Gouache 101
My little landscape art challenge and a little hack
If you were looking for an excuse or permission to crack open that gouache... this is it. As requested, this month, I am going back to my beloved gouache and opening up the invitation for you to join me! https://ko-fi.com/sketchesnscrubs/tiers
Zoom session today at 5pm UK time - Gouache 101 (link for Ko-Fi members here or Substack subs below)
Youtube Livestream with Sarah Burns on Saturday 6th December at 6pm UK time (open for all).
Gouache Landscape Challenge starting on Monday 8th December (sneak peek in the picture below). This challenge will give you a kickstart or jumpstart (depending on what you need) in your confidence and understanding of gouache. As part of it you’ll receive references, videos, resources and multiple live sessions. Free for members.
Zooms and livestreams: 4th, 12th, 20 and 29th December. All dates & times are in my December Post.
Gouache is so underrated but one of my favourite supplies - it is opaque, neat, works beautifully with other supplies and is incredibly versatile. You can achieve anything from a hyperrealistic painting to something totally abstract and everything in between.
There is a learning curve, primarily because it reactivates with water, making it a bit trickier to layer than other mediums - but once you master it, the world is your oyster.
The beauty of this project is that we can do it together, trouble shoot, and see all the beautiful interpretations of the same references.
My Membership on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/sketchesnscrubs
Materials:
- Watercolour Paper (Cellulose works well)
- Gouache (whichever is most easily accessible to you, my favourites/recommendations are: Winsor and Newton, Daniel Smith, Holbein, Schmincke, ShinHan) but please, use what you have. https://bit.ly/3SxFBUi
- Brushes: Synthetic Mixed Media / Acrylic Round brush (bonus: Flat brush 1/2inch) - I prefer firm brushes as it gives me more control.
- Paper towel
- Pencil
- Bonus: I will be creating my gouache paintings on wood panels, if you’d like to do the same you will need:
- Wooden Coaster ( coasters are a lot cheaper than painting panels the same size: https://amzn.to/44J5ExB )
- Gesso (prior to painting on the coasters, do two layers of gesso on the coasters - I did multiple at a time so that by the time I finished the 7th coaster, the first one was dry enough for the second layer).
My little hack: I’ve wanted to paint on wood and gesso panels for almost a year, but I was always put off by the cost of it, then it occurred to me to look for other wooden items that would fit the bill but not be as expensive (similar to the toothpaste squeezer being about 80% cheaper than a paint tube squeezer that looks exactly the same). The little diy coasters are SO much cheaper than wood panels the same size, and perfect for our little landscape challenge.
A technique video I created that will also help you prep is:
https://ko-fi.com/s/4e5a0447b9
What Colours?
Use the colours/palette that you enjoy most.
That said, if you’d like to know where to start, put simply, my go to gouache palette is the split primaries, a titanium white, a turquoise and a brown.
(My W&N palette: Cobalt turquoise light, primary blue, Prussian blue, lemon/primary yellow, warm yellow, Quin magenta/spectrum red, burnt umber )
Like my watercolour colour choices, I don’t tend to use warm reds much. I have many more colours that I may use from time to time, but the above are my essentials and a good place to start …with the addition of any colours that you really like the look of/enjoy.
Check out my warm and cool guide for more on split primaries: https://ko-fi.com/s/dc5cc534dd
I’ve also created a Youtube video highlighting all my gouache colours, and how I identify the colour gaps I need to fill here.
Don’t want to paint with gouache?
No problem, I will be sharing the references so you can take part in your medium of choice!
