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Description
How to get rid of labels from published maps

It's often the case that you find that you have a map from an adventure that has labels on it. You need to remove the labels before you show it to your players or they'll know where the bad guys are. On many maps this is actually pretty easy:

1. Check out the area underneath the label. Is it a square flagstone? Is it a dirty cavern floor? Now look for another area with a similar style.
2. Take a selection tool - the simplest and often the most useful is the rectangular selection tool - and set the feather option to something like 10-15px (this totally depends on the resolution and size of the map you're working on).
3. Select an empty area of floor that's similar to the one that your label is on. Copy it, and paste it to a new layer.
4. Move the new layer over the label and see how it looks. The feathered edge of the selection helps it to blend in with the background. It doesn't matter if it's not perfect. It's better to use a collection of different pasted layers, rather than one large panel. Remember, you can also rotate and flip your patch to help avoid obvious repeating patterns.
5. Repeat with different patches until your label is covered.

Once you've done this, you can:
• rescale your map: [link]
• slice it up for printing: [link]

The method should be generic to any graphics program. If you're feeling enthusiastic, it's easy to extend this method to use the clone tool rather than copying a feathered selection. Let me know if that's something you'd like to see in more detail.

The map I used for this demo was one I originally created for Illusionary Press. If you fancy using it for your own games, it's available here (labels already removed, and sized formatted and sliced for use with home printing, maptool or for any other vtt): [link]

You can check out more tips on my G+ page [link] or on Facebook [link]

As with earlier tips, they are archived on my blog each week here: [link]
#fmtips #map #tutorial #photoshop

Description
How to get rid of labels from published maps

It's often the case that you find that you have a map from an adventure that has labels on it. You need to remove the labels before you show it to your players or they'll know where the bad guys are. On many maps this is actually pretty easy:

1. Check out the area underneath the label. Is it a square flagstone? Is it a dirty cavern floor? Now look for another area with a similar style.
2. Take a selection tool - the simplest and often the most useful is the rectangular selection tool - and set the feather option to something like 10-15px (this totally depends on the resolution and size of the map you're working on).
3. Select an empty area of floor that's similar to the one that your label is on. Copy it, and paste it to a new layer.
4. Move the new layer over the label and see how it looks. The feathered edge of the selection helps it to blend in with the background. It doesn't matter if it's not perfect. It's better to use a collection of different pasted layers, rather than one large panel. Remember, you can also rotate and flip your patch to help avoid obvious repeating patterns.
5. Repeat with different patches until your label is covered.

Once you've done this, you can:
• rescale your map: [link]
• slice it up for printing: [link]

The method should be generic to any graphics program. If you're feeling enthusiastic, it's easy to extend this method to use the clone tool rather than copying a feathered selection. Let me know if that's something you'd like to see in more detail.

The map I used for this demo was one I originally created for Illusionary Press. If you fancy using it for your own games, it's available here (labels already removed, and sized formatted and sliced for use with home printing, maptool or for any other vtt): [link]

You can check out more tips on my G+ page [link] or on Facebook [link]

As with earlier tips, they are archived on my blog each week here: [link]
#fmtips #map #tutorial #photoshop