How can I use the result of a distribution shader from an Easy cloud?

[Njen]

Is there anyway to use the result of a distribution shader that has been attached to an easy cloud as a mask? Plugging the output into the density input of another cloud doesn't seem to work, and I tried various convert functions but with also no desired result.

Any ideas?

[Kevin Kipper]

If you're trying to use the clouds as a mask, take a look at the similar thread below where Matt has offered a solution using a render of the cloud layer and projecting the rendered image back into the project as a mask.

https://planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,28627.msg283259.html#msg283259

[Njen]

Thanks for the link.

Unfortunately I am rendering an animation and the clouds drift and evolve over time, so using a single rendered image projected from a camera will not be sufficient, and rendering an image sequence for over 4000 frames while possible, is almost infeasible, especially if I need to make adjustments and need to constantly rerender the sequence before the actual beauty render.

[Matt]

I don't have any other ideas for a solution yet, but can you tell us what you'll use it for? That might spark some ideas.

[Njen]

I wanted to do rain (from a distance).

[Dune]

You could try using the same cloud layer (same seed, etc), but stretched and lowered... and perhaps reduced and masked by a smaller stretched fractal mask so you only have rain beneath the thickest clouds. With a transform shader you can tilt the rain a bit, and with a warp shader, vector displacement and a distribution shader you can add some sort of wind effect. That's the way I did it.