How to make clouds?

[maxsims]

I was starting a new map:


When I wondered how to make clouds. Not the clouds render that can be found on photoshop and other software, but the clouds like on weather channel maps, you know, the ones over the map, like on satellite images? Oh, and I wondered how to make a gradient for snow-to-grass and sand-to-grass in maps like mine? A bit like this:

(This is not my map BTW)

I'm using Paint.net, but feel free to help me if you have Photoshop too!

[ravells]

The easiest way is not to make them but to grab them from sattelite images. Grab a picture of clouds and use the 'select by colour' tool in photoshop, adjust fuzziness and then invert the selection and delete.

Like this (the first one is a png with a transparent background and the second one is a jpeg with a background).

To make gradients from snow to grass etc I just use a really big soft edged brush to do it. Make sure you have your land selected so you can paint inside the land areas and use the edge of a big soft brush. Hope that helps!

[RobA]

If you want to use rendered clouds, it is worth warping them a bit with liquid warp/iwarp then differnece clouding them a fiew times and playing with levels.

Lastly, duplicate the clouds and put a dark grey, blurred copy beneith the white to give it more depth.

here was a quicky:

clouds.png

-Rob A>