Home Depot sells a cloud kit for around $25 which I just tried, and it is great, well worth the money, and very easy to do. The kit comes with an instructional ( 15 minute ) VHS tape, a paint tray ( 3 compartment ), 2 1" brushes, a 4" brush, instruction sheet to show how to mix the paints, a small "wooly and a larger pad “wooly”.
I have pictures posted in the Coffee Shop, and at the web sites at the bottom of this thread.
Thanks for the info.[:)]
*** - Lots of clouds, looks like it might rain[:D] Great job! Tks for the info.
Terry[8D]
***… I looked at the same kit, I think… it was by Wall Techniques, and I did not buy it because the clerk told me you had to use a semi-gloss paint on it, and I was concerned about a “shine” on the background/clouds. Did you have to use a semi -gloss or a gloss on your background ? I am still looking for an easier way to do the clouds… Thanks… Bob
*** -The cloud kit looks like it works!But you like myself found it impossible to stop once you started,I ended up painting mine over and just blending blue and white to the horizon,I may try clouds again.Thanks for the tip.
I used a very simple method to do clouds and am very happy with the results. All it takes is a can of flat white spray paint. Just spray in a small swirling motion and it is hard to go wrong. After all, a cloud is nothing but a white mist, the same thing that comes out of a spray can. Practice on a sheet of cardboard if you want but this was so easy even I could do it well on my first try and I almost always screw things up the first time I do it. This technique produces very credible wispy, cirrus clouds. Now if you want to get fancy with big puffy cumulus clouds, you will need to paint shadows on the bottoms of your clouds and that might take some artistic talent but all I wanted was something to break up the solid blue background and this technique did the trick and very convincingly if I do say so myself. I am almost to the point on my layout when I am ready to start taking pictures so you can see the results for yourself. Hopefully within a day or two.
I have somewhere in my many magazine clippings an article (series actually) about painting realistic clouds (and faraway mountains) - the basic gist was to use a torn-paper stencil (or several for different shapes) and keep that somewhat away from the backdrop, so when you spray (in successive layers) you get a nice, indistinct edge for the cloud.
Well, searching came up with this (go to page 8 of the pdf)
http://www.trainweb.org/BackdropFigures/making_backdrop.pdf
and this
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/abrams_railroad/Sky-Clouds.html (The cloud stencils look like the ones in the link above)
and here (search for various cloud stencil tips)
http://www.littlefoottrains.com/info/tips/tposting.htm
Heh: cloud painting stencils for sale:
http://www.modelrailroadinguniversity.com/products.html so clearly not only is this stencil technique known and widely used, it has been commercialized!
All in all I prefer the stencil method as my freehand painting techniques often are not up to par…
IronGoat, the kit recommends using Satin latex paint. I had already painted my wals with Flat Latex paint, so I called the Manufacturer of the kit, and they said that using the Latex Satin over the Flat would be no issue at all, and it wasn’t. And I do not get any noticeable shine at all, so don’t worry about that.
This kit makes it very easy to make very realistic clouds with minimal effort. You are only resticted by your own creativity for cloud location, size and style. Go for it.
Thanks, ***… I am on my way back to Home Depot tomorrow to get the kit and paint. I apreciate youre response and information.
Bob