Ascension'sAtlasTutorialinGIMP

Whatfollowsis,asnearasIcanmakeit,anapproximationingimpofAscensionsPhotoshopAtlasStyle tutorial.Onlythetechniquesusedareinthisversion,soIhighlyrecommendthatyoufollowalonginthe originaltutorialwhileyougothroughit,ashisexplanationsofthethinkingbehindeachstepareextremely valuable. 1. First,weneedtomakeaChannelforourcoastline. a. RenameBackgroundlayertoOcean(doubleclicklayernametorename) b. FilterRenderCloudsSolidNoise(Randomizechecked,detail15,size9/9) c. DuplicatetheOceanlayer(LayerDuplicateLayer).Thiscanalsobedonebyclickingtheduplicate iconinthelayerstoolbox.RenamethenewlayertoNoise. d. CreateanewlayernamedClip.Fillitwith50%gray,andchangethelayermodetoLightenOnly. e. OntheNoiselayer,useapaintbrushat30%opacityandpaintwhitetofillinlandareasandblacktofill insea.You'llendupwithcloudylightlandandflatgreysea:

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP f. WiththeFuzzySelectTool(SampleMergedandthresholdof0),clickinthegreyarea. g. CreateanewlayernamedCoastline(LayerFillType:White).Fillyourselectionwithblackbydragging theblackcolorfromyourtoolboxtothedrawingarea. h. SelectNone. i. Withapaintbrushat100%opacityandblackforegroundcolor,paintoveranyunwantedislandsfrom thecreationprocess. j. GrabtheSelectbyColortoolandclickanywhereinthewhitearea.Youshouldseemarchingants surroundingyourlandmass(es). k. SwitchtotheChannelsdialog(ifyoudon'tseeit,youcanmakeitappearbyusingtheWindows DockableDialogsmenuoption.Atthebottomofthechannelsdialog,clickthenewchannelicon.Name thenewchannelCoastline,andchecktheboxforInitializefromSelection. l. Switchbacktothelayersdialog.DeletetheNoise,Clip,andCoastlinelayers. 2. DuplicateOceanlayerandrenamethecopytoLand.With theLandlayer: a. FilterMapBumpMap(Map:Landlayer.Azimuth: 135,Elevation:30,Depth8) b. Rightclickthelayerinthelayersdialog,andclickAdd LayerMask.CheckthebuttonforChannel,and Coastlineshouldappearinthedropbox.Clickok. 3. Createanewlayer(Transparencyfilltype)andnameit LandGlow.Fillwithalightbluecolor(40C8FF,RGB 64,200,255OnpaletteasLandGlow).Addalayermask (Channel:Coastline).Withthemaskselected,Filters BlurGaussianBlur(22px).MovetheLandGlowlayerto beneathLand,aboveOcean.Seerightforanexampleat 100%zoom. 4. Createanewlayer(Transparencyfilltype)andnameitLandColorand moveittojustabovetheLandlayer. 5. Fillwithalineargradientstraightfromthetopedgetothebottomedgeof theimage(Ascension'sAtlasTutorialLandGradient). 6. Addalayermask(Channel:Coastline) 7. SetlayermodetoHardLight. 8. Curves(seeright).Thisstopsthewhitefromwashingoutnear thetopofthemap.

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP 9. Sofaryoushouldhave4layers,allvisible(fromtoptobottom):LandColor,Land,LandGlow,Ocean.

10. DuplicatetheOceanlayerandrenamethecopytoHills.OntheHillslayer: a. FiltersRenderCloudsDifferenceClouds b. RepeatDifferenceClouds(CtrlForFiltersRepeatDifferenceClouds). c. Normalize. 3

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP 11. Atthispoint,itshouldlooksomethinglikethis:

12. DuplicatetheHillslayer,renamethecopytoMountains,and hidetheMountainslayer. 13. WiththeHillslayer: a. FiltersNoiseHSVNoise(Holdness2,Hue0,Saturation 0,Value30).Seerightforanexampleat100%zoom. 14. HideHillslayer.

