Learn how to capture the shifting drama, light and atmosphere of the sky and discover how clouds can transform a landscape and become the focus of a powerful painting.

Tom Rickman has been studying changing light and atmosphere for many years, an interest that first grew from watching shifting skies and clouds while working from a beach hut overlooking Lyme Bay in Devon.

Over time, Tom has developed a distinctive approach to painting clouds that captures both drama and subtle atmosphere. For Tom, the sky is never separate from the land beneath it; his paintings explore the symbiosis between landscape and atmosphere, where each shapes and reflects the other.

This course offers an inspiring opportunity to deepen your understanding of landscape painting through Tom Rickman’s own methods and processes, exploring light, atmosphere and the ever-changing relationship between sky and land.

Working in charcoal, gouache and oils, you’ll explore the sky as more than a backdrop to the landscape, learning how clouds, light and atmosphere can shape mood, movement and composition within a painting. Through demonstrations and guided exercises, Tom will encourage you to look closely at the visual language of weather and atmosphere, developing skies that range from quiet and contemplative to bold and dramatic.

Tom will guide you through the materials and tools used throughout the course before demonstrating how to establish strong visual starting points through drawing. Using simple pictorial sketches, you’ll explore ways to simplify and structure what you see, considering proportion, horizon lines, tonal contrast and varied line quality to identify the elements that will make a compelling painting.

Building on these drawings, Tom then demonstrates how to develop your ideas through gouache studies before bringing everything together in a final cloud painting in oils. Along the way, he shares practical insights into observation, composition and paint handling, helping you gain confidence in your own painting practice.

How long is the course?

The course includes over three hours of video content, divided into manageable sections that can be followed at your own pace. The demonstrations are organised into three parts: drawing, gouache and a final oil painting. Each section includes its own set-up guidance, helping you prepare before you begin. Reference images are provided for every demonstration, allowing you to work alongside the course videos step by step. Alternatively, you may choose to use your own reference material, applying the techniques and principles explored throughout the course to the skies and clouds that inspire you personally.

Who is this course for?

Ideal for those with some painting experience, this course offers students an inspiring opportunity to deepen their understanding of landscape painting through the study of light, atmosphere and the ever-changing relationship between sky and land, encouraging a more thoughtful and expressive approach to observing and interpreting the landscape.

What will I learn?

• Develop confidence in observing and painting clouds, light and atmosphere as expressive elements within the landscape.
• Explore techniques for working in charcoal, gouache and oils to capture different weather conditions and moods.
• Learn how to simplify and structure a scene through sketching, considering proportion, horizon lines and tonal contrast.
• Gain insight into Tom Rickman’s approach to painting skies, from clear midday light to the rich colour and atmosphere of sunset.
• Create more dynamic and engaging landscape paintings by understanding how clouds can shape composition, movement and emotion.

What will I need?

A list of materials will be available to see in your account upon purchase of the course along with any reference material relevant to the course.

You will need access to the internet and ideally a PC, laptop or a tablet with audio.

Timings and Breaks

Watch now at your leisure with plenty of opportunity to watch again as often as you like and let the ideas percolate and the painting begin.

You can revisit as often as you like for up to 180 days after purchasing the course.