ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR PAINTING SKIES

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In this video I demonstrate a set of skills that will help you develop a strategy for painting convincing skies in watercolour. I also show you three different colour combinations that I use regularly to paint different skies, showing you an exercise that will help you to gain familiarity with the three primary colours that you use. I finish up by showing you how to avoid mixing green in your skies – a common occurrence for beginners.

The skill tips that I cover in this video are:

1. Be methodical
2.Plan your colours
3. Use large, soft brushes
4. Have your colour mixes ready before you start
5. Test your colours
6. Use a flat board when painting wet-on-wet
7. Concentrate on your timing
8. Use a smaller brush for cloud detail
9. Stretch your paper if you can
10. Fine-tune your skies with glazing
11. Don’t over-work your skies
12. Use blending
13. How to lift out areas (but sparingly)
14. Be decisive
15. Watch your paint dry!

The following link takes you to the paints that I use:

DALER ROWNEY ARTIST’S RANGE – https://geni.us/rwRJa6A
DALER ROWNEY AQUAFINE – https://geni.us/8bXMGe
MAIMERI BLU – https://geni.us/sKIh

AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:
This video contains affiliate links to products, which means that I receive a small commission on a purchase of those products without additional cost to you. The purpose of this video is to share my knowledge and experience of landscape painting and watercolour with you and from time to time that may involve me recommending products that I use. I receive some of those products from manufacturers for free, but the products that I recommend are only products that I believe in, have used for many years and am comfortable to recommend to you.
The products that I receive are not contingent on me making any video tutorial content, nor are they part of a legal sponsorship arrangement.

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25 thoughts on “ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR PAINTING SKIES”

  6. SO HELPFUL. Love your commentary – hearing this from an experienced artist helps make sense of what seems an most impossible puzzle in watercolour use. Thank you – I learned a lot and am going to start a “doodle book” for jus the purpose of watching watercolour do its thing!

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  7. This is "teaching"… and thank you so much. The preparation, the thought process…. where to start and plan a painting… as you say – before you ever touch the paper. It's so nice to be shown and included…. not just an observer. Thank You again!!!

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  9. Such a useful video. Gets to the nuts and bolts of how to achieve a sky that adds drama without looking false. Love the non-wet in wet technique. I've always started by wetting my paper in the sky. Also the little playing with trios of color exercise is going to be fun.

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  14. Simply brilliant. Thank you for the clear and precise narrative. There are hours and hours of tips to help my practice and so much more helpful than many videos that either simplify or time lapse the detail out and just add to my frustration at not being able to produce a result that I am happy with. Please keep sharing your experience and skill.

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