This month’s demo is of a small gouache painting on cold pressed watercolor board. It is an hour long+, and comes complete with my inability to control the occasional post Covid cough outburst. I did the best to control it, to no avail. I may also sound slightly rambling or delirious… but am getting better!
Anyway, I’m presenting the way I paint with gouache wether en plein air, or in the studio from photo reference, as in this case. The only difference when painting outside is that I use a compartmented plastic box to hold each color so that they don’t dry out. You can use this same technique of laying out your gouache colors on a wet paper towel when outside too. You’ll probably have to mist the paint with water from time to time if you do.
As I mentioned in the demo, the palette is one I made using the basic idea that James Gurney has shown on social media. This is a link to his idea. I made ours larger, 10x12, to hold larger panels if need be. It uses friction hinges for the back, and the flip out cup holder uses a small piano hinge.
Colors on the palette for this painting… All are either M.Graham, W&N, or Holbein.
Across the top - Permanent White, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Yellow Ocher, Cadmium Red, Permanent Alizarin.
Down the left side - Viridian, Cobalt Turquoise (added mid demo), Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Perylene Black.
Brushes- 99% of the work is done with these two brushes. Many other’s are occasionally employed. But these two are my favorites tools for gouache.
Paper/Board - I usually paint outside in sketchbooks that don’t get broken up, the sketches stay in them. But if I’m painting paintings for framing and sending to galleries, I use individual boards, usually a cold press water color surface is my preference. Below are two that I use a lot.
Next week I will be out of town at the Addison Art show in Orleans, MA. So I probably won’t be sending out a Substack post until the following week. At that time I will show you the larger acrylic painting that I’m working on that this study was intended to help me with.
I’ll leave you with this book out of my library… THE PEERLESS EYE. The great Swedish painter, Bruno Liljefors - (14 May 1860 – 18 December 1939). He is perhaps best known for his nature and animal motifs, especially with dramatic situations. He was the most important and probably most influential Swedish wildlife painter of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He painted at the same time as Zorn, who was a personal friend, Sorolla, Sargent, Monet and other greats. His art was sort of rediscovered in the mid 1980’s due to the large number of artists, galleries and shows painting and displaying wildlife art. He was a major influence on me. Enjoy.
Be safe, stay healthy, and keep your brushes wet!
Cheers,
Marc
'Hazy Blues'-Gouache Demo