Maps & tokens creation using Photoshop

Hello everyone, I've been given the will to start role playing using roll20 by watching a french group of famous YouTube podcasters who teamed up to do it and started making regular videos about their adventures. And, lucky me, it so happended that close friends of mine were actually into role playing since a long time themselves, which allowed me to find both 3 mates and a skilled and experienced GM. Everything is going fine and, thanks to roll20, we can spend hours laughing and throwing ourselves into epic adventures. The only thing I'm curious about, and so are my friends and my GM, is related to the quality of the maps and tokens of the said group of french YouTubers. Here is an example of their work : <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRkx4Szbmv8" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRkx4Szbmv8</a> As you can see, their GM has really specific and detailed maps and tokens that are all created by himself using Photoshop (which he clearly stated). Considering every single item on the dozens of episodes this show has is drawn in the exact same style (that, plus the level of detail I juste mentionned), I can only deduct he really starts from scratch to do this. So my question is as follows : how the heck can he product such good quality items starting from absolutely nothing? Has anyone here already did this, or? I come to you because this guy doesn't actually ever answer this specific question in details, even though a lot of people ask it to him. Thanks for your advices, and have a wonderful night! :) Regards, Tekaro

I did this back in 2014, now I keep a site of my stuff (there is a thread in general with links to my site and backdrop). Long story short: practice. You won't make amazing things immediately, but over time you will figure out tips and tricks to make it a bit easier each time. Having legal copies of the software with the adobe texture, brush, and shape sets helps a lot as well. This was one of my early maps back in 2014:&nbsp; <a href="https://falleron.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/encounte" rel="nofollow">https://falleron.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/encounte</a>... This is one of my most recent maps:&nbsp; <a href="https://falleron.wordpress.com/2015/12/28/encounte" rel="nofollow">https://falleron.wordpress.com/2015/12/28/encounte</a>... Its not overnight! And it isn't quick. My current maps (the 3d rendered ones) generally take me between 8 and 15 hours a week in prep between map making, token making, and scripting and creating encounters. It's a serious time commitment. But its also a lot of fun to see how much your work grows over time. You just gotta keep at it, play around with the software, and push yourself to learn.

Encartrus has the right of it: time and practice.&nbsp; On an unrelated note I recognize one of his background maps as being from my own free work floating around the Internets&nbsp; (the multileved one with the open rock faces), so I wouldn't assume too quickly that he does it all from scratch.

A) Heed the advice of the awesome artists who posted before me... I use their hard work in literally every session I have ;0 B) To start with check out the&nbsp; guide on how to create maps for Roll20 with Gimp in the wiki, it is how I do all my custom stuff... the key is to find some nice free online textures to enhance your floors and walls and you can quickly use the basic features Gimp offers to create some pretty decent maps. C) Have fun with it... that's the ultimate goal right?

Thanks a lot for the feedbacks, I appreciate it. :) I am, however, quite curious about how you started when learning how to do this, I mean, this isn't the kind of skill that has an exact and defined step-by-step learning methodology to it, if you know what I mean. Also Gabriel, thanks for pointing it out, it's good to know he apparently also uses some other sources appart from his own creations. :)

Loic, at the basics Photoshop uses layers. When making dungeon maps, typically you are going to have at least 3 layers: -Top: Walls -Middle: Objects -Bottom: Ground Textures/color It's very much the same as in Roll20, just how many tools you have to make those layers are substantially increased. Most of my early maps only had a dozen or so layers, while my more recent things often have almost a hundred. Going to somewhere like Pinterest or Deviantart to find Photoshop tutorials can help a lot with technique, but practice is what will give you the best results. There is certainly a step by step methodology: -Get Photoshop license (basic, which is what I use, is 9.99 a month which is super cheap for the benefits you get from the texture and tool library) -Watch some basic use tutorials to see what things do. -Experiment -Watch more tutorials -Experiment more (Repeat)

If your questions are related to art production more so than roll20 and specifically about maps&nbsp; I'd suggest the forums of the Cartographer's Guild as a good place to find tutorials, ask questions, and get good advice.&nbsp; Combine that with some good image practices specific to Roll20 and you'll be well on your way.&nbsp; If you have more specific questions feel free to message me and I'll be happy to answer them.

My steps were: Paid a lot of money to people to make art for me. &nbsp; Had varying levels of satisfaction. Ran low on money. Decided to learn to art. Visited Deviantart, looked for tutorials. &nbsp; Did art. &nbsp;Art was crappy. &nbsp;Did art more. &nbsp;Kept at it. &nbsp;Kept reading and practising. Art initially looked like this: Art now looks like: That's about a year and a half of improvements, drawing about 2-3 times a week. Download GIMP2, watch some YouTube on how-to get started with layers and such, maybe pick up "25 Quick and Dirty Map Tutorials" if you want some map specific stuff. &nbsp;Really hope you'll enjoy it, I think it's a wonderful hobby!

I watched the video you posted and I count at MINIMUM, three distinct types of maps: Those made from photographs with a blurring filter overlayed on them, those made or taken purely from Dundjinni assets and any of the sites where user-made Dundjinni maps are posted, and Gabriel P.'s marketplace maps with either custom-made, or Dundjinni-forum assets placed on top of them. All of these things are availible on the internet or here on Roll20. I see almost nothing in that video that indicates anything was made in Photoshop "from scratch", and I can say this pretty confidently considering from-scratch Photoshop map commissions are something I do very regularly.

Another great resource if you want help creating maps is The Cartographer's Guild. I know the work of some of the guys like Devin Night (the token maker) from there. &nbsp;They are super helpful and even aided me when I was building the massive monstrosity I'll try add in here. &nbsp;This thing is actually about 1/4 of the original size. &nbsp;Except for the ships, shipwheels to denote ports and the coat of arms (which was compiled from a set of downloads and coloured)... this thing is almost entirely hand drawn. &nbsp;Yep... each tree in one at a time. &nbsp;Got lots of help from them on how to do it too.

Thanks a lot for all your responses guys, you were incredibly kind and helpful! :)

Some great advice in this thread! Since your original question has been answered fantastically by the community, Loïc T. , I'll close this thread. Feel free to open another one if you have more questions.