Anyone remember the movie Independence Day?

Remember when the alien ships appeared as those rolling clouds with fiery centers?

That's today's Sunday Challenge. We are going to make spectral clouds with fiery centers.

Good luck!

Fiery clouds like these ? Since it is not possible to illuminate spectral clouds from the inside (only sunlight affects them), I had to use the same trick used to make trees covered with snow. Essentially, make a copy of the clouds, change the color and move them slightly above or under the original clouds. Here, you have one group of clouds in Black and the same group in Red, slightly moved under and away from the Black group to give the illusion of clouds illuminated from under. It's not perfect but it kind of works.

Those aren't bad. What I am actually experimenting with is seeing if I can get an area light inside of the clouds, or on a copy, but as you said, only sunlight seems to affect them. Makes it an interesting challenge.

Nice clouds btw.

Well, using Vue Easel there is no way I can make a Spectral cloud, but I can create fire within sherical clouds.  This is the less clouds more fire version.  Just had to take a shot at it.

Here is my version.

Mikebres, that is very impressive. Mine has almost rendered, and I will show my results soon also.

Thank you.  

I'm looking forward to seeing yours.

Guess I am going to have to do better.  So did the ship minus the big vertical column.