Dynamically converting a two-color cloud into a transparent single-color cloud in Photoshop

Question

I have a black and white cloud in one Photoshop layer and I want to turn it into a transparent single-color cloud in another layer. Like this:

Easy enough so far, I can just use the original cloud as a layer mask on a layer of whatever color I want the transparent cloud to be. But for this project I really need to be able to do this dynamically, meaning that I can render a new cloud and immediately get the transparent cloud. It seems like there has to be a way of doing this via some combination of smart objects, groups, and blending options but I can't figure out how.

Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

I finally figured out how to do what I wanted! It's convoluted, and there might be a simpler way, but it works. I thought I would post an answer to my own question for the benefit of anyone else trying to do the same thing.

The breakthrough was realizing that you can split the "Blend If" sliders in half by holding down alt (option on mac). This allows for a smooth gradient, rather than a sharp cutoff. I have somehow been using Photoshop for like a decade without ever realizing this.

So the solution goes like this:

1. Start with a black and white cloud.
2. Stick a 100% Cyan solid color adjustment layer on top of the cloud.
3. Open blending options for the adjustment layer, set "Blend If" to "Black" then hold down alt and drag the right half of the the black "Underlying Layer" slider all the way over to the other side.
4. Now you just need to hide everything except that Cyan adjustment layer, so put both it and the cloud into a group, open blending options for the group, and then using the "Blend If: This Layer" sliders set half the white slider all the way to the left for "Cyan" and half the black slider all the way to the right for "Black."

5. Finally put the whole group into another group and apply whatever layer styles, such as color overlay, you want. Viola! An opaque, two-color cloud is dynamically transformed into a transparent single color cloud.

Answer 2

I may not fully understand what the problem is. If you are seeking to make the Clouds filter use transparency as opposed to two colors, I don't think that is at all possible. The filter always uses two colors.

This could all be automated rather easily via an action.

Start recording...

1. Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color (just click ok until the dialog closes.)
2. Double click the newly created Fill Layer in the Layers Panel and select a color
3. Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All
4. Filter > Render > Clouds

.. Stop recording.

Assign an F key for the action and it's all just one keypress away. Simply set the second step to allow user input and you'd be asked to pick the color for the Fill Layer.

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It's also possible to set the foreground/background colors and the filter will use those colors when rendered on layer, as opposed to rendered on a mask.

So, you could also render the clouds with a color for foreground and white or black for the background, then set the blending mode, or adjust blending options, of the Layer to hide one color. Although I don't think this would be nearly as versatile as using an action as described above.