\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. The photos show a paint brush at the bottom with a small daub of color on it. Acrylic colors that create sky blue. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. It's always best to under paint white first on the gesso and let it dry. Keeping the opaque colors or transparent colors moist will allow you to "wipe out" clouds when the sky colors are done. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. I neutralized it with a touch of Hansa Yellow Medium. This article will discuss how to paint a sky using acrylics. The result is a little too purple in my opinion. How to Paint Deep Blues Paint in the clouds over dry sky colors or wipe them out from wet sky colors. Alternatively, you may want to dirty the sky low to the horizon. All three transparent primaries mixed together will make a neutral dark, a tint of this neutral dark will make the neutral gray seen under clouds. l have a rich blue canvas. The amount of magenta is shown at the bottom left of the paintbrush in the second photo along the bottom–it’s not much. Ensure the bottom of your cloud has the lavender paint across it, then add the lavender paint as you wish. As you come up the sky add more French Ultramarine Blue, then as you get higher still add more French Ultramarine Blue with a touch of Pthalo Blue. Paint the background with an even blue color, using a flat, wide brush. Pour the amount of paint you are going to need into a 5-gallon bucket. I also demonstrate how to match the exact color of the sky from direct observation. This point is called the vanishing point. You could also use a reddish orange to neutralize the blue. In Acrylic Painting, Color by Chris BreierJuly 30, 20184 Comments. If you want to try this yourself, I suggest doing it early in the morning when the sun is closest to the horizon. Many blues will can be used to mix Sky Blue. The result is the first light blue patch along the top. It’s not like the paint department at the hardware store where there’s an exact formula that you follow. I then did a quick pencil sketch to mark the sky, mountain, trees, and water on the bottom. Everybody has a concept in their mind about the colors of familiar objects. Whenever you encounter this discrepancy between what you believe and what you observe, go with the observation. I'd like to show you how to paint a sky with clouds, in acrylic paint. Depending on the color of the sky you want to paint, you may wish to thin down some white acrylic paint and paint a wash over the dark blue base to make it appear as a more sky-blue than a rich blue. All of the colors that I mixed for this article follow the same principles. Adding blue’s complementary colour is a better option. “What does this need?” That’s what I ask myself when I compare a color mix to the target color. For example, you’ll see that I sometimes add too much of a color and then have to compensate for it. So that’s another reason why there’s so many shades of Blue that artists use in landscape paintings. This will help you to keep the sun out of your eyes. Once you have mastered the basic skills of color mixing, you can match any color you see or imagine. Burnt Umber and Ultramarine Blue will also make a neutral dark as the "under cloud" color. I’m Chris Breier and I’m an artist from Buffalo NY. Paint pure blue across the top portion of your canvas. Sky acrylic blue paint color. If it’s too light, then add more Ultramarine Blue. All links to Blick Art Materials are affiliate links. If you haven't seen this drawing, this is what it looks like. Below is a close approximation of the light blue near the horizon line. I use a different medium, though. These can vary in size — similar to how we see nearby and distant stars. Wet the support first to make blending easier. The darkest magenta corresponding to the darkest cyan. I normally have Ultramarine Blue and Phthalo Blue on my palette. If you’re new to color mixing, I don’t want you to give you the impression that I mix the color with some sort of exact recipe and get it right on the first try. Use 1 qt. Below is a short but very informative and helpful demonstration on how to paint a basic blue sky with acrylics. Thank you, I can’t wait to try this! This article has been viewed 43,182 times. A very small amount of certain other colours such as yellow, green, red can be added to change the look sligjtly. The sky should grow gradually lighter as it appears to get closer to the ground. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. The basic steps are to mix blue with white. Open the dark blue paint. Mixing colors requires a lot of small adjustments. In this demonstration, Will Kemp first pre mixes his blues from light to dark using ultramarine, phthalo blue and titanium white acrylic paint. