How To Paint Lois' Simple STORMY SKY Watercolor Landscape, watercolour painting tutorial demo

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Today I'm painting a simple stormy Skyscape using the proportions of the painting to make the sky the focus, using a limited palette of paynes grey, indigo, yellow ochre and raw umber. There's a full 4 part tutorial that includes this on Patreon, along 3 other demos, 1 for a landscape using salt, 1 for painting a flat wash and 1 for painting a graduated wash Ref. photos are included and more, so follow this link if you are interested: www.patreon.co...
The idea is to try to let go and paint a wet in wet sky as loosely as possible with a large brush, aiming to reproduce the rugged, brooding atmosphere in the ref. photos and not an exact copy, keeping the sky dominant. It looks challenging, but it is a simple and exciting process that will probably take a bit of practice, but is really useful for getting beginners used to the way water and paint can flow on the page, painting clean washes and getting balanced tonal values with enough darks, while keeping things fresh and light.
I'm using the Millford 100% cotton cold press 140lb/300g weight paper, 11" x 15"/28cms x 38cms, my paper is taped to my board with ordinary decorators masking tape and is at an angle of about 45 degrees so gravity will help me paint, but I'm always prepared to tip and tilt my board to get the washes to flow if necessary. I use various brushes as demonstrated in the video, but use whichever brushes you have.

[@ginaschissler9887]

Beautiful sky To borrow a bit from another's comment, Lois you ARE the Sky Queen and the master of less is more 👑

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thank you so much!

[@anasel-mahdi7908]

simple and majestic painting.Thanks.Please a night paint.Thanks

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thank you!

[@grahamnash9794]

Doesn't it look drafty there??!! As lovely as it is, I'd like to have seen a subtle shaft of sunlight descending through a gap in the clouds to bathe a small patch of that sloping grassland. But that only my thinking on how it would be in an ideal world. I know the downs. It's been quite a while since I last passed through but as I remember, you still capture the feeling one feels when seeing the vast beauty of the place. Quite breath taking when we reach to summit, and right there is a vista fit for God to gaze upon on either side. A stunning past of the world. Weather like that makes it all the more dramatic. With some bino's looking south the white caps are easily visible when those shafts of sunlight strike the channel. Smashing painting done in minutes. At first, I had the notion we we're looking at a windswept sandy beach with distant rocks on the horizon. (Oooops, another mistake. My old darling Jan would have you chuckling for hours over my "mistakes" in the kitchen....) Take care Lois. TTFN

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks Graham, I'm glad you enjoyed the demo!

[@kileensmith5134]

The way you lay in the trees, in the distance, is amazing! Mine always look like I put stickers on paper!!! But I will keep trying! Bravo Lois!

[@jamesjacocks6221]

Coincidently, this is how I sortied into landscape watercolor. It is comparatively easy to make fetching skies with the medium and the rest of the lesson is not to overwork. Wonderful, Lois.

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks James!

[@achinijayathunge6830]

It's simple and really beautiful ❤️. Very useful tutorial and thank you very much.

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thank you!

[@martinwebb3394]

Lovely simple painting for us beginners. I'm going to give this ago - thanks Lois

[@sugarcane9425]

nice simple and powerful ever. Less is more . love it

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Glad you like it!😊

[@michaelcody3829]

That's a great video of a lovely painting, thanks Lois.

[@suresh.karthikeyan]

Surreal sky👌Fabulous work👏👏👏

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thank you!

[@beatrizfra6438]

Muchas gracias Lois!! por tus buenas enseñanzas siempre

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks so much!

[@LisaLisa-fq4th]

Wonderful! I can feel the wind.

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks! 💐

[@delphinewood7519]

Very helpful! Love your skies always. Thanks so much. ❤

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks Delphine!

[@MsMoniqueWilson]

Really love this!

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks!

[@maureenknight3863]

such skill and talent....love it

[@pamelaknott6707]

Lovely!!

[@adelegiomo8614]

Bravissima

[@davidflamanc5089]

Very nice sky !! Thank you for this sharing

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks David!

[@anamariamartijena2248]

Bellisimo!

[@sarahnorthrop9823]

Lois I want to get a proper board to paint on as I'm using an old wooden chopping board at the moment which is very thick and heavy. Where would suggest I get one from? Thanks 😊

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks, I'm afraid I have no idea, I just use an old piece of cardboard

[@user-rc9ju3qk7l]

Thank you for sharing your art with us. I was wondering what type of paper you are using?

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Thanks, please see the description below the video for details

[@shaunakclark1605]

Lois, please forgive me for asking this question. I'm sure you have answered it a million times, but I can't find it. First of all, I am a beginner. Although I am using 140lb cold press paper, I haven't had as much success as I'd like. I know all 140lb paper is not created equal. I'm using Winsor & Newton paints so I know that isn't the issue. There are a lot of factors: paper, paints, water proportion, technique - yikes. In your opinion, how important is it to use a paper like Arches (or similar)? Is a higher-end paper like that paramount? I'll pay for it if it is. I want to have success. Thank you!!! You are awesome!!! I love, love, love your skies!!!

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Good quality cotton paper is far more important than brand of paint or brushes. I'd be more than happy to use pound shop/dollar store paint and brushes as long as I had quality cotton paper

[@sonyasonyacollins6919]

Do you stretch the paper first.

[@Jupiter86947]

Madam..... pls. make mention of colour palette

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

Please see description below video

[@markdonovan1540]

Very nice indeed. I love these type of landscapes. Have you seen some of the work by Peruvian landscape artist Jorge Corpuna? I've only recently discovered some of his work and it reminds me of how you approach your landscapes.

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

I'll check him out! 🙂

[@Grammieshands]

Another perfectly done piece, wonderful atmospheric perspective. Thank you.