Painting a Sky and Clouds – Acrylic Painting for Beginners, Part 2

In part-2 of a 4-part ‘Acrylic Painting for Beginners’ free course, painting tutor Douglas Matthews focuses on painting a sky with clouds down to the horizon line.

While targeted at beginners, his acrylic painting techniques also give useful tips for intermediate acrylic painters looking to enhance their skills.

Watch Part 2 on YouTube – make yourself a cup of tea first as it’ll be an enjoyable 18-minutes of your time!

Key Insights and Techniques:

1. Paint Colours & Brushes Used:

• Yellows: Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow.
• Reds: Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson.
• Blues: Cerulean Blue (cool pale), Prussian Blue (darker cool), Cobalt Blue (warm pale), Ultramarine (darker warm).
• White: Used extensively, typically three times more than other colours.
• Douglas has a preference for broad Filbert brushes (size 10 used mainly). Use reasonable quality brushes to avoid hair loss.  Use smaller brushes for detail and to soften edges.

3. Painting a Sky with Acrylics:

• Acrylics dry lighter than they appear when wet (contrasted with watercolour and oils).
• Sky generally paler at the top, intensifying toward the horizon.
• Use masking tape to create a clean, low horizon line (avoid placing horizon halfway up canvas).
• Douglas suggests painting clouds by leaving negative spaces and blending colours while paint is damp.
• Use expressive brush strokes and textures rather than aiming for photorealistic detail.

4. Blending & Effects when using Acrylics:

• Blending is easier when paint is slightly dry or damp.
• Use of dry brush and paper towels to lift colour for rain or soft effects.
• Palette knife optional for thick paint application on clouds.  Brush application is preferred by Douglas.

5. Composition and Mindset Tips:

• Half-closing eyes, turning painting upside down, or viewing in a mirror helps identify compositional issues.
• Painting is 70% observation and 30% application.
• Soften edges and balance dark and light areas for drama.
• Mistakes are not permanent – acrylics allow easy correction by painting over or using gesso primer to start afresh.
• Taking breaks and returning with fresh eyes will improve your perspective.
• Enjoyment and personal expression prioritized over technical perfection.

Key Takeaways when painting the Sky and Clouds in Acrylics

• Painting the sky and clouds is an excellent beginner subject because it allows freedom from strict shape accuracy.
• Acrylics are forgiving: mistakes can be covered or corrected easily.
• Personal enjoyment and experimentation are important aspects of the painting process.
• Proper horizon placement and colour gradation are essential to creating a believable sky and landscape.

Conclusion

This video lesson by Douglas Matthews provides a guide to painting clouds and skies with acrylics, blending practical advice with encouragement for creative expression.  The emphasis on understanding colour mixing, brush techniques, and composition principles to equip beginners and intermediate artists alike.  The lesson closes by preparing viewers for the next lesson: working on the foreground and water elements.

In the next part of the series we will cover painting below the horizon from the sea to the land creating a nice beach scene.

Watch the video below and please do consider leaving us a comment!

Previous Lessons:

More information on the earlier lessons in this series can be found at:

Part 1 – choosing paints, brushes and materials

Course overview