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Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Gouache, again...

Gouache and toned paper are a match made in heaven!

This was a lovely, foggy day in December--the blue-gray hill, yellow corn and bright red berries just cried out for gouache!


It works well to add just a little bit to spark up a monochromatic sketch like this, too...this was ink and watercolor, gouache, and a bit of white gel pen.

This paper is a pale tan, and I used a brush pen with Lexington Grey Noodler's ink to paint my cats, Ellis and Sophie.  Gouache made them pop off the page!
I draw and paint my cats a lot--they're both beautiful and handy models.  Always a challenge, though...

13 comments:

  1. Wow! The "window" effect peeking over the privacy fence is amazing! I am determined to learn how to use gouache -- these are inspiring!

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  2. Thank you! It IS a little tricky, in that it doesn't quite dry the color you expected, but FUN.

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  3. Kate,

    What is the colored paper you are using in your journal here? I've been wanting to make a sketchbook with colored paper but not sure which ones hold up to watercolor/gouache. Love the cat sketches...I know how 'uncooperative' they can be as models!

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  4. Different ones...Canson MiTientes and Stonehenge, mostly. And thank you!

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  5. I like how you used the grey paper for the midtones on the cats. That's so cool! I'm finally going to try gouache (for your Strathmore class). Is there a brand you would recommend? I usually order from Cheap Joe's - they have primary sets from Winsor & Newton and M.Graham. Any preference?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Leslie! I used W & N for decades, not mostly M. Graham and Schmincke, both of which re-wet pretty well.

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  6. Every time I see your "Pepi" I have to blink twice; I have a Pepi too, black and white, and with almost identical patterns. The only difference I can make out is that mine meows in an Australian accent.

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    1. THAT I'd love to hear! And it's funny, Pepi and our Ellis are marked almost the same too, but Pepi's gray and Ellis is orange.

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  7. I agree about the learning curve for the dried color of guache, but have tried my first guache and loved it!

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  8. Love the view over the fence! I'm looking at Canson papers online now.

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  9. These are all so wonderful and very different from each other. The colour of the paper has such an influence on how the final piece looks. I'm always inspired by seeing your work in gouache. Roz Stendal's gouache work does it for me as well. I'm still intimidated by it though. I really must try harder!

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  10. Awesome painting. I adore using gouache too.

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  11. Kate, I love that first page layout. So creative! I've wondered for many years why gouache hasn't become more of a mainstream medium, especially now that there are so many lightfast gouache options available. I do think it's had a steady gain in popularity over the last few years. My prediction is that many more artists will be turning to gouache, and I wouldn't be surprised if its popularity equals that of transparent watercolor down the road.

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