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In this episode, artist Jay Smith returns to the MR Workshop with his airbrush in hand! This time he’s using it to paint an array of realistic clouds on the backdrop for our HO scale Winston-Salem project layout. Follow Jay as he teaches you what type of clouds to paint, where to position them on your backdrop, and the strokes required to make the sky come alive!
Hi David, can you tell me what brand and color # you used for the darker blue coat you applied on the back drop?
Ken Rees
Are you guys related? LOL
I also noticed how close the airbrush tip was to the backdrop. So, some technical questions. First, what size tip did you use? Second, what level of pressure coming from the air compressor? Last, what mixture of paint to thinner/reducer are you using? I’m currently practicing my airbrush clouds and am using a fine tip and running at 30 PSI. My blue is a bit deeper due to personal choice. I’m laying down a mist of white (50% Opaque white and 50% reducer; both Createx brand of acrylic airbrush paint) along the lower portion of the practice backdrop since the horizon is typically lighter and sometimes hazy.
Another commenter pointed out the two blue color approach to sky colors. I agree and suggest that you did have two colors, one from your paint which was on top and darker, and the second lighter color along the horizon in the printed backdrop itself. In effect, your choice of darker blue for paint was good for two reasons.
Since this is a project railroad segment, not a pure teaching workshop focused on techniques, I had no trouble with the fact that you could barely see the white paint as he painted clouds. What most people fail to recognize is that barely seeing the paint is true even when you do it in person. The biggest mistake I made in first trying to paint clouds, or weather a freight car, with an airbrush was laying down too much paint on early passes. Realism is best achieved by patiently laying down many, barely perceptible layers, and stopping every so often to step back, photograph and double check that you have enough! I have seen many overdone clouds and weathering jobs because of "one pass painting" by those who wish to hurry and be done or who use too little light and need intense layers to believe they applied paint. Go light and make multiple passes and have faith that the process is working!
Great job and super input…
I feel that with the light blue background that it is hard to see what he is doing. I can hardly see the clouds even when he was done.
A technique I have seen when painting the sky is to use two colors – white and a medium to dark blue. You paint the lower third of the backdrop white and the upper third blue and then while they are both still wet you start gradually blending them together so that you achieve a very light blue at the bottom (i.e. the horizon) and a bright blue at the top (i.e. overhead). Apart from being a more realistic representation of sky, this technique also provides the correct contrasts between the sky and clouds for all distances.
Fantastic bit of airbrush painting! Very informative video, well done.
I appreciate your purpose and guidance in choosing the correct shade of blue for an overall good look. However, I found it virtually impossible to see how you were painting the clouds because of lack of contrast. The final results were equally difficult to visualize. This video was on How To Paint Clouds. I was so much looking forward to seeing your technique. But unfortunately you failed my expectations. I am an educator, and I know how critically important it is in a demonstration that the student can actually see what you are demonstrating and not just hear what you are saying. I wish you had chosen a darker shade of blue for the demo.
This video is a very nice addition to the series! I like watching Jay Smith do his art and how he can relate that to our models. I also liked your showing of the "let's try that again" regarding color choices. On my screen I couldn't even see where he was painting on the first blue color. Jay indirectly brought up the concept that "clouds are models too", and a bit of research or observation will improve your model's appearance. Thanks!
NOTE: Mr Smith's abilities are not well demonstrated here. Check the backdrop videos for the Virginian and Olympian Projects to se more of Mr Smith. He really does convey that "yes you can" attitude.
I have always been skeptical about painting clouds because I have no talent in that area. This video gives me a method I think I can use. Do we know what the final "sky" color turned out to be or did Dave just color match the Panatone?
Jay, you showed highlighting the sun side of the clouds. How about ways to add shadow under the clouds? Is Payne's Grey a good grey to use?
I enjoy watching technique. Now I need to get myself to not expect to see much for several squirts of the airbrush.
Thanks,
David
PSS I notice Jay is holding the air brush EXTREMELY close to the work this time. I would enjoy another video (or explanation) as to why he did that.
And yes, I do love seeing Jay work and the work he does!
I have to agree with Christopher Ballinger in what he said. HOWEVER, I also say that not all "mistakes" are mistakes. What stands out here is that you discovered something needed changing because it wasn't exactly what you wanted/needed and that you fixed it.
What do I mean? It wasn't a "mistake" to use "shell blue eggs" (or whatever) as the color for the backdrop. That was a good color until you put your backdrop buildings/pictures up against it and went to paint clouds on it. All that you found was that you didn't chose a color that would look good with the more fully assembled layout than you had chosen before. (More or less the same thing as finding you needed a valance with the lighting when you finally got it put in place!)
It WOULD have been a mistake if you had gone ahead and painted the clouds on the backdrop AND THEN put up the pictures only to find it didn't work.
A mistake is measuring once and cutting once and having to find a new board because you didn't measure correctly. It doesn't matter if you held the tape/ruler/measuring instrument incorrectly or calculated incorrectly or forgot the overlap you needed to add to the CORRECT measurement; you did make a mistake. (Or worse yet – measuring TWICE, cutting once, and THEN finding you forgot to add the overlap!)
A change in plans or needs or desires is NOT a mistake. If you were to leave the original and just keep on going, THAT would be mistake.
Thank you for showing us that we should keep looking at what we are doing as we do it and that we can improve on what we have already done easily (usually.) [If ONLY all changes were as simple as repainting!!!!]
PS I hope only the bird got stuffed..Belated Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Plan your work and work your plan…
But always, PLAN AHEA
D
It is amazing what you can do with talent, the right tools, and knowing what to do! I have a little experience with art. Often, the secret of doing good work is just being subtle. Let the eye do most of the work. There are no lines in nature, just one value against another. The clouds are so lightly rendered that they seem real! Very informative video. David, I do have one question. What is going to go next? First the railroad and now your flashy shirts! Did you sell them too or are they just at the laundry?.
Love the mistakes in that it shows you shouldn't freak out, just deal with it as part of the process. It's great how you actually go through how you fixed and, more importantly, why.
As for the rest, I would have preferred if David was using the airbrush with Jay teaching along the way, I bet we would have picked up a lot more.
Otherwise, another great video, keep them coming.
I've been wanting to do this for years and now I think I'll try it again in the very near future. My first attempt with a brush was not to my satisfaction, so I put it off and went to other areas of modeling on my layout. Thanks Jay and David!
Allan
An amazing demonstration of painting in clouds with great how to information. Looks outstanding.
MAKING AND CORRECTING MISTAKES ARE PART OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS.
You hear this mantra from veteran modelers on a regular basis, but seldom actually see them work through a problem to a solution. In my opinion MR Video Plus is a perfect medium for allowing all of us to be part of the entire process of creating a layout, and not just the end result.
I for one appreciate the fact that you are willing to show when things don't go as planned. Knowing that even the more seasoned modelers among us make mistakes takes some of the sting and frustration out of making my own.
As for Jay Smith, I can only say "Wow". I have never felt like painting my own backdrop was possible until you started having Jay explain the process. His "yes you can do this" approach to explaining his techniques, along with his easy going style of instruction, is amazing.
Keep up the great work!
Another great lesson in sky modeling by Jay, thank you…….I was wondering whether you could layer the cloud patterns starting with the highest cloud forms down to the lower types as I see on some web photos. might give more depth to the sky.