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP 15. ShowandSelecttheMountainslayer: a. Withtheselectbycolortool,setthethresholdto100andclickonthedarkestspotyousee.Onceit's doneselecting,hitdeleteandthenShiftCtrlAtocleartheselection.Thiserasesthedarkestgrays. b. Inthechanneldialog,rightclickontheCoastlinechannelandclickChanneltoSelection. c. Switchbacktothelayerdialog,selecttheMountainslayer. d. SelectShrink(20px,uncheckShrinkfromImageBorder). e. SelectFeather(20px). f. SelectInvert. g. Hitdelete. h. RightclickthelayerandclickAlphatoSelection. 16. AddanewlayernamedMountainColor.Withthisnewlayer: a. Fillwith5A461E b. Addlayermask(selection),SelectNone. c. WiththeMaskselected(clickthesecondiconinthelayerdialog):Gaussianblur25px. d. LayermodetoHue e. MovelayertojustaboveLandColor f. Withmeddarkgray(505050)orgreytingedwithblue(505064)andalargepaintbrushat100%opacity, paintoverthebrownonarcticmountains 17. DuplicateMountainslayer,renamethenewlayertoSnowcaps.Withthisnewlayer: a. Setlayermodetoscreen. b. MovelayertojustaboveMountainColor 18. SelecttheMountainslayer: a. Emboss(Azimuth135,Elevation30,Depth20) b. Layermode:overlay c. Layeropacity:85% d. MovelayertojustaboveSnowcaps. 19. SelecttheSnowcapslayer.ColorCurves(seeright) 20. SelecttheMountainslayer: a. Addlayermask(fullopacity) b. Withlayermaskselected,paintwithablackpaintbrushtoeraseunwantedmountains. c. Applylayermask d. Alphatoselection 21. SnowcapsandMountainColorlayers:Applyanylayermaskthatisthere,addlayermask(Selection) 22. HideMountains,Snowcaps,andMountainColorlayers.

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP 23. ShowandselecttheHillslayer: a. Movetojustabovelandcolor b. SelectbyColor(threshold60):clickondarkestspot c. Savetochannel(HillOutline) d. Selectnone 24. Coastlinechanneltoselection,shrink10px,feather10px,invert 25. SelectHillOutlinechannel,fillselectionwithblack 26. Selecthillslayer: a. Addlayermask(Channel:HillOutline),andapply b. ColorsAutoNormalize c. Hidelayer 27. Newlayer(HillColor): a. MovejustaboveLandColor b. Fillwithbrown(5A461E) c. Addlayermask(Channel:HillOutline) d. ModetoSoftLight,opacity50% 28. Newlayer:HillBumps: a. Filllayerwith50%grey b. FiltersMapBumpMap(Map:Hillslayer,Azimuth135,Elevation30,Depth10) c. Addlayermask(Channel:HillOutline) d. Applylayermask e. Overlaymode 29. RightclickMountainslayer,hitAlphatoSelection,invertselection 30. HillBumps: a. Addlayermask(selection) b. Selectnone c. AlphatoSelection,invertselection d. Feather20px,thenfillwith50%grey.Thissoftenstheedgeofhillsnearthecoastssothattheydon't cutoffasabruptly. 31. ShowMountains,Snowcaps,andMountainColorlayers.

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP 32. Sofaryoushouldhave10layers,with9ofthemvisible.Fromtoptobottom:Mountains,Snowcaps, MountainColor,HillBumps,HillColor,Hills(invisible),LandColor,Land,LandGlow,Ocean.Yourcontinent shouldnowbelookingsomethinglikethis:

33. SelecttheLandColorlayer,createnewlayer(LayerFillType:Transparency),namedAdjust1.WithAdjust1: a. SettheForegroundcolortoyourdarkgreen(405018),backgroundcolortopapyrus(f0e6be) b. FiltersRenderFelimageNoise(size50/50) c. LayermodetoHue d. Opacityto25% e. Addlayermask(Channel:Coastline) 34. Newlayer(Transparency),nameitAdjust2.WithAdjust2: a. Airbrushtool,usingcolorsfromstep22topaintextensionsofdesert/plains b. LayermodetoHue c. Addlayermask(Channel:Coastline)

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP 35. DuplicateOceanlayer,renamenewlayertoOceanBumps: a. FiltersMapBumpMap(Bumplayer:Ocean,135,30,5) 36. Newlayer,nameitOceanColor: a. FillwithSeaFillcolor(6ea0c8) b. RepeatBumpMap 37. MoveOceanlayertojustaboveOceanColorandsetmodetoOverlay 38. DuplicateOceanBumpslayerandrenametoShelf: a. MoveaboveOcean b. Channel(Coastline)toselection,grow20px,feather20px,invert c. SelectShelflayeragain,fillblack d. SelectNone 39. Newlayer,nameitShelf2: a. FiltersRenderFelimageNoise(3/3,Oct 6.5,Lac2.2,Hurst.15) b. Overlaymode c. mergedown 40. WiththeShelflayer: a. SelectbyColor(threshold40)onblackarea b. Sharpenselection,invert c. Fillwhite d. SelectNone e. Withthepaintbuckettool(Fillsimilarcolors, threshold150),fillanyholeswithwhite(see right): f. emboss(135,30,30) g. overlaymode,30%opacity 41. Ifyourerunningoutofmemory,thisisagoodtimetosaveacopyoftheimagewithlayersintact(File SaveaCopy)andthenmergeyourvisiblelayers.(Note:Makesureyousaveacopyfirst!Ifyoudecide somethingneedstobechanged,itsmucheasiertochangeonelayerthantostartallthewayover.) 42. Newlayer(transparency),nameitRiverLayout,andmoveittothetopofthelayerstack(shouldbeabove Mountains).Withthisnewlayerselected: a. GrabtheInktool(size10orso,somethingeasilyseenwhenzoomedout).Ifyoureusingatablet,turn allofthesensitivityoptionsoff;wedontneedtoworryabouttaperingforthistutorial. b. Drawinsomesquigglylightningbolts,startattheseaandworkyourwayinland.Thinkofyourriveras atree,itsgoingtobewideratthebase(nearthesea)andasitgoesupandbranchesoutthebranches getsmallerandthinnerandmorenumerous.Wellworryaboutthinnesslatersofornowwejustwant todoupagenerallayoutofhowtheriversystemswilllook.Sinceourriverisatree,itsnotgoingto havenumerousfattrunksthatjoinasitgrowsupwards.Sure,itspossibletomaketreesdothatbut 8

