Procedural Volumetric Clouds by Andy Goralczyk

Andy Goralczyk breaks down his process for creating procedural volumetric clouds in Blender, originally developed for the Spring open movie project. This is a deep look at a production-ready technique, not just a basic tutorial.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Build a fully procedural cloud shader from scratch.
• Control cloud density, shape, and lighting with node-based parameters.
• Integrate volumetric clouds into a final scene for rendering.

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Intermediate knowledge of Blender’s node editor and shader workflow.
• Tools: A 3-button mouse.
• Hardware: A dedicated GPU is recommended for rendering volumetric effects.

📝 Description

This isn’t about using a preset. Andy walks you through the exact node-based logic he used to generate the clouds for a professional short film. You’ll learn how to control every aspect of the cloud’s appearance—from wispy edges to dense cores—using pure math and textures inside Blender.

The focus is on a production-proven workflow. You’ll see how to set up the shader for flexibility, so you can tweak it for different shots without rebuilding everything. It’s a practical, no-nonsense breakdown of a complex effect.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Blender artists who want to move beyond basic tutorials and learn a professional technique.
• CG artists interested in procedural shading and volumetric effects.
• Anyone who wants to understand how the Spring movie’s sky was created.

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Andy Goralczyk is a veteran Blender artist and a key member of the Blender Studio team. He has worked on multiple open movie projects, including Spring, where he was responsible for look development and shading. His deep understanding of Blender’s internals makes him an authoritative voice on procedural workflows.

🏁 Final Result

• A fully functional, reusable procedural cloud shader setup.
• A rendered scene featuring your own custom volumetric clouds.