How To Draw Rain in 4 Styles with Free Coloring Pages to Practice

Rain is one of those elements that instantly changes the feeling of a page. It can make a scene feel peaceful, dreamy, quiet, or dramatic depending on how you draw it. At Southern Lotus, we love using rain as a storytelling detail, not just a background effect. With a few simple techniques and soft color choices, rain can turn an ordinary illustration into something emotional and calming.

In this guide, we will walk through four easy and cozy ways to draw rain that work beautifully for coloring pages, storybook scenes, and relaxing art moments. You do not need advanced skills or complex tools. Just take it slow and let the rain set the mood.

Rain On Pond

This rain style feels gentle and natural, like a quiet moment by the water after a light shower. It works especially well for outdoor scenes, gardens, ponds, and peaceful nature illustrations.

• Start by filling the pond with deep and medium blue tones such as V390 and PB8, keeping the edges slightly darker.
• Blend softly toward the center to create depth. Once the base is smooth, draw circular water ripples using a darker blue like B440, placing them unevenly so the surface feels alive.
• Add soft highlights to the ripples with a white acrylic pen, then draw thin vertical raindrops falling into the water. Smudge a few drops gently to create a heavier rain effect without overwhelming the scene.

Dreamy Rain

Dreamy rain is soft, colorful, and emotional. This style is perfect for cute characters, pastel illustrations, and cozy nighttime scenes.

• Begin by coloring the puddle and raindrops with a light blue base such as B120.
• Layer soft pastel shades of purple, pink, and yellow using V370, R15, and Y3, letting the colors overlap gently.
• Blend everything lightly with a colorless blender so the colors melt together smoothly. To add depth, shade parts of the puddle with RV320, then finish by adding sparkles and highlights using white and colored acrylic pens.

This style is less about realism and more about feeling calm and whimsical.

Rain On Window

Rain on a window creates a quiet, reflective mood. It works beautifully for indoor scenes, reading corners, cafés, and peaceful moments inside.

• Start by coloring the sky behind the window using soft gradients from E050 to R120, blending gently into deeper shades like V370 and R17.
• Once the background is smooth, draw flowing rain streaks down the glass using a dark blue like B440.
• Add a few blurred raindrops with a colorless blender to soften the edges. Finish by highlighting the rain with a white gel pen and adding foggy details using a white pencil to create that misty window effect.

Stormy Rain

Stormy rain brings drama and contrast to your coloring pages. This style is great for emotional scenes, night skies, and powerful weather moments.

• Begin by filling the background with a light yellow base using Y010, then add clouds with light gray tones.
• Gradually build darker gray shades such as RG050 and RG080, blending carefully so the clouds feel heavy and layered.
• Highlight the center of the clouds with a darker yellow glow to suggest distant light. Draw lightning using a white gel pen, keeping the lines sharp and irregular.
• Add raindrops with the darkest gray, then highlight them with a white acrylic pen. For a strong storm effect, layer heavier rain lines using a white pencil.

Let Rain Set The Mood

Rain does not need to be complicated to be beautiful. Sometimes it is just a few soft lines, gentle highlights, and calm color choices that make a scene feel complete. Whether you prefer peaceful rain on water, dreamy pastel showers, quiet window rain, or dramatic storms, these styles can be mixed and adapted to fit your own coloring pages.

If you want to practice these rain styles, you can download our free practice pages and take your time experimenting with each technique. Coloring rain is not about perfection. It is about slowing down, enjoying the process, and letting the mood flow naturally onto the page.