[hew]

Does anyone know where I could get a tutorial on clouds, or does anyone have any tips for me ? I want to make a sort of stormish effect with deep perspective, for a background of a picture.

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What doesn't kill me, only postpones the inevitable.

[ceenda]

Hi there hew.

Firstly, it is probably obvious but I'll state it anyway. Take some charcoal and a sketch pad into the garden and sit down and sketch some clouds. Obvious I know, but possibly helpful.

Here is a little bit of info on how I would set about drawing clouds. I hope that it might be helpful.



step 1 -


Using an airbrush at 100% opacity I define the general shape of the cloud. Clouds usually have a flat(ish) base as this is possibly where temperature and currents change. The cloud colour is usually a little bit lighter in luminance than the background.



Then, using a lighter hue of the cloud colour
I use a smaller airbrush to define where I think the light is illuminating the cloud.



Finally I use a lower hue of the cloud colour to define shadows and give the cloud a bit of depth. As the phrase goes

"Every cloud has a silver lining"

so sometimes I airbrush outline if the light is coming from behind the clouds.



[This message has been edited by ceenda (edited July 15, 2000).]

[AprilYSH]

nice and simple tute, thanks from me too!

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April http://april.cjb.net

[Shousetsu]

Hi I'm new here and I could help you with an easy way to do clouds. Its different than the other persons(and not as good looking) but it requires pretty much no drawing skill.

1st: you just start out with airbrush and soft brush tip and about 50% pressure

2nd: "blot" out little bumps shaping out your cloud, making sure its flat on the bottom as mentioned before.(use the base color of the cloud)

3rd: add your shadows(airbrush at very low pressure), the shadows should range from the actuall color of the sky to a darker color of the cloud, define the bumbs so it gives your cloud shape, makeing the bottom of the cloud the darkest.

4th: add your highlights in the proper areas

and now your done.

to make little "drifters" that are coming apart from the main cloud, just put your airbrush at about 5% pressure and use the base color, then erasing it around the edges to give shape.

well I hope that made sense, here is an example of that method: http://www.geocities.com/shousetsu_1999/Seifer.jpg

[AliasMoze]

Hew,
An important thing to rememeber when painting clouds is that, like everything else, are in perspective. If you don't account for this, you're clouds will tend to look like 2D cardboard cutouts.

I sometimes draw perspective gridlines as a guide.

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AliasMoze
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"That activates my hilarity unit."

[spooge demon]

old thread about clouds