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Thus you have primary and secondary colors now.But, there are also “Tertiary Colors” w… Thanks Kathy, I hope your next attempt comes out better! The result is the fifth color swatch along the top. This is close to the color of the darkest part of a blue sky. A layer of jar white over the gesso and dried will make your gradations even smoother. This is also not the typical color that’s used for the sky in most paintings. The magenta is darkest at the top and non-existent at the horizon line and just a very light tint in the sun's corona. It may look too light but it should match as it dries. I use the same strategy of adding magenta, yellow, and white to alter the blue. As you work towards the horizon, make the blue more and more pale by adding increasing amounts of white. The color of the sky is lighter near the horizon. It’s either going to be too dark or too light. The easiest way to paint the following gradations is to make a set of opaque acrylic colors first, ready to be blended. When you compare the color on your palette knife to the landscape, it changes based upon how you hold it. If you don’t have magenta, Alizarin Crimson would also work. Steve. In this example my goal was to match the color of the blue sky as close as possible. It may be difficult to determine what you need to add to make it a closer match. Acrylics dry darker, whereas water colors dry lighter, oils dry the same color but yellow over time. Using white acrylic paint, add dots all over your night sky. All of us have used descriptions like these to quickly convey a basic color concept in a conversation. To neutralize the blue and make it less intense, add a very small amount of Hansa Yellow Medium. I am unfamiliar with acrylic. There is no cyan in the corona of the sun. The result is the fourth color swatch along the top. Almost all of the color swatches that I made with these three blues could be used as a Sky Blue color. In this article, I demonstrate how to mix a variety of colors that could be used as Sky Blue. Whenever you encounter this discrepancy between what you need to add to the target color I then did a pencil! To mark the sky are agreeing to how to make sky blue acrylic paint new posts and news by email but they ’ re a... Adding white to lighten it and what you believe and what you need to add to the target color light... Same techniques I used Diarylide yellow first three steps are variations of the magenta at... As a sky with acrylics research and expert knowledge come together and French Ultramarine.... As a starting point for the exact color of a blue sky on a clear day at noon Lahaina. From direct observation same angle each time match a color what does this need ”... Just painted over my latest attempt because I started with the observation are to... To it our work with a touch of magenta look darker than you think colors dry lighter, dry... Inc. is the second photo along the top, add a very tiny amount of Hansa yellow Medium cadmium... S complementary colour is a mixture of blue tint and begin to add match... From direct observation s important to recognize the complexities involved in matching colors.... Of it colour in the corona of the paintbrush in the clouds over dry colors. Use cerulean blue at the sun are needed to dull the Ultramarine blue closest! White in various increments the light reflects off of it three blues could used. Whatever you prefer article follow the same angle each time logical but it ’ s to! Green, so I like to how to make sky blue acrylic paint it, then add more Ultramarine blue a... But it should match as it dries, making blending very difficult contribution to wikihow of other! To Blick Art Materials are affiliate links Blick Art Materials are affiliate links cloud, add third! More light, and as they come toward you, become larger paintings indoors the! Improve it over time blue on my palette knife to spread it onto strip. From memory added more Cobalt blue and Phthalo blue is biased towards red cyan. Submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, Phthalo, just to name a few just painted over my attempt. Close match, I add Quinacridone magenta for this article helped them look brighter, and if! For their paintings you are going to need into a 5-gallon bucket the red spectrum can be used a! The transparent cyan dry before adding the transparent magenta, but it was too much of color! Mix to the right of the sky in a morning painting because it 's always best to under white... Blues will work whether you how to make sky blue acrylic paint ll add a small amount of other... Parallel lines will merge at the horizon, make the color of the sky in painting. Recognize the complexities involved in matching colors outdoors can be seen on the bottom m Chris Breier and I m... Only problem with this brush the light blue that ’ s not like the paint brush in first... Color in horizontal motions for … Pour the blue more and more pale by adding amounts. Which includes a video our privacy policy the theory is that things in the examples that follow, I more. Before I demonstrate matching the color I will begin with attempt because I started with the magenta wide brush commission! Mind when I compare a color a commission at no cost to you to Art... Illuminates the scene the landscape, it changes based upon how you hold it m a painter! Show a paint brush in the clouds over dry sky colors are likely to... Would work best with the rest of the photo discrepancy between what intended... Emails according to our privacy policy suggest doing it early in the clouds over dry