How To Draw Clouds In Photoshop

Love to stare up at the heaven? Recreate beautiful, realistic clouds with this Photoshop tutorial.

Today, I'll teach you lot how to paint fluffy, stormy, and wispy clouds using a mix of quality art brushes. I'll explain some of my favorite tools and techniques for creating incredible, realistic effects.

Need more than references? These paintings are inspired by the amazing cloud stocks available on Envato Elements. Dive into their selection for more quality stocks.

Tutorial Avails

The following assets were used in the production of this tutorial:

Deject Reference #1
Cloud Reference #two - no longer available
Cloud Reference #3
Supreme Acrylic & Gouache Photoshop Brushes

How to Work With Nearly Any Cloud Photo

Many people are against references out of fear that they'll create laziness. But that'south a bit outdated.

We definitely demand to know what nosotros're looking at!

Most of what we paint emulates what already exists. And for this tutorial, it'due south important to realize that you can imitate the full general vibe of any photograph or composition for your digital paintings. Endeavor to recreate special moments that yous can twist for your own absurd outcome.

You can too refer to this great tutorial for more than cloud cartoon tips:

I'll exist using several stock photos from Envato Elements. Feel free to gather more references if needed.

The first I used very loosely, while the other 2 helped me assess the different lighting/color schemes. This is another great reason to keep stocks nearby.

Suit Your Workspace

Side by side, prepare your workspace for piece of cake referencing.

Get to Window > Arrange > two-Up Vertical.

Slap-up if you similar to proceed your references in a separate file, this setup helps you study photos better for more realistic details.

Now let's pigment!

one. How to Paint a Bones, Fluffy Cloud

Stride ane

Permit's start with the groundwork!

Create a New Document in Photoshop at 900 x 450 pixels at 300 dpi. Small documents are better for general do.

Click on the background layer to make a New Layer. Go to Blending Options and create a sky-blueish (using colors: #b3d0dd, #90dcff, and #68c1f0) Linear Gradient Overlay with the following settings:

Here's the result.

You will need a graphics tablet for the next steps.

And then, using a large Soft Round Brush, paint a soft blue #3a6997 spot for a bit of shadow in the heart. This will help the cloud pop against it.

Stride two

On a New Layer:

Use a Difficult Circular Brush (100% Hardness and Opacity) to paint a solid, off-white #adb7c0 cloud shape. Starting time with a simple cloud shape before moving on to difficult ones.

This cloud will be similar to the voluminous Cumulonimbus cloud. Written report different cloud types to learn more almost their characteristics. According to the link above, this ane will be fluffy and full of wet.

Brainstorm shading the cloud with subtle shadows.

Clip a New Layer to the original cloud shape and ready information technology to Multiply. Use the aforementioned off-white color from before to paint shadow onto the cloud. The Clipping Mask will also keep the shadows in place.

Start with 100% Hardness and 100% Opacity, and so lower both every bit y'all try to blend the shadow.

Need aid with blending? Bank check this out:

Step 3

Set up up the base textures.

Using brushes from the Supreme Acrylic & Gouache Photoshop Castor Pack, paint subtle curved peaks onto the cloud. Employ white and calorie-free greyness #94a8bc to help establish the lighting scheme right away.

Incorporate some of the blue color from the background, and and so Merge the clipped layers together with the original deject shape.

Paint white peaks onto the cloud — I used the Fast Acrylic and Moisture Gouache Brushes for this step.

Lightly erase the harsh edges using the Eraser Tool (Due east) at 20-forty% Opacity.

Pace 4

Now that nosotros accept this fiddling funky base, we can push forward!

Just like before, start to paint more than shadow onto the cloud. Zoom in at 200% to pigment textural lines for more depth. Make sure the Pen Pressure for Opacity option is checked.

Switch over to the Hard Round Force per unit area Opacity Brush from your normal preset list. Use this brush to carve little areas where the cloud might blend into the blue sky.

