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How to make shapes in the sky out of clouds?


jcarst85

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Hi there,

I have intermediate level knowledge of Photoshop (CS5). I did a one-day course a couple of months ago, where the instructor told us how to put shapes/images/text in the sky and then make it so that it looked like cloud. For example we wrote something like, "High in the Sky", then managed to make it look like it was like clouds in the sky that were spelling it out. We also dropped a picture of a plane or something then did the same thing, so there was a cloud shaped plane in the sky. The problem is I've completely forgotten how to do this but it so happens I need it for a work project I am doing. If it's not too much trouble could anyone possibly advise me how to do this? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks a lot! :)
 
Was it a cloud-shaped plane or a plane-shaped cloud?

If the latter, you could use the render>clouds filters and clip those to your object. Pick a foreground and background color you want to use -- like blue and white, lol -- then apply the filter till you get an effect you like. You can use ctl/cmd + f to reapply the filter till you get a configuration you like. You might want to try adding the filter stylize>wind just for something different, but then it would be good I think to apply it to the letters too so the wind effect is more clear. Anyway, your instructor may have used other effects, layers, blend modes in addition. But that is my guess.

clouds.jpg
 
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Hi guys and thanks for your responses and taking the time to help me! :)

ibclare, it was a plane-shaped cloud. What he did was take an image of a plane, drop it into an image that had clouds in it, then did something whereby he copied clouds from other parts of the image over the plane so that the shape of the plane remained but it was all in clouds. So they were real clouds forming the shape of a plane, taken from another part of the image, not a created cloud effect. Any ideas? I will try your option as well and see how that looks too. Would you be able to let me know how to do that in a slightly more step-by-step, layman's terms though as I didn't quite understand that. For example I'm just not sure why I'm creating a foreground and background color etc.

thedirtyknapkin that's cool! I'm really trying to achieve the above though if you can help, that is, putting real clouds over a particular shape to form real life clouds in the shape of my object or text.

Thanks!
:)
 
Same concept. Make a clipping layer. Put the cloud layer above the plane or type or whatever. Hold down the alt key and click on the line between the layers. The you can move your clouds around till you get them where you want them. You can transform them so you have more cloud to see, stretch, warp, etc. Try that. I think it's what you want. Here's an example:

Capture.PNG
 
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Hi ibclare,

Thanks for your help. Those are great and definitely helping me. I think I'm not quite explaining it well though haha. I'd like to achieve the below. So similar to when you just look into the sky and see a cloud in a funny shape.


Cloud_shape_Wallpaper__yvt2.jpg
 
jcarst, Paul's method is interesting but not quite what you're looking for. Here's a tip for you. Sometimes you'll find what you want on GOOGLE. I'm not trying to be snotty about googling as I'm sure if I would likely not ever have come up with this creative method:

http://www.photoshoplady.com/tutorial/super-clouds-text-in-photoshop/1126


Maybe I would have stumbled onto this method. It's is a little more obvious but I am not saying it is not creatively inspired, and it's quite simple to follow. Easier than Photoshop Lady's:

http://www.photoshopstar.com/effects/clouds-text-shapes/


For this one, I'd rather not use a majority of cloud brushes. I think I would have used a clipping layer to capture some cloud photos.

Like this:

Make a base layer of blue, the same as your sky.

Create your text layer.

Choose a cloud sky layer and clip this to the text layer.

Duplicate the cloud layer and move it below the letters.

Take the marquee tool and select around the letters but with room enough around them to make wide, fluffy edges around the above text.

Duplicate this to another layer and turn the lower cloud layer off.

Now you'll need to do a quick masking of the excess around the cloudy selection below the text.

Add a layer mask to this layer and brush away in black until you have shapes you want around the letters. Turn the text layer off and mask out more of the cloud shapes - if you want to.

Last step if you like. Make the lowest cloud layer visible and lower the opacity. The clouds in the letters will stand out yet line up with the clouds. Or leave off the layer and have your cloud letters on your own sky.

Now I suppose you could use cloud brushes to add shapes to your liking.

That's my adaptation of the second tutorial. I didn't intend to make my own tut, but that's the teacher in me!

Hope you have fun following one or more of these methods. :popcorn:
 
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Wow that's awesome. Thanks Clare! I did spend hours googling but didn't see that. I thought I was a good "googaliser" too. :cry:

I will give it a try over the next week and let you know if I have any troubles!
 
Hi Clare,

I tried the first method, which looks really cool, however when I go to the brushes section they are all grayed out. Could this be a licence thing whereby my work just hasn't bough brushes, or am I doing something wrong?

Would you be able to provide a picture of the outcome of your tutorial? What I'm doing is not coming out correctly so I just want to see if it is working for you, then I can find out where I'm going wrong.

When you say choose a cloud sky layer, is that just an image of sky with lots of clouds, ala the attached?

Also, what marquee tool do you use to select around the letters but leave room? I'm only aware of how to select objects, not leave space around them.

I'm also not familiar with masking so probably got a bit lost during those steps. :sad:

Thanks.
 

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IDK what's up with the brushes; they shouldn't be grayed out. I'd need more info to guess on what's up with that.

As for the ala cloud, yes, that's what I meant.

This method is going to give you different results from the example you showed. I was typing it out as I thought it. I did try it but have already discarded the psd and I think I may have made a change in layer order or something, so my apologies. But I will do it again when I have the time -- perhaps tomorrow -- and show you my results and try to put together a cohesive explanation, lol. If you want it.
 

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