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A method for illustrated mountains for maps, intermediate difficulty. 

 

This tutorial assumes some prior knowledge of GIMP, and uses several layers to create a shaded relief effect. 

 

While having a graphics tablet helps, it's certainly possible to use a mouse, but it may take longer.

 

 

 

 

Software used: GIMP

 

Tools used: Wacom intuos M tablet.

 

 

 

Intermediate Mountains - 1 - Base

Intermediate Mountains - 1 - Base

It's perfectly viable to download some high-res parchment pictures, but I made this myself using some layers for noise, texture and colour. See my 'basic parchment' tutorial.

2 - Linework

2 - Linework

On a new layer, draw in some basic mountain shapes, starting with the highest ridges and then more minor slopes. I also added some forest and river content, but those won't be dealt with in this tutorial.

3 - Shade layer

3 - Shade layer

Add a new layer with the Overlay layer mode. Carefully layering low-opacity black over the ridges that are shaded from the sun should yield something like this.

4 - Another shade layer

4 - Another shade layer

Rinse and repeat. Overlay + black paint. This layer I let spill out and shade more of the land.

5 - Final shade layer

5 - Final shade layer

Same again - another Overlay, using black.. This layer I focused on getting the darkest areas. I wasn't especially neat, which is fine.

6 - First highlights

6 - First highlights

This time it's overlay + white - aiming for general lightening of places hit by the sun.

7 - Second set of highlights

7 - Second set of highlights

Same again - this time with a thinner brush.

8 - Third and final highlights

8 - Third and final highlights

This is the final layer, (yet) another Overlay using pure white with a thinner brush to give sharper highlights.

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