Study clouds before you paint.
The colors used to paint the sky can evoke powerful responses in the viewer. A dark sky filled with ominous clouds that loom in the horizon can make the painting look gloomy and mysterious. A crystal blue sky that has fluffy white clouds can create a sense of well-being without a care in the world. The sky is one of the most important elements in a painting because it frames the rest of the painting. Knowing paint clouds with water colors can make your artwork stunning and bring the scene to life.
Instructions
1. Gather photographs of different clouds during different hours of the day. Study these clouds carefully. Watch clouds in real life and note how they move and their different form. Note their colors and try to recreate these colors as you mix paints.
2. Select a paint color that reflects the mood of your painting. For example, if you are painting a happy beach scene, opt for a cobalt or sky blue color for the sky. You can use more than one color for the sky. Always prepare the colors that you want to use in the sky because watercolors dry quickly as you work. Once they are dried, they became difficult to work with.
3. Set the foundation for your clouds. Tilt your paper at an angle so the watery paint mix kind of runs. Apply the paint to the paper using horizontal brush strokes across the entire width of the sky. At the end of your strokes, you will notice a small bead of paint at the bottom of the previous stroke. Dip your brush into the paint again and carry the bead to the next stroke. Continue this technique until the sky is painted.
4. Crumple up a paper towel so it forms a loose ball. Make sure that you crumple the paper towel enough because you don't want your clouds to look like squares with sharp edges.
5. Dab the crumpled paper towel in the area where you want the cloud. Dabbing will lift the watercolor paint. Turn the paper towel often as it becomes soaked with paint. Make the cloud as small or as large as you want. Another technique that you could use to make clouds is to use the sides of a slightly wet brush and rolling it on the paper to make the cloud formation.
6. Wipe your brush on a paper towel to remove paint that you have lifted from the paper before you start on the next cloud. Repeat step 4 until you create all the clouds that you like.
7. Paint the the top and the side of the cloud with a medium shade of watercolor to highlight its shape. Consider the way the sun strikes the side of the cloud and make that edge sharp and defined. The rest of the cloud should be soft and feathered.
8. Paint the bottom of the cloud with a deep color to give the cloud depth and shadows.
