Drawing Together Episode 67: Clouds
this episode is Part of the Drawing Together live video series – learn more here
Let’s draw clouds! Follow along using this reference image: Reference Image
We want to see your drawings! Share your finished pieces and any tips with us on this episode page.
Today, I’m working with:
- Gray Toned Drawing Paper
- Charcoal Pencil
- White Charcoal Pencil
- Kneaded and Rubber Erasers
- Shading Stumps
In this session, we’ll cover:
- Drawing and sketching clouds
- Realistic shading techniques
Join artist Scott Maier, every Wednesday at 3PM EST.
For more information about me and my work, visit: https://scottmaierart.com/
Because my mind is attaching better to what I am seeing; I didn’t realize I did this a few months ago. The reference image looked different.
Going back to missed episodes.
Great lesson. I forgot to post it right away and every time I see it I am pleased with the drama. Let’s do more skies!
Liked the natural tinted charcoal. The dark seemed a little scratchy to me.
Wonderful work with this!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing this. It looks great!
Beautiful!
This was an interesting one! I only worked once with the Derwent tinted charcoal on the drawing of the kitten a few lessons ago, and they were fun. I had more challenges this time doing an entire drawing with them exclusively. The natural gray kept scratching and skipping over my paper (strathmore toned gray drawing pad), and it’s pigment brushes away easily.
Scott, thanks for the shout out to me and my dad during the video!! That was really nice! I’m sorry I missed the live stream!!
Finally posting!
Finally finished it. So interesting to work with pencil and erasure equally as tools.
This was fun! First time to draw clouds, first time to use white charcoal, and the first time using gray paper. I am so glad to have this tutorial!
Beautiful work here!
Nice, Urszula! I think you’re working with the texture nicely!
Nice! I love the dynamic light in your drawing!
This looks great! It looks like you adapted to the paper very well!
Beautiful work here!
This looks great, Brenda! I’ve noticed that different brands of white pencils can make a difference, so it’s worth it to try out a few different ones. The same can be said for working with charcoal, as the temperature can vary between brands. In my drawing, I was able to blend the two charcoals together, but if it’s not working for you, it sounds like you’re using the right approach. Instead of mixing them together, lift the dark charcoal off the paper with the kneaded eraser in the places where you’d like to place white charcoal.
Very nice!
Thanks, Adele! This looks great and I’m glad to hear you’re making these drawings your own!
This looks great! Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful work!
Thanks, Thomas! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying these sessions. This drawing looks great! Nice job capturing the subtle shifts in values!
Beautiful! I like the sense of atmosphere in your drawing.
This is great to hear! I can’t wait to see your final drawing. Thanks for joining us!
I really look forward to this class every week, although I have to finish each drawing later since I don’t have a big chunk of time. It was a cloudy day in Berkeley, so my clouds look like a serious storm is blowing in. Thomas Hart Benton clouds!
Thanks Scott, this was a fun subject. I love seeing all the drawings, they each have great drama and Dutch countryside feel.
Scott-
I thought the clouds were harder than they looked. Getting the white highlights was fun but I found myself getting carried away doing them. I’m really enjoying the class; been with you since about lesson 10. You’re doing a great job! Thank you.
Learned a lot during this episode. I kinda like how my clouds worked out but don’t really like the landscape. I think my paper was too textured; maybe I’ll try again with the proper paper.
☺ Very dramatic.
Thanks for the videos. Here’s my cloud drawing.
Have never even broached the subject of clouds, so this was totally new for me. Spent my whole Sunday afternoon drawing this and nearly threw in the towel when it was ugly duckling stage (and it still is a bit). Couldnt erase the halo’s , but I am happy with my 1st ever attempt at clouds. Was a beautiful picture Scott so thanks for that and the lesson. As usual I watched you on Wednesday but went my own way with my drawing otherwise I try to copy you which I feel isnt right. 6B charcoal and white charcoal on the Grey Strathmore paper.
Clouds take a lot of awareness and skill. Looking forward to more practice.
First rendition of clouds.
Incredible experience drawing clouds, first time for me. Had my doubts if I could actually do it, but somehow it came out. I don’t know how to use white charcoal. The mix of the charcoal comes out sort of blueish, so I ditched it. Instead I just used my kneaded eraser. I’m happy with the results, but would love a bit of a guide as to how to use the darn white charcoal pencil. Does it only work on toned paper? Thanks so much, Scott!
Really enjoyed doing this drawing. Lots of squinting needed for this one. Thanks Scott
I just saw your program and jumped in with what was at hand. Unfortunately, 80# paper does not work well with charcoal, so I went with a softer version,
Looking forward to this series.
I thought going vertical would make it even more dramatic! My challenge was making sure I didn’t get a repetitive pattern in the clouds. Graphite on Strathmore Grey with white charcoal.
Great class! Not perfect but I like it. Charcoal on Strathmore gray drawing paper.
Hello Scott, drawing the clouds was a workout for my white charcoal pencil. I broke it three times and reduce it to length of two inches. As you can tell my Strathmore drawing gray paper has a heavy texture. I have to shop for tinted paper but smoother. I am happy with the movement I portrayed. Urszula from CT.
Not too happy with my drawing but I really enjoyed the class!