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1. Open Roblox Studio and create a blank Baseplate 2. (Group Activity) How does a Skybox work? 3. Prepare Roblox for Image Uploading 4. Use Pixlr to design one side of your Skybox 5. Upload the Skybox image into Roblox 6. Adjust the Skybox Ceiling 7. Adjust Lighting Properties 8. (Optional) Create custom terrain

Project 579: Custom Skyboxes and Environments

4. Use Pixlr to design one side of your Skybox

Pixlr is a free online art program we’ll use to quickly design what you’ll use as the panel in your Skybox. The steps below outline how to use Pixlr basically, and create a sky design similar to the example - but this design is just ONE idea and there’s MANY ways to design your own sky! 
Starting point link for this challenge

Your goal

Hint: show steps

Steps

1. Go to Pixlr E and click Create New

The link is here. 

2. Create a 900x900 canvas

Each panel has to be a square shape.

3. Pick a color for the sky

Will it be a sunny day? Cloudy? Sunset? 

4. Use the paint bucket tool to fill out your canvas

The paint bucket tool is on the left toolbar.

5. Choose a gradient

Navigate to the gradient tool. 

In the top toolbar, notice how one side of your gradient is the base color of your sky already. 

Choose a slightly lighter shade for the second color. 

6. Create your gradient

Click your mouse in the middle of your canvas. Hold down SHIFT to create a straight line, and click again at the top of your canvas. 

Remember, we want the gradient mainly to be at the top half of your canvas, since the Baseplate is in about the middle of the entire sky panel. 

7. Create a new layer to place clouds!

Click the plus button in the layer manager to create a new Empty layer.

In digital art, it’s often good to separate objects into different layers for easier editing.

8. Choose a color for your clouds

A soft, lighter color would be nice!

9. Choose a soft brush

Select the brush tool, then go into the brush options. Leave the “size” at about 30%, and raise the “softness” to about 60%.

10. Create small dots as clouds

These will appear really small! But remember - this image will be HUGE inside of Roblox. It will look more realistic to have tiny clouds instead. 

Remember, you’ll want most of your clouds to be in the top half of the canvas, so you can see them in-game! 

11. (Optional) Soften the clouds with a transparency or blending mode

Right click on the layer and lower the transparency. Select the blending mode and try experimenting with different effects. The example uses “Soft Light.” 

12. (Optional) Add depth with multiple layers

The example has one cloud layer that’s pretty transparent, to look like far away clouds, and one other cloud layer on top that’s more opaque, to look like nearby clouds.