How to make a cloud layer?

[Michael Morris]

I'm making a small vignette of a 1/144 Learjet flying very high over the sea at night.  My idea would be to have a base of a picture of the sea, with a layer of patchy cloud a couple of centimetres above it, then the plane mounted on a clear plastic rod about 5 cm above that.  The scene will have a backdrop of the night sky on two sides, so this will provide some support for the cloud layer.

 

So my question is this - How to make a thin layer of patchy cloud that is rigid, but looks sort of realistic? 

 

I was thinking about using furniture stuffing for the clouds and soak them in something to make them rigid.  If so, what would I use? 

An alternative would be to make a thin, but very rigid, frame and attach the furniture stuffing to that.   I could then mount the frame on the background.  If I go for this option, what ideas do [people have for the best material and construction technique for making a frame that wouldn't sag?

 

Thanks

[Michael Morris]

8 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

At a fabric shop, get toy stuffing. There is another name but I've forgotten it. Its a loose fibre stuff.  Although its 'loose' it can be formed and shaped and will hold the shape

I used some of it in this for the 'smoke' 

 

and this, for the sand 'cloud' in front of the mine clearer

Thanks.  That's the stuff I was going to use.  However, my question was about how to make a rigid layer of it.

[Solexman]

Why does it need to be rigid?

Use the toy stuffing as above, form it into a layer, then support it on a fine wire armature which in turn is attached to your backdrop.

If you wanted to firm it up I’d use cheap hairspray.