Drawing Cloud Formations

For this exercise I drew cloud formations trying to highlight the tones using charcoal, conte crayons and a putty rubber.

These media could be shaded or used with hard lines.

I did a small scale drawing which included a sketch of a few buildings in an attempt to feel the whole picture, then added the blue sky with the clouds as a negative. Pale blue shading was added last which gave the tonal shades to the clouds. This was my favourite of all the tested techniques I attempted.


The blue studies in oil pastels were easy to give a varied contrast to but did not give a realistic interpretation of the clouds, although it could be a very useful approach in some situations.




My biggest obstacle with this exercise was that the daylight hours I was able to spend time on these studies the skies were a thick blanket of rain cloud with no variation to the tones what so ever.