How to Paint Skies & Clouds in Procreate

2026-06-25

The sky sets the entire mood of a landscape — from a calm blue afternoon to a fiery sunset. Procreate's soft brushes and blend tools make skies and clouds approachable. This guide shows how to paint convincing skies and clouds on iPad: the gradient, cloud forms, light, and color.

Start with the sky gradient

A real sky isn't one flat blue. It's a gradient — deeper and cooler at the top, lighter and warmer toward the horizon. Lay this down first with a large soft brush, then blend it smooth. This gradient alone reads as sky and gives clouds something to sit in. For smooth blends, see how to blend in Procreate.

Understand cloud structure

Clouds are 3D forms, not flat shapes — billowing masses with a lit top and a shadowed, flatter bottom. Like trees, think of them as clumps catching light. The light side faces the sun; the underside is in shadow and often picks up the horizon's warmth.

1. Block the cloud shapes

On a new layer, block the big cloud masses with a soft brush — irregular, overlapping puffs, larger overhead and smaller toward the horizon (perspective). Avoid evenly spaced identical clouds; vary size and clustering.

2. Light the clouds

Add bright highlights on the tops facing the sun and keep the undersides in soft shadow. Build the highlights with a slightly textured or cloud brush from the nature category — see the best free nature brushes. Keep edges soft on the shadow side, crisper where the sun hits.

3. Soften and integrate

Blend the cloud bases into the sky so they don't look pasted on, and pull a few wispy edges with a soft brush. Lower opacity on distant clouds. A Gaussian Blur on faraway haze adds depth.

Cloud types

Cumulus — fluffy, cauliflower puffs with flat bottoms.
Cirrus — thin, wispy streaks high up.
Stratus — flat, layered overcast.
Storm — tall, dark, dramatic masses.

Sunsets and mood

For a sunset, build the gradient from deep blue/purple at top to orange/pink at the horizon, and light the clouds from below with warm color and glowing rim edges. Set the sky color first; everything in the landscape should harmonize with it. Use Add/Screen layers for sun glow.

Brushes and next steps

Paint skies with free soft and cloud brushes from the nature and blenders categories, or any free brushset. Put your sky into a full landscape and fade the horizon with atmospheric perspective.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click a question to expand the answer

How do you paint clouds in Procreate?

Lay a sky gradient first (cooler/darker at top, lighter/warmer at the horizon), then block irregular cloud masses with a soft brush. Treat each cloud as a 3D form — bright highlights on the sun-facing tops, soft shadow underneath — and blend the bases into the sky so they don't look pasted on.

Why does my sky look flat in Procreate?

Because it's painted as one flat blue. Real skies are a gradient — deeper and cooler at the top, lighter and warmer toward the horizon. Lay that gradient with a large soft brush and blend it smooth, and the sky immediately reads as believable.

How do I paint a sunset in Procreate?

Build the gradient from deep blue or purple at the top down to orange and pink at the horizon, then light the clouds from below with warm color and glowing rim edges. Set the sky color first and harmonize the rest of the scene with it; use Add or Screen layers for the sun glow.

What brushes are best for skies and clouds?

Large soft round brushes for the gradient and a soft or slightly textured cloud brush for the cloud forms, plus a blender for smooth transitions. All are available free in the nature and blenders categories — a soft brush plus one cloud brush covers most skies.