GIMP Version: 2.8.14
Operating System: Windows
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

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Hello everyone,

has anyone experience with creating clouds during sunset? So far I have created this but I am still not satisfied with it. I have been using cloud brushes with various settings (size and opacity), gradient painting and many layers (this image has 7). I feel like I am doing this way to complicated and just having so many layers with differently colored clouds is not the right way.

I would like to achieve this smooth transition of colors. See the attached image that I downloaded from the web. I want to get as much realistic as possible. My creation seems more like a painting.

Can I get some advice on how to get better results? What other tools to use and steps to follow? What have you created and how?

Cheers

Clouds aren't the easiest subject to paint and when I can paint them properly I will be really pleased with myself. Even if you are not satisfied, I think you have done a really good job. I wish I could advise you but you are ahead of me in this.

My second attempt. Looks like doing mainly gradient painting is way to go. Maybe doing it more precisely would lead to better results.

Just had an idea. Can you have multiclolor gradients of your own?

The way you paint them it looks like the top is orange while the top should be white.

Clouds are as much about feeling as about seeing. Look at this beautiful Turner sunset. It's not about the clouds 'looking like clouds'. You feel it as much as see it. The atmosphere just pulls you in. There is no right or wrong way to paint clouds. You will feel it when it is right for you.

Agree with the above what steven8 said. It's the atmosphere and mood what counts when you do your own pics/art with your own style.
Here's a quick try how I would use gradient to create "realistic" sunset clouds.
Never mind the crappy BG, it was done with dark orange and blue gradient. Then I made white circle (sun) duplicated it few times, and gaussian blurred each copy with growing size. Added random white and yellow around with acrylic brush, smudged that layer heavily.
Cloud was from Project GimpBC brush set, because I don't have a tablet to draw. Getting new soon...sold Intuos4 earlier couldn't get it to work with 2.8.
I locked the alpha channel on the cloud layer, used white-orange-brown gradient. You can play with the shape settings.
If you place clouds around the sun and use radial shape, the brightest areas will be the closest cloud edges to your sun, and it should look quite nice.

I advise you to update to Gimp 2.10, the gradient tool has live preview and you can edit your gradients over the canvas.

I used brushes and arranged the brush strokes on more than one layer. I used Curves to calibrate the color.

@Viceroy07
You asked:
Can you have multiclolor gradients of your own?

Do you have this set of Atmospheric gradients (by Nevitt at DeviantArt?) - can be a clue to create your own...


@Krikor
This is great - please guide (mini tutorial?)

Wow this is amazing. Could you please tell me in more detail how did you do it? What is ''brush stroke'' and curves to calibrate colors? Never heard of these terms.

MareroQ, I just read the post and tried to experiment. I just tried it and that's what I posted. I only provided brush strokes on different layers, chose the color shades used on those layers, and adjusted using Curves.
I will make xcf available if it is in anyone's interest.


Maybe I did not express myself correctly, my English is unfortunate.
But if you look at the attached xcf you will understand.

After choosing and applying the desired tones on each layer, I adjusted these tones in the Colors - Curves menu. It is also possible to vary the modes of the layers to taste.

I did not try to present a technique ready to achieve this result, it was just an experience I shared. Good that you pleased. :-)

@Krikor this what I came up with. I watched tutorials on how to the brush stroke technique but I got halfway stuck thru the tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffY4Bu3_LTQ). To be exact when the person in the video applyed gradient and then switched from normal to screen my gradient completely disappeared. At that point I gave up. Maybe if you know better tutorial and send it here would be helpful.

Anyway I still managed to create my own image with out. I selected alpha channel on the cloud layer, created new layer on top, applied gradient, moved layer below cloud layer, clicked select none and finally moved the layer back on top. Also you used ''Addition'' mode which I noticed later and it really helped to get me better result. Previously I was using normal or soft light.

That's a nice cloud

Had to take another try because sunlight is definitely not my cup of tea, making moonshine is much easier.

Viceroy07: Those clouds are just beautiful, so well painted! Are you happy with your result now? I am in awe of the resutl anyway!

I can't see how that tutorial would have helped you in either case, it was just on how to make a photo look like it's been painted onto a surface with one or a few brushstrokes. krikor, if Im not mistaken, was just talking about painting on different layers. Also, the gradient disappearing when you used "screen" was probably because of the colours you had on the layer under it.

Yes I am happy with the results. It was just that till that moment I was using just normal mode when applying brushes, layers and gradients. Now that I have more modes in disposal (mainly ''additional'' mode) made it much better.

Krikor mentioned ''brush stroke'' technique so I was curious to try out. It did not work out for me so I went back to gradient painting method.

By the way If anyone knows nice cloud brushes with high resolution post here or pm me them. Preferably similar to those that I have in my image.

Thank you all for you responses and all the help that I got. Much appreciated!