Clouds Tutorial

I've had so many people ask how I do the clouds on my images, so I've made a step-by-step picture tutorial for Top Tip Tuesday. 

First of all, for those of you who've not seen my clouds before, here is my finished card showing the clouds behind my image.

You'll need the following materials:

1) a coloured image of something outside
(cos clouds inside a house just don't look right  LOL !!)

2) some chalks and applicators (or inks and make-up brush)

3) your cloud template (see below) 

How I make my template:

I've drawn an oval, and then copied and pasted it loads of times, and moved the repeated ovals into a random ripple / wave shape.

I've then edited out all the lines of the ovals except for the topmost line so that it looks like a continuous line.  You don't need to do this, cos once you've cut it out, the lines don't really matter, but I'm a bit of a geek, so I like to do this!!

Alternatively, you can just download my finished template below !!!

Print it out in thin card (or even possibly acetate), cut around the line, and you have yourself a cloud template.

Before I start to apply my clouds, I like to outline my image in pale blue/aqua.  I use B000 copic.  This just gives a bit of depth to the image before you add the clouds (and also hides any colouring that has ventured outside the lines of the image!!!)

Below is a picture of the chalks I use.  They are Dovecraft Shimmer Chalks, and I think it is fairly obvious which one I use the most !!!  Yup, the blue one that is worn away to the base of the tin !!  I'm starting to use the darker colour now, and pressing more lightly to create the same effect.  The shimmer chalks produce a lovely effect.

I start from the top of my image and work down in rows.  For the top row I place the template so that it is directly over the top line of my image, covering the top of her head in this case, so I can do one full-width row of clouds.

Apply the chalks in small circular motions along the width of the template.

For the second row, I offset the template so that if the clouds were in a upward curve on the top row, they're in a downward curve on the next row down.  This way your clouds look more random, and the pattern doesn't look like it repeats.  

(Yup - placement matters - I told you I was a geek!)

Do the same on the other side.  I guess you could mask your image, but I just work down each side, and am careful when I get close to my image so I don't go over the colouring.  If you have done the pale blue copic outline you don't have to get too close with the chalks.

Tip : When you brush off the excess chalk powder, brush it upwards into the blue area, not downwards into the white.  You don't want to get any blue streaks in your white parts! LOL

Keep working down the page, I usually find that 4 rows is enough, but that would depend on the size of your image and your preference:

To finish off, I usually apply a bit of green chalk to the grass. 

Here's the green I use ... 

Here's my finished girlie, all cut out, and edged with Amber Satin & Dune Colour Box brush pads which I apply directly to the cut edge:

Here she is again, all made up on her card:

Hope you liked my easy tutorial and I look forward to seeing you try out some cloudy skies!! 

If you haven't guessed already, the challenge theme for this week at Top Tip Tuesday is Things with Wings. Our sponsors this fortnight are Simon Says Stamp and Robyn's Fetish so join in for your chance to win.  I hope you can join us.


See my cards available to buy on eBay




Card Recipe:

• Image - Pom Pom by Lili of the Valley
• Papers - Dreamy by Robyn's Fetish
• Colouring - Promarkers, Copics, Sakura Stardust Gel pens, Dovecraft Shimmer chalks
• Nesties - Lacey circles
• All flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
• Ribbons - Fantastic Ribbons
• Glamour Dust - The Stamp Basket
• From my stash -  Stickles, pearls, glossy accents

Please pop on over to the Top Tip Tuesday Challenge Blog to see the other creations by the talented design team, and to enter our challenge.  I look forward to seeing your creations this week.

I've been inspired by:

• Wild Orchid Crafts - Anything Goes
• Forever Friends - Anything Goes
• Simon Says Stamp - Glimmer and Sparkle

Happy crafting.