Thunder cloud dispersal effect (isolated)

[NoName]

Hello,

As the thread title says, what's a good way to get an isolated thunder cloud dispersal? What I have right now is copying a portion of an image with thunder clouds, pasting that portion as a separate layer, adjusting the brightness/contrast, then using a brush tool to erase the straight edges:

Original image:



Isolated portion with the effect:



Removing edges with eraser + brush (doesn't look good at all, but this is just to show what I've come up with so far):



I've attached a PSD file as well. Is there a good way to get a convincing looking effect? I'll add the thunder effect later on, but just need an isolated cloud portion that is adjustable. The goal is to achieve something like these (minus the thunder bolt):





Thanks for any input!

 

[IamSam]

Here's one method.

Ominous clouds layer


New layer.
Brush Tool set to white. Soft brush lowered to about 10% opacity.
Set this layers blending mode to overlay.


New layer.
Brush Tool set to white with opacity set too 1%. Use big soft brush.
Normal blending mode.


New layer.
Add the lightening bolts!
Brush Tool lightening bolt set.
Normal blending mode.




Your image...

 

[ushere]

sam - you're good!!!

 

[NoName]

Woah! Nice one Sam! Looks great, thanks for sharing that technique.

 

[IamSam]

sam - you're good!!!

Well.........at least experienced.

Woah! Nice one Sam! Looks great, thanks for sharing that technique.

Thanks and you're welcome! Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[NoName]

Thanks, there is one question..., well more your input. In the op, I provided the following image which shows a light-ish yellow thunder cloud:



Using your technique, selecting the portion of the image that requires the yellow thunder cloud, changing the background's hue, merging and copying to a new image of the background, and finally erasing the edges, I got the following:



Again, since it's using the edge erasing, it does't look too good. Just wondering if you'd know of a way to get the cloud thunder to be of a different hue while still looking like it's blended. You've demonstrated how this can be done where colours aren't intended to be changed, but not sure if this is doable with a different hue involved.

Thanks again!

 

[IamSam]

Again, since it's using the edge erasing, it does't look too good.

Yes, don't use any technique where you need to erase the edges.

Here, I just applied a Hue & Sat Adjustment layer clipped to the second white layer...

 

[NoName]

Nice! Thanks again for your input!