Before we start Lesson II, let us begin with a question: Have you had any problems getting cloud stamps to stamp out without having the edges showing?
Do your clouds look like floating boxes?

Example of bad technique

In this situation, the Cloud (Cumulus) 018E stamp has been stacked/stamped in the spirit of laying bricks. The clouds are too carefully placed. They lay on each other as opposed to blending with each other. Where they do overlap, the edges become apparent resulting in a box-like appearance.

Concept Lesson II is designed to help you overcome this problem.

The Cloud Cumulus was stamped out in a Marvy #64 "Plum"

With the second impression of the cloud, I've tilted the angle slightly and overlapped the first impression to avoid a white/blank space in between the impressions. Changing the angle will prevent the "brick laying" effect.

The third impression was stamped off center from the first two to avoid looking too symmetrical or stacked. The bottom of this impression slightly overlaps the tops of the first row.

Again, additional clouds were added to each side of the third --remembering to change the angles slightly.

A third row of clouds were added. This row slightly overlaps the second. You can go on and on in this manner depending on your size of paper and how much cloud structuring you want.

The Tonal Applicator 084E was used in a Marvy "Rose Pink" #57. I've left some of the clouds the white of the paper so that I'll have some value variation in the scene. Note: These days, I'm primarily using a Stylus Tool to do a similar color application to the cards.

The T.A. 084E was used in Marvy "Pale Violet" #31.

The T.A. was used in Marvy "Salvia Blue" #60. Note: I was getting tired of too much pink so I added a light powdery blue for variation. Where the blue overlaps the pinks/purples the color changes but where it is applied to bare white paper it reads as it's pure self --salvia blue.

The T.A. was used in Ranger Adirondak "Eggplant". Note: I haven't done anything more to this card as it's more of just an example of how to use the Cloud Cumulus than a scene in itself but a cloudy card can make an effective scene as is. To see additional variations of the cloud usage consider the following thumbnails.