https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/jake-draws-clouds • Posted by Jake Romano
This is a short tutorial on my cloud-drawing process. The right cloudscape can be the perfect backdrop to your painting or comic! Hope this helps you out!
This is a short tutorial on my cloud-drawing process. The right cloudscape can be the perfect backdrop to your painting or comic! Hope this helps you out!
First, start off by laying down a gradient for the background, and a simple outline shape. Nothin' fancy!
Next, use your brush to fill in a flat but textured area within the outlines that you drew. Please note! You don't have to use white - clouds are all different colors depending on the time of day and the weather. (I'm just using white in this tutorial)
After you have a solid are of color, you can either erase from the bottom, or add a darker color with your brush so that the clouds look heaver where they overlap, and towards their base.
Time for highlights! use your brush again to add large "blobs" at the top of the clouds where the sun is hitting them. After this step you can hide that line layer.
Finally, you can recolor your clouds by creating a new gradient layer and setting the blending mode to "color." I like to use reds and oranges in the skies that I paint - I just love sunsets!
Once you've got those basics down you're ready to jump into other cloud types! If you have a smartphone, I suggest snapping pictures while studying cloud formations so you can reference them later. Clouds come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. I think the most important thing to remember when drawing them is that they have shadows and they reflect light just like any other object. Happy drawing!