3 Techniques to Combine Watercolor and Gouache in your art

Gouache is a versatile, water-based medium that has enjoyed a recent resurgence in popularity. It has a lovely opaque, velvety quality and is perfect for augmenting your watercolour paintings.

I created this class because I used to find gouache kind of mysterious. I loved the look it produced, but what was it? And how do you use it? Plus, I had heaps of watercolours, so I didn’t want to go out and buy a whole new range of paints…

So I came up with 3 techniques that will give you the confidence to paint with gouache AND seamlessly combine gouache and watercolour in your artwork!

This class is for beginner painters through to experienced watercolourists who are new to gouache and want to expand their portfolio. You will add a range of techniques to your quiver and learn to plan your painting with confidence!

You’ll start to look at your paints in a whole new way!

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

Through warm up activities, I’ll teach you a range of techniques before we embark on our final project where we put it all together!

The lessons will cover:

• The similarities and differences between watercolour and gouache.

• 3 ways to combine them to create harmonious compositions

• How to mix brand new opaque colours using watercolours.

• Layering paints to create pattern and texture

• Building a colour scheme

• How to use reference images to paint your own bohemian bungalow!

For the final project I will show you, step by step, how to compile reference images, create your own original boho bungalow, then plan out your colour scheme before painting it using your new watercolour and gouache techniques.

SUPPLIES - For this class, you'll need:

• watercolour brushes - round brushes in sizes that feel comfortable. I always recommend you have a 0 or 00 for fine details. It makes all the difference.

• watercolour paper - I like Canson. Anything that is 300gsm.

• good quality watercolours

• gouache. You can complete all the exercises with just a tube of white gouache. However if you have more colours, great! The Holbein primary colour mixing set is a good place to start.

• 1-2 containers of water, for rinsing brushes

• pencil and eraser

• flannel, or art rags

• My Pinterest Board for reference (link in the curriculum)

• reference images found in the curriculum section