Clouds have pockets of light and shadow (see beneath). So equally you continue to paint, plan out the areas where you want to create depth and motion. Add bits of gray for a realistic transition.

Step 5

Allow the cloud to evolve naturally. Pay attention to references, but don't let them to distract you.

Employ a Soft Round Brush with 0% Hardness to environs the cloud with a soft fog.

Step 6

Let'southward adjust the colors using Adjustment Layers.

Kickoff, add a new light bluish (using colors #c6cbd4 and #b4cbdc) Linear Slope Map and set it to Colour Burn.

Create a new Levels Adjustment Layer with the following settings. Information technology'll instantly bring out the definition we need for this expect.

Footstep seven

Now that we take the right intensity, we can go along with painting more than details. First, let'south residuum out the sky.

One quick mode to paint the sky is to just use some other New Layer. Employ a Soft Round Castor at 50-100% Opacity to paint a lighter blue onto the bottom.

Vary the Opacity regularly, and don't worry well-nigh it looking messy!

A soft castor is better for wispy clouds, while a well-baked edge helps define more details.

Continue blending the background while adding smaller clouds in the altitude. Create a sense of depth by creating a circle of mist and atmosphere around the cloud.

Step 8

Now that we have the right colors, nosotros can focus on finalizing our deject.

Add New Layers to try out different shapes and swirls oftentimes. Switch to a Chalk Castor to brand your clouds appear more than realistic. Any bit of actress texture will instantly add together more realism.

Finally, incorporate some yellow to prove that the sun is affecting the cloud and sky.

Hither's the final result!

How to Paint a Fluffy Cloud in Photoshop

ii. How to Paint a Stormy Cloud

Step 1

To paint a stormy cloud, we demand to change the overall lighting scheme.

Let's get-go with the sky. Use the same dimensions as before. Right-click the first layer and go to Blending Options.

Create a purple Linear Gradient Overlay, using the colors #373984 and #6364ad.

Here is the result.

Step ii

I didn't experience the need to draw a sketch in any of these scenarios. The best showtime for me was creating a New Layer dedicated to these flat purple #5354a6 deject shapes.

Just like before, I set a Clipping Mask to each individual cloud shape to paint the outset layer of shadow and low-cal.

For this role, set up the Castor Tool (B) to a Soft Round Brush with 0% Hardness and 50% Opacity.

Pigment it how yous see it. Paint dark #33367f round bumps for the shadow and whiter soft spots for the highlights. It will totally look weird at start, simply Clipping Masks will really help strengthen your skills.

Create a New Layer underneath the clouds. Utilize this layer to add together a white, soft (1-40% Opacity) spotlight backside the cloud considering it's currently also dark.

Step 3

Paint more background elements. Start with dark, fluffy clouds, and and then add shadow at the bottom for the city. Use the Eyedropper Tool (E) to choice up nearby colors. Paint with what's already on the canvas.

Dedicate new layers to the lightning bolts also.

Go with your gut. Notice that this painting changes quite a lot as I continuously tweak the original limerick.

Now blend, blend, blend!

Lower the Hardness to 0% and employ New Layers to soften the heaven. Use big, sweeping motions equally well as circular swirls to create realistic clouds.

Continuously edit your slice. Strive for a softer look before moving on to more details. It's harder to blend background elements later, when the best parts of your foreground elements are already set in place.

You can also edit the upper left corner for more than character. Play with different shapes until you lot like what y'all come across.

Step iv

Grab the Gradient Tool (G) and gear up information technology to a black to transparent Linear Slope.

Use the tool to pigment a deep shadow that fades upward. Accommodate the Opacity if needed. This will represent the city. Draw lightning bolts to mark where you lot want them to hit.

Add a New Color Lookup Aligning Layer. Set the 3DLUT File to Fuji F125 Kodak 2393.

Then bump upward the intensity with a Brightness/Dissimilarity Adjustment Layer.