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP thatrequiresthehandofmantobindtheminsuchawaynaturedoesnotbindherchildreninsuch wayssojustmakeyourriverbeatree,youcanmakeyourownbonsairiversafterthetutorial. c. Reducetheopacitytosomethingjustvisible,sothatyoucantracethelayoutinthenextstepandstill seewhatyouredoing(30%orso) 43. Channel(Coastline)toselection 44. Newlayer,nameitRivers: a. Changeyourinksizeto1,yourforegroundcolortosomethingeasilyvisible(e.g.,white),zoominto 200%orso,anddrawsquigglylinesinwhereyourbiglayoutlinesare.Thisshouldlooksomethinglike this:

b. c. d. e. RightclicktheRiverslayer,andclickAlphatoSelection. FillwithyourRiverscolor(406480) Layermodetomultiply Layeropacityto33%orso,enoughtobevisibleeverywherebutnotoverpoweryourdesert.

45. DeletetheRiverLayoutlayer. 46. Nextwellcreatealatitude/longitudegrid.Createanewlayer(transparency),nameitLines: a. FiltersRenderPatternsGrid(changespacingto200x200,offsetto0x0) b. Setlayermodeandopacitytotaste(Overlay@33%asadefault) 47. Nextisastrokealongthecoastline.Createanewlayer,nameitCoastStroke: a. Applylayermask(Channel:Coastline) b. Makeyourforegroundcolorblack,andyourbackgroundcolor50%gray c. Fillwithabilineargradientfromthemiddletothebottomoftheimage,holdingcontrolwhileyoudrag 9

AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP tokeepitstraightupanddown.Thiswillmakeforalighterstrokeonthelightertundra/desertterrains. Applythelayermask Alphatoselection Shrinkselectionby1px(uncheckShrinkfromimageborder) Hitthedeletekey,thenSelectnone LayermodetoMultiply Layeropacityto33%orso

d. e. f. g. h. i.

48. Forcountries,towns,labelsetc.,seethePSversionofthetutorialforplacementtips.Theonlyplacethat Gimpdiffersisincountrybordersandcoloring.Todothis: a. Createanewlayer(transparency)andnameitNationBorders(BeneathCoastStroke,Grid,andRivers): i. Grabtheinktoolandwithasizeof13(Iused2)andblackcolor(andsensitivityoptionsallat0for atabletuser),drawyourbordersin.Thesewillbeyouractualborders,soifyouneedtoroughit out,youcanusethesametechniqueasfortherivers(newlayer,bigsize,putitunderyourborder layerandreducetheopacity). ii. Channel(Coastline)toselection iii. Invertselection iv. ReselectNationBorders v. Fillwithblack vi. Selectnone b. HideeverythingbutyourNationBorderslayer.Youshouldhavesomethingthatlookslikethis:

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AscensionsAtlasTutorialinGIMP c. Createanewlayer(transparency),moveitjustbelowyourNationBorderslayerandnameitNationFill: i. Grabthepaintbuckettool(samplemerged,fillsimilarcolors,filltransparentareas,threshold15). ii. Filleachcountrywithadifferentcolor(seethePSversionfordetails) d. RightclickNationBorders,chooseAlphatoSelection e. ReselectNationFill. f. Growselection15px,featherselection30px g. Addlayermask(selection) h. Selectnone 49. NationBorderslayer:MergedownwithNationFill,addlayermask(Channel:Coastline) 50. Showalllayers 51. NationFilllayer:modetooverlay,opacity30.Yourimageatthispointshouldlooksimilartothatbelow.For therestofthedecorations,thetechniquesforaddingthemarethesameastheyareinPhotoshop,soits bettertosimplyfollowAscensionsoriginaltutorialforthem.

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