Comment on Monster Hunter Map by Azophel
I actually created a custom brush and played around with the settings until I got the desired effect. Then I just painted a different background color underneath so that they stood out. 
oh just wondering would you share your mountain brush with me?? its a little more pleasing to the eye then some of the other brushes i been trying...
Noted you.
i need to figure out how to do some of this they are amazingly done. i want to turn my map in to some thing like to this.. the detail is nice.
Gradients and smudging will give you nice base textures for your continents; the Great Desert being a prime example of the result. 
i recently got a scanner that allows my to get my map sketch up to three times the size i was originaly using. so i hop i can make a good bit of detail.