, and turn it into a map, drop me a note!
Using Photoshop CS3+ To Generate Random Maps
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