How to Draw Clouds

Cartoon Cloud

Start an elongated oval for the outline sketch.

Draw line arches on the oval outline sketch.

Erase the outline sketches.

Color the draft. You can fill in a light gray color to put the shade of the cloud.

Color the background with blue.

Realistic Clouds

Get any blue colored paper. You can use this technique in drawing a realistic cloud.

Take one of your oil pastels for the shade of the cloud. Choose light gray for the shade of the clouds. The shades of the clouds are usually located at the bottom part of the clouds. However, shades always depend on where the light source is coming from. To make your clouds more realistic, study what real clouds look like. Notice that they have perspective, like boxes going back towards the horizon. Also notice the direction of the light, and where they are light or dark. Study the color and brightness of clouds in relation to the sky. Generally, on a sunny day even the shadows in clouds are lighter than the sky. The exception is storm clouds and stormy skies. The right brightness is important to make your clouds look like floating.

Add white. Using white oil pastels make circular strokes of the medium to the colored paper.

Smudge the colors. Use your thumb or index finger in smudging the colors. Carefully wipe the colors with your finger, according to the shape of the cloud, to show the smudge effect.

Put on the white oil pastel strokes. Repeat the same circular strokes that you have done earlier. Only this time do not put too much pressure on the pastel strokes. Do it enough to show the actual shape of the clouds.

Add the shade. Add light and few strokes of lavender on the bottom areas to show the shade of the clouds.