I have found that painting fluffy white clouds or shadows or gradients is highly dependent on brush type, type of paint, how dry the paint on the brush is, how dry the paint on the canvas is, etc.
I am trying to figure out how to do this consistently. Is there a type of paint best for this? Maybe one that is chalkier somehow compared to most paints that are heavy bodied?
When it comes to painting fluffy clouds and seamless gradients, using soft-body or fluid acrylic paints can be helpful, along with synthetic brushes that have softer bristles. it’s good that you experimented with different paint dryness levels. Experiment on both the brush and canvas to find the perfect balance :)