The first step to painting clouds with acrylics is to pick up a light blue or white color for the sky as a background.
Quiet Clouds Drifting Upstream – An acrylic painting lesson
Come paint a quiet sunset with me. Imagine walking in nature on a warm later summer day, and coming across a calm field stream. You can barely hear the water, but it gives just a faint gurgle and splash here and there as it flows past the grass and mud. As the sun sets the clouds begin to glow. The reflection in the water is perfect because the water has so few ripples it acts like a mirror. You breath in the fresh air and just connect with nature.
I hope you can feel that sense of calm. That is what I was trying to capture in my latest painting lesson Quiet Clouds Drifting Upstream. Learn how to paint this painting from start to finish. I will show you how to set up the composition with a few brush strokes and then work our way from the background through the foreground. I show you each brush stroke of the painting.
This lesson is only 1 hour and 15 minutes long. You can do so much in such little time when it comes to painting, you just need to know the steps. And I can show you those steps.
Canvas Size: 10 X 20
Colors Used: Cadmium Yellow Medium, Raw Umber, Alizarin Crimson, Teal, Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue
Medium: Acrylic
Lesson Length: 1 hour 16 minutes
Reference photo included online
To purchase this lesson, click Add to Cart, then click Checkout, and follow the onscreen instructions. Once you’ve completed the order, you’ll be able to instantly access the lesson by clicking the blue button labeled with your display name in the upper-right and then selecting My Painting Lessons.
Note: DVD orders are shipped via First Class mail and should arrive within 5 to 7 business days.
With every Tim Gagnon Studio online lesson purchase, you receive:
- Immediate access – just purchase and begin painting
- Start to finish instruction – no cutouts – you’ll see every brushstroke of every painting
- Easy-to-learn techniques – develop skills to promote consistency in your style for a more professional look
- Unlimited viewing, no expiration – view the lesson as many times as you’d like, whenever you’d like
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Tim Gagnon is the creator of online and DVD-based instructional art lessons for over 17,500 students in over 30 countries. In 2012, he was voted as one of the Top 50 Emerging Artists by Art Business News. His easy-to-learn instruction and unique, modern style has propelled him to one of the most followed artists in the United States.
List of Supplies
- Canvas Panel, 12×12 classic
- Acrylic Premium Artist Paint – Titanium White A101, Cobalt Blue A124
Clouds are some of the easiest subjects to paint from your imagination, but if you’re having trouble envisioning them in your mind, you can go online and see lots of examples to use as a reference. If you’re like me, you might do that at first but soon you’ll be creating your own imaginary ones in different shapes and colors!
Step 1
I dip a large brush into Cobalt Blue A124 and cover the whole canvas with it. For the best results, I use a synthetic brush. Oh, what a beautiful sky!
Step 2
Next, I mix Titanium White A101 with water to create a thin wash and make an outline of the arrangement of the clouds. This makes the perfect halftone. Also, I make the top more transparent, so you can see the sky through it while filling in the bottom to make it appear more solid.
Step 3
Real clouds are made up of smaller ones bunched together. To make that happen, I use lightly thinned white paint for these. At the top, I still want some blue sky showing through, so I’m not too heavy-handed there.
What’s really important is to paint the ones at the bottom, which are in the foreground and closer to us, brighter white. For this part, I get daring and use white paint straight from the tube!
Step 4
For this painting, I imagine sunlight coming from the top left. This helps me place the highlights in the right place. I use a small brush with white to add a light area on the top of each small cloud. I love how this makes each cloud stand out.
Throughout this process, don’t forget that the closer the cloud is to the viewer, the thicker the layer of paint you should use. The highlights at the top won’t be as thick as the ones at the bottom.
Step 5
To pump up the volume of these puffy clouds, I need to create contrast in the foreground. So, I apply Cobalt Blue A124 under them to make shadows. To create the strongest contrast I can, I place dark shades next to lighter ones with a clear edge between the two.
These may be some of my best yet! They look so puffy and remind me of a beautiful summer day. What do you think?
Recommendations
- To get the most out of this demonstration, do not skip any of the steps. It might be tempting to jump from the first step to the last, but each step builds on the one before. If you follow each one you’ll get that realistic look you’re going for.
- Don’t worry about making mistakes. The best thing about acrylic paints is that they are thick and opaque enough to cover any changes you want to make. So, go ahead and be brave! If you don’t like something, just paint over it!
- Always wash your brushes really well with soap and water after you’re finished using them. If you allow the paint to dry on your brushes they will never come clean and will be ruined forever.
Now that you’ve got the steps for making cloud paintings, it’s time to try it on your own. They come in so many sizes, shapes, and colors, you really can’t make a mistake. Try painting those pink and lavender ones you see when the sun rises in the morning or the red and orange clouds at sunset. Or, better yet, create your own custom colors and add a new atmosphere to your art! I hope you’ll leave me a comment about your experiences painting clouds. I’d love to hear about your adventures in cloud painting.
