Clouds with Lightning storm inside with RFM

[nadine]

I just wanted to ask some advice to pointers on achieving the following
effect. I am trying to learn renderman for maya so was wondering how these kind of clouds could be created with that renderer.  I would like make some really thick clouds with little
lightning flashes going off in the them, and maybe even rain coming
down...Was wondering whats the best way forward in maya? (Considering
that today is the first time I have looked particles and fluids,,,) Although I have just read that RFM doesnt support fluids?

Here are some pictures of what I am aspiring/thinking about :

http://www.tolkienforums.com/Mount\_Doom.jpg

I really love those little details of fiery light emanating from the cloud.

And I was going to include a picture of the end of Raiders of The Lost
Ark, that old school trick of pouring in a solution into water to make
those incredibly thick clouds that looks like white paint moving
around...does anybody remember that technique? I think they use it in
Big trouble in Little China as well?

Thanks in advance

[katsu]

Hi there -

I don't know if you ever figured this out, but I recently did a tutorial that creates clouds / smoke that look just like your Mount Doom picture:

http://vimeo.com/11380360