How to fill in a map quicker?

[saramello]

I use paint.net to make maps, using a blank map template and fill in the states. The problem is once I fill them in, I have to spend a lot of time disconnecting all the internal borders (in one country) from the external borders (separating different countries), then using paint bucket to remove it. This requires me to cut every single line, and if I miss one, every line on the map is turned into the color of the country. This takes a lot of time. 

 

With that in mind, is there a way to tell paint.net to fill in all the internal lines surrounded by the same color? 

 

Then again I know paint.net works wonders but this might be too niche

[Ego Eram Reputo]

2 hours ago, saramello said:

is there a way to tell paint.net to fill in all the internal lines surrounded by the same color? 

 

You'll need this plugin: 1px expansion from @dpy's plugin pack, and one of Feather Object or AA's Assistant.

1. Use the magic Wand tool with the SHIFT key held down to select all of the country color (I had to lower the Tolerance quite a bit make sure only one hue was selected).
2. Copy the selection CTRL + C
3. Paste the selection into a new layer CTRL + SHIFT + V
4. Apply Effects > Distort > 1px expansion (I had to apply it three times to clean up Deep Purple).
5. Note that you've increased the size of the country as a side-effect of closing up the internal borders. Apply AA's Assistant repeatedly (Ctrl + F after the first time you run it) or @BoltBait's Feather Object (Radius=3) to nibble away at the borders until the external border is again visible.

Repeat for each country.

 

[saramello]

Ah ok. I will try this out this weekend. Would it be easier to use an easier hue to copy paste then just re-color it at the end? If so, what is the best hue/s to do so? 

[Ego Eram Reputo]

I think with a suitably low tolerance you'll be fine selecting just one hue.

 

Also I didn't make it clear, step 3.5 = Deselect the copied land before running 1px Expansion.