Make REAL Clouds

[Remii9512]

This tutorial is available as a PDF. Click here to view or download it

Hey, guys! This is my first tut. I decided, if it was going to be easy, where better to put it than the Newbie Playground! (Right?)

So, you want to make some clouds. For random reasons, maybe, or just a nice sky. Whatever you want. But, ISSUE: Darn, the Cloud render (Effects -> Render -> Cloud) just doesn't give a cloudy feeling, eh? Well, I know what to do! Follow this tut! You'll get the right clouds YOU need in no time.

First, you'll need something called a plugin. That's an effect or render made by a user that you can use in Paint.Net.

The Threshold plugin is part of Ed Harvey's plugin pack -

https://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/18811-ed-harvey-effects-v-35-2012-02-13/

 

Wanna know how to install plugins, too?

 

https://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/1708-how-to-install-pluginsgeneral-plugin-troubleshooting-thread/

 

So, onto the real work. Paint.Net wasn't made just for text, you know!

First step. An emotional milestone. The first step of fantasticalness. You open Paint.Net. Gasp! Is that Paint.Net? Wow! Now, go to file -> new.

Great! Now, select your region size. My personal favorite is 800x600, but you can put whatever you want.

Awesome! Now, let's get to work. Go to Effects -> Render -> Cloud and that will bring you to a proportions menu. (You won't have as many buttons as I do, but once you learn how to install Plugins, I bet you'll have to scroll to get to B's!

We're on our way! Now fiddle around with the cloud settings. Your original color setting will be black and white, but that's exactly what we need.

Cool! Now you have what a lazy bum would call 'stormclouds'. But, see the lack of detail? Pssh, I bet we could do better, huh? Now go to Effects -> Color -> Threshold. Here, you can adjust how many or how few clouds there will be. Oooh!

Almost done! Now take the Magic Wand tool and set the tolerance to something around 50 and put it on Global mode. Select the color you want the sky (not the clouds) to be. So all that color should be selected! So that's why they call it the MAGIC (Oooh) wand tool.

Just a few more steps! Select the Paint Bucket tool :PaintBucketTool: and put the color (in the color wheel) to a sky-blueish-cyan color. Then click anywhere in the selected reigon. Wow! Now you have a sky with blocky, black clouds. But we're not done yet; bear with me!

Now, like you did back there to select the sky, now select the other color; the one you want the clouds as. Then have the color as white, gray, or whatever color you want the clouds to be. Now, like you did last time, fill the clouds with that color.

Now we have something close to a sky. But the clouds are too blocky. So, what do we do? We use my trusty sidekick, Gaussian Blur! :GaussianBlur: First of all, deselect by clicking outside of the box with the magic wand tool. Found in Effects -> Blurs -> Gaussian Blur, Slide my little friend to what you find appropriate.

And-bingo! Right on the spot! You have your handy-dandy clouds! Note, you can make way different clouds and skies with different colors! Awesome, right?

If there are any problems with this tut, please post them and I will fix it immediatley.

[Curmudgeon]

have you ever tried the Clouds plugin by Sepcot?

http://paintdotnet.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2105

IMHO, this produces a much more realistic looking cloud

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Image size must be less than 800px. Please resize the ones that are too wide.

[jerry533482]

Awesome effect, Remii9512! I will be using this on my future cloud projects.

[Remii9512]

Sorry, I'll resize them right now.

EDIT:

Done. Sorry!

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Sorry, I'll resize them right now.

EDIT:

Done. Sorry!

Check images 6, 7 & 8. They still appear to be too wide.

[Remii9512]

Hrm, weird... I'll resize them again.

[Martel]

Enjoyable tut Remii9512

Thanks

[Remii9512]

You're welcome.

[Krammy]

Haha! This is my first comment. Just rounding up my skills.

I can't seem to find Threshold on my Effects tab. Why isn't it there?

[Sarkut]

Krammy,

Threshold is part of Ed Harvey's plugin pack -

HOW TO INSTALL PLUGINS

Once installed it will show here:

Effects > Color > Threshold

Edited April 7, 2010 by Sarkut

[Remii9512]

Oops! Probably should list that. Thanks!

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Added PDF link