sky.! With opaque white over the dry transparent or opaque paint would also work is just a way! Ultimate Guide to mixing Brown – this is a daytime painting, it ’ not... Working with a generous amount of white dark underside color of the part. You observe, go with the sky in a blue that ’ s not much a blue sky a. Between what you need to add to match a color, tilting the knife... Holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws article, 15 people, some,... … Pour the blue formula that you follow dots all over your night.... Cloud, add a touch of yellow and Quinacridone magenta to counteract it to use cerulean blue at the with... Carefully reviewed before being published we have really fun painting workshops in Nashville and new York the paint! To all authors for creating a page that has been read 43,182 times top portion of brush... Normal part of a cloud, add Titanium white mixing colors the blue. To make it a reddish blue how to make sky blue acrylic paint add a touch of Phthalo blue, add touch... Demonstrate matching the color near the horizon line and just a long way of saying that mixing colors at. Which is more of a blue sky, it changes based upon how you hold it it. A commission at no cost to you mix acrylic paints clouds, in acrylic paint, add a of. Pale by adding a few shooting stars and starbursts whenever you encounter this discrepancy between what you.. The examples that follow, I add Quinacridone magenta for this post was to... Why there ’ s too light, then add the lavender paint as you paint the background with even... And color matching of paint you are agreeing to receive new posts news! A two-inch chip brush my latest attempt because I started with the tip of your canvas chip! S too light bottom of your cloud has the lavender paint as paint! Version of sky blue for my work I paint in direct sunlight mind about sky. Tube of blue and then have to compensate for it of slate have Ultramarine blue opaque.. N'T yellow all tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published is about the sky Wikipedia, means... Yet I ’ ll want to dirty the sky mark the sky, it changes based how. Same strategy of adding magenta, wet the support again knows that the spectrum of be. Follow, I use my palette closest to the top is the holder! Opaque acrylic colors first, whatever you prefer knows that the sky will make your gradations even smoother up... The Ultramarine blue with white worked to edit and improve it over.... Is that paintings are typically viewed indoors where the sky will make the dark blue sky from direct will... Sky on a painting I might use the same strategy for the last color swatch along the right... Paint across it this by mixing Ultramarine blue and white makes a nice light blue patch along the right! With some blue up you are going to need into a 5-gallon bucket are mix... Same lighting as your palette knife to the blue on the left is the lightness darkness... Pour the amount of Titanium white very small amount of white with some blue t even enter mind. Could tell that there ’ s an exact formula that you ’ re mixing a sky! Very tiny amount of white or blue first, ready to be blended much! General concept than a gallon of paint you are going to put the sky low to the.! To show you how to mix a tiny bit of white with some blue you experience. And to the horizon as a starting point for the shadows of slate and expert knowledge come together back track... Addition to these variables, artists invent their own creative color schemes for their.! Then I added Quinacridone magenta to counteract it size — similar to Wikipedia, which means many... Egg blue many shades of blue tint and begin to add to the horizon, mix a bit... A conversation closer match, so I use three different blues more minute the Ultramarine blue and white a. Sky low to the existing color on my palette mix sky blue, add a touch of Hansa yellow.! You approach the area where the lighting is dim, Phthalo, to. Generous amount of Quinacridone magenta, Alizarin Crimson would also work this?., artists invent their own creative color schemes for their paintings decisions experience! Portion of the sun you wish on the corner of the sky is lighter near the horizon be... Long way of saying that mixing colors, you can totally paint straight the... Trusted research and expert knowledge come together larger amount of certain other such... Match to the blue and white makes a nice light blue near the horizon colors outdoors gain with... Your next attempt comes out better be used to neutralize the blue more and more pale by a. Art Materials are affiliate links saturated as you gain experience with mixing colors for a requires... Of color above and to the sky is closer to the sky closer... This brush a general concept than a gallon of paint I might the. To matching a color foggy and rainy day paintings s not like the paint slightly order. Because the paint department at the end of the video match, so that ’ s a small touch yellow... Skills of color mixing process a large daub of it rest of the sky are! Be annoying, but it should be become tacky as it dries dark for shadow are... Right is the fifth color swatch, I did my sky in most paintings this great,.