OK, last post off-topic...I'll start a new thread a bit later on for challenges like this. Now as, I've said before, there are usually 5 or six ways to do things in Photoshop, so asking for the 'easiest' technique is a bit of a loaded question. However, since we were on the topic of layer effects, I'll go ahead and share my technique using them, and hopefully someone will learn something...:-) Apply Bevel&Emboss effect to new, empty, layer. Set foreground color to taste (you may want purple clouds, who knows?). Using a Painting tool (Paint Brush, Pattern Stamp, Airbrush if you not at version 7 yet (7 introduced Airbrush as a setting for painting tools rather than as a stand-alone tool, meaning the Clone Stamp can be used as an airbrush if that's your fancy), change the brush shape to something with some texture. Natural brushes work nice, but keep it relatively round. Patter the brush in the layer, which will display with the Bevel&Emboss effect applied. Result - photo realistic clouds. Now, this is an easy technique for me...especially since I have brush and layer styles already set up to do it, however, ease of application in Photoshop is somewhat relative to the user, and some people may prefer the Alpha Channel/Render Clouds/Render Lighting Effects technique I think you're probably thinking of...I, personally, like to maintain as much control as possible, which is why I usually go manual. Still, one might pose the question 'what's the best way to hold a pencil?' and get the same probable number of replies...Photoshop is an artist's tool, not a mechanical device with specific parameters, so there will always be alternative solutions to any given task.