by Kellie Hall

Created on: September 16, 2008

Clouds are tricky, marvelous, inspiring subject- difficult to paint, but familiar enough that a viewer will recognize when something is "off" with your painting. Here are some simple tricks and general suggestions for painting clouds:

Clouds are never, ever, ever uniformly white and fluffy. There's always color, and there's always variety.

The sky behind the clouds is almost never a uniform color, either. Study the overall gradations carefully.

Use a color-finder- similar to a viewfinder, it is a piece of white paper with a tiny (1/8" to 1/4") hole punched in it. Use it to isolate areas of the clouds and sky, either in pictures or in real life- so you can accurately gauge their hue and value without it being distorted by the overall scene.

Think of the clouds as formations, skyscapes.... anything but cotton balls in the sky.

Remember that fog is a sort of cloud. So, in a way, are the trails left behind jet planes.

Also remember that the sun is shining on the clouds following the same rules as with anything else- most of the light is on their tops, and they cast shadows on the ground.

Always incorporate some sky solor in the clouds. Usually you'll also use a cool dark such as Paynes Grey.

Use gentle x shaped brushstrokes to blend the soft edges of the clouds- and there are always some soft egdes.

Scrumbilng in small circles with an almost-dry brush can be extremely useful, especially on the edges.

Find an artist who's skies you admire, and figure out why you sdmire them and how they're painted! I would recommend Ambera Wellman (spectacular, dramatic cloud formations), Jim Thalassoudis (truly incredible sunsets), or Barbara Kacicek (intimate, sensitive skyscapes).

Take lots of reference pics- they're always good to have.

Yes, even when you're painting en plein air. The light and cloud formations are constantly changing.

That said, go out one day and do a series of 5 to 10 minute studies in something simple and portable like graphite (value studies) or colored pencil (to make yourself study the color variations).

Seek different vantage points- the tops of parkings decks where everything is open, the middle of a river where you look straight up at a strip of sky framed by trees.

Consider the context- is this strictly a skyscape, or is there land in the picture? Is the sun or moon visible? Is the horizon obscured by distance or by light?

And most importantly, enjoy yourself. It's a pleasurable challenge.

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