Oil or Acrylic

• 1). Place an image of lightning where it can be easily viewed. Sketch out the lightning using a white pencil. Create irregular lines and have smaller bolts connected to the main bolts.
  
  
• 2). Apply white paint to the drawn bolts. Let dry.
  
  
• 3). Highlight by applying a little red, violet or blue over the bolts.
  
  
• 4). Apply a mixture of red, blue and an earthy brown around the palest parts of the lightning and at the horizon.
  
  

Watercolor and Gouache

• 1). Place an image of lightning where it can be easily viewed. Sketch out the lightning using a white pencil. Create irregular lines and have smaller bolts connected to the main bolts.
  
  
• 2). Create a bursting effect by splattering paint at the top of the lightning. Create the splatters by flicking the paint brush with white gouache.
  
  
• 3). Create smaller splatters of paint at top by flicking paint off of a toothbrush. Let dry.
  
  
• 4). Highlight by applying a little red, violet or blue over the bolts.
  
  

Airbrush

• 1). Place an image of lightning where it can be easily viewed.
  
  
• 2). Spray on white bright using about 45 pounds of air pressure. Create irregular lines and have smaller bolts connected to the main bolts.
  
  
• 3). Apply a blue, violet or purple color and spray over the center of the white.
  
  
• 4). Repeat the process but with a tighter line by holding the air gun closer to the painting.