How to Paint Stormy Skies in Watercolor | Beginner Friendly, by The joy of Art on YouTube. 8 min 36 s.
- Video length
- 8 min 36 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Tape a sheet of cold press watercolor paper, about 300 gsm, to a board. Mix a dark grey from ultramarine and burnt umber in a palette well.
Wet the top two thirds of the paper with clean water using a flat brush. Leave the bottom third dry for the forest.
Load a round brush with the grey mix and paint loose cloud bands across the wet paper. Tilt the board slightly so the colour runs and blends.
Drop in a little more ultramarine near the top and a touch of warm brown lower down. Keep the strokes light and leave pale gaps for light.
Let the sky dry until it is just damp, not shiny. Use a clean damp brush to lift small soft patches for brighter cloud edges.
Mix a pale grey for the distant trees and paint a soft band along the horizon. Soften the bottom edge with clean water so it fades into mist.
Paint the nearer trees with a darker grey once the paper is dry. Use the tip of the round brush and vary the heights and spacing.
Add a few thin trunks and branches with a rigger or the brush tip. Leave gaps between trees so the misty background shows through.
Let the painting dry flat, then remove the tape slowly at a low angle. Check the sky and add one light wash only if the clouds need more depth.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the paper damp, not soaking, or the clouds will turn into muddy puddles.
Test grey mixes on scrap paper first; ultramarine and burnt umber can separate.
Dry each layer with a hairdryer on cool if you are short on time.
Do not overwork the trees; a few uneven shapes look more natural.
Questions
Why did my storm clouds turn muddy?
Too much brushing or overmixing the colours can dull the grey. Stop brushing once the paint is down and let the wash dry before adding more.
Do I need special watercolor paper?
Yes, use watercolor paper of about 300 gsm. Thin paper buckles when it gets wet and makes even washes harder.
How do I make the mist look soft?
Paint the distant trees in pale grey, then touch a clean damp brush along the lower edge while the paint is still damp. This pulls the colour down into a soft fade.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