Stride five

Pick up a Soft Round Brush for the fluffier cloud forms. Storm clouds are really dense, so we'll need to paint many layers.

Experiment with Opacity for the best effect. Higher opacities are corking for crisp details, while lower ones help blend nearby colors.

If you're pressing too hard on the pen tablet, your Opacity is too low. This can create a lot of unnecessary discomfort—trust me, I know firsthand!

Continue to edit your piece of work. Study the light as it moves through the clouds.

Deepen the urban center and paint vivid, crisp lines for the lightning bolts.

Stride 6

If you feel as if you're painting looks a piddling dull, brighten it upwardly!

Use a Brightness/Dissimilarity Adjustment Layer with the following settings:

Step 7

Set a New Layer to Linear Dodge (Add).

Paint a soft purple over the lightning bolts to make them shine. Zoom into your painting and add together specks of cherry-red, green, and white to the bottom. This will give the impression of a small urban center for even more touch.

Remember to reference the original too!

Colors also intense? Change them with an Adjustment Layer.

Add a Color Lookup Layer with a 2Strip.expect 3DLUT File. Lower the Opacity to 47%.

As always, keep to edit until y'all're happy with your stormy result. I decided to also pigment tiny white dots for a starry nighttime sky.

Niggling details like this can really create impressive effects, so don't forget them!

Hither's my final stormy cloud.

How to Paint a Stormy Cloud in Photoshop

3. How to Paint Wispy Clouds

Pace 1

Now for the last painting!

Wispy clouds are mysterious. They are a mixture of soft gentle shapes followed up by crisp highlights. I suggest doing this office with a normal color scheme. This sunset look is dainty, just it may complicate the lesson if the colors are likewise confusing.

However, if you experience a little daring, let'due south proceed.

Showtime with the background, using the same dimensions as earlier. Go to Blending Options, and create a Slope Overlay with colors #334b82 and #b5c1dc.

Here'due south the effect.

Step ii

Using a Hard Circular Castor at 100% Hardness, help ground the composition with some brown state.

So as non to distract yous any farther with the thought of painting land, concentrate on the wispy clouds for now.

Build rich, dusk-like colors (#ffa466, #ce6764) using the acrylic texture brushes from earlier.

Step 3

Let's make the sky popular!

Create a New Layer ready to Overlay. Use the Gradient Tool (G) to create a blue #335f8e to transparent gradient. Now the sky looks improve!

using gradients to change the sky color — How I practical the slope overlay, before and after.

Step 4

Use a Soft Round Brush to create silky textures for a lovely, blended look. Bounce around the composition then you don't stay in one spot too long.

Incorporate lighter yellows and blues. At that place'southward a little teal that's hiding in there too! Zoom in at 200% and brand sure your shading looks fluid. This is when information technology'southward important to apply your reference.

Proceed blending fifty-fifty when you think the sky is ready for more clouds.

Step 5

Add a New Curves Adjustment Layer.

Create a high curve for the RGB channel to crash-land upward the contrast.

Take this opportunity to use what we've learned from the previous lessons.

Wispy clouds are very relaxed. It'south of import to paint swirls in different flowy directions for more grapheme and movement.

Continue to refine the sky, painting bright orange hues towards the footing to prove that the sun is setting/ascension. Conform the lighting on the ground then that it complements the composition also.

Use a New Layer gear up to Multiply to paint the basis green.

Lower the Size of your brush, but increase the Opacity. Paint tiny $.25 of grass and nature for more than details.

So set a New Layer to Overlay. Paint with bold yellow and orangish colors for a cute sunlight issue.

Digital painting is well-nigh time and patience. No matter how many hours laissez passer, proceed pushing through.

For the last steps, Zoom into the painting and make clean up the details. Use a Difficult Round Brush at 100% Hardness to get rid of any blurry parts. Feel gratuitous to play with more than Adjustment Layers for sharp results.