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6 comments
Thanks for the kind words! We’re so glad this has been helpful. Can’t wait to see your cloud creations! 🙂
Arteza April 28, 2022
Thank you for the cloud painting suggestions. I was an oil painter for a number of years and learned to finally make a fluffy cloud. Recently I’ve converted to acrylic due to my wife’s sensitive nose.. Lol. Been having a hard time with clouds but I think your advice will work and am excited to try it out on the current night scene I’ve started. Thanks!
GNR April 28, 2022
Hey Connie! We don’t have the exact dimensions of the brushes that were used, but for step 1 you can use a large, synthetic brush for the best results. For step 4, you’ll want to use a smaller brush for the light details on the clouds.
Arteza April 28, 2022
In your list of supplies, you suggested Level 1 brush, but you didn’t provide the size and shape of the brush. That’s what I need to know. Thanks!
Connie April 28, 2022
We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the tutorial. These are great suggestions that we’ve passed along to our team for further consideration on future tutorials.
Different Kinds Of Clouds
There are different types of clouds you can try in your painting. Each one has different requirements regarding color combinations, but their basic way is almost the same.
- How To Paint Storm Clouds Acrylic Easy?
Storm clouds are dramatic and moody, with dark colors and sharp edges. To draw them, begin with a dark background and use a dry brush technique to add lighter areas for texture.
Use a mix of blue and gray for the base color, then layer in darker shades of gray and black for depth.
Add highlights of white or yellow for lightning flashes, and use a fan brush to produce wispy edges.
Smoke clouds are ethereal and wispy, with a soft, diffuse quality. You have to employ a dry brush with light, feathery strokes.
Start with a light background and layer in gray or black and gradually build up the density of the smoke.
Use cotton swab to make feathery edges, and put in highlights of white or yellow to suggest light shining through the smoke.
When creating an ominous and foreboding atmosphere, dark clouds with deep shades of gray and black can be highly effective.
Begin by using a dark background, and then employ a dry brush strategy to introduce texture and depth.
To form the base color, mix blue and grey hues together, and then layer in darker shades of grey and black for added density.
The evening sky is often graced by understated and evocative clouds, characterized by their blue and purple hues.
To capture their essence, begin by creating a dark backdrop and then add areas of lighter shades using a dry brush technique to create a sense of texture.
Mix blue and purple together to form the base color, and then layer in darker shades of blue and black to infuse depth into the scene.
Highlight the clouds with white or yellow tones to emulate stars or the soft glow of moonlight.
Fluffy clouds are soft and puffy, with rounded shapes and bright white colors. For drawing them, use a wet-on-wet technique with a mix of white and blue.
Use a round brush to create rounded shapes, and blend the edges for a soft, fluffy effect. Don’t forget pure white highlights for brightness and depth.
Sunset clouds can be warm and vibrant, with shades of orange, red, and pink.
To paint them, start with a light background and layer in the colors of your choice, blending the edges for a soft, dreamy effect.
As the sunset progresses, use darker shades of orange and red to indicate the fading light.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to paint sky acrylic?
For this purpose, take a clean canvas and select the colors you want to use. Use a large brush to paint the sky, starting at the top of the canvas and working downwards. You can meld colors by mixing them colors. Use lighter colors near the horizon and gradually darken the color as you move up toward the top side.
What can I use to make clouds in acrylic paint?
There are numerous techniques that can be utilized to create clouds with acrylic paint. One technique involves using a dry brush to produce a delicate and see-through effect, while another method involves using a palette knife to generate a more tactile surface.
How to do a cloud effect with paint?
Achieving a cloud effect with paint involves utilizing either a dry-brushing method or a sponge. You can take start by saturating your brush or sponge with a light hue, followed by sweeping it across the surface to form soft, cloud-shaped patterns. For added depth and dimension, layer on darker shades.
What is the easiest way to paint clouds?
The easiest way to paint clouds is by utilizing a dry brush with light, circular strokes and layering different shades of white and gray paint to build a sense of depth and dimension.
Final Thoughts On How To Paint Clouds Acrylic
That was all from my side. I hope the post helps you get your dream painting of clouds and sky. I tried my best to mention every minor detail. However, if you’re confused or have queries in your mind, comment below or watch a good cloud painting video or tutorial on YouTube. Thank You!
Chief Executive at beacrylic
Hello! Welcome to Be Acrylic. I’m Jose Scott, a trendy painter and artist. I was born and raised in New York City. I grew up surrounded by the city’s rich art scene and was inspired from a young age to seek a career in painting.
After graduating from the School of Visual Arts in New York City with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting, I began my professional career as an artist. I quickly earned recognition for my extraordinary style and began displaying my work in galleries and museums across the country.
Throughout my career, I have received numerous accolades and awards for my work, including the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and the Guggenheim Fellowship. I’m also a part of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Being in the field of art and painting for more than over 30 years, I’ve taught and trained dozens of students and helped them achieve their goals. My passion for teaching motivated me to start a website where everyone could get free access to my services. So here I’m with my website beacrylic.com.
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