The sky is painted first because it is the source of light for our piece. My mixes are #1. White + a bit of Pthalo Blue. #2. White + Pthalo Blue + a little Cobalt Blue. #3. White + Cobalt Blue. Cobalt Blue is not normally on my palette but it is perfect for skies. If you would like to know more about our Double Primary Color Mixing System CLICK HERE.
Since the sun is shining into our scene from the left, the sky to the far right is darker. Therefore it is blocked in with Mix #3. Working toward the left I use Mixture #2 in the central portion of the sky.
The sky at the far left of the painting is made lighter with Mixture #1.
Here are my cloud mixtures. #1. White + a touch of Ultramarine Blue + a tiny bit of Cadmium Orange. #2. White + MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + a little extra Ultramarine Blue. #3. White + MUD + Ultramarine Blue.
VIDEO. Painting the fluffy clouds into the blue sky. Working wet-into-wet allows me to make the edges of the clouds soft and feathery.
I pull the horizon line of the ocean while the sky is still wet. A mix of Ultramarine Blue + a little MUD + White is used for the most distant edge of the Mediterranean.
Then a zig-zag is squiggled along the entire length of the horizon line with a small Bright (square) brush. You can click on the image to see it larger.
A larger Bright brush is dragged along the zig zag, smoothing it out. This makes the horizon line soft and blurry so it will recede. Would you like to know about the brushes I use? Just CLICK HERE to learn more.
The top edge of the far mountains is drawn into the wet sky, completing our work for today. Have a great evening! Hugs,
Mikki Senkarik 
May 15, 2016 at 11:18 AM |
Thank you thank you! I have your color chart but your use of blues here are easier to understand. I went to the beach near Portland, Ore, and took pictures. Now I have a challenge! Love YOUR painting, always! Zenobia
May 24, 2016 at 6:11 PM |
Do you put any medium on you brush before you put the paint on and did you wash your brush out as you were doing the clouds?
Thank you.
May 26, 2016 at 6:24 PM |
Hi Joel,
I don’t put any medium on my brush as I’m painting. I do wash the brush in odorless paint thinner and then wipe it clean. You can see that on the video. I use the least expensive toilet tissue that I can find. Use it once or twice and then throw it away. A clean brush makes for clean color on your painting. Hope this helps. HAPPY PAINTING, Mikki
May 26, 2016 at 6:31 PM
Thank you so very much for answering my questions. I also switched to Turpenoid Natural and I am glad I did.
Joel Stacey
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