Another way which ocours great FX is, to cut out clouds from
a picture of a clear blue sky with random sheepclouds...( german translation

)
Form these cloud into a smoke cloud...try to experiment with [ Blur - Motion Blur ]
Selectiv Colour... [ try to change an highlight the black, gray, white areas.
Than take the rubber and erase some places. Some mor, some less....
Its not that difficult, but a lil bit .....
Sniper-X