
31 Gouache Paintings and what I learned from making them
Tutorial: 31 Gouache Paintings and what I learned from making them
Warning, this is a long one! I seem to have a lot to share lately, huh!?! lol!
Watch the video below and scroll to the end to leave comments or questions — or click HERE to watch it on YouTube and leave comments over there. I read both dutifully!
My biggest learnings
- Avoid using too much water! That causes lifting. Cheaper brushes don’t hold water so try more of those than the good watercolor brushes.
- Mix enough paint the first time. Nearly impossible to match in 2nd mix.
- Use colors more inventive than “out of the tube” – I think I may need to make myself a mixing chart to remember all the colors I found that worked well, like Hansa Yellow Deep + Permanent Green Light making a great olive, and figure out which blue made a good purple with Quin Magenta because I’ve already forgotten!
- Use bigger brushes and fewer strokes unless you want a 5 hour painting. If I’ll be going plein air sketching, I can’t dawdle like I’ve been!
- For the first pass, block in colors everywhere except whites or very lights to avoid lifting and muddiness.
- Watch out for green creeping into the orange paint for the shiny cherries!





Got gouache questions?
I’ve already filmed Saturday’s video, but….leave me your gouache questions! I’m new enough I hardly know what to ask, especially since I’m the type not to ask if something works, I just try it myself. LOL.
Supplies
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