Gouache fundamentals

[L0bo]

Hi Guys.

I recently bought some gouache paints and a little moleskin for doing some on-the-go studies.
But i had to realize that it is not as easy as i thought.
So I'm looking for a gouache tutorial or so, which provides some infos about how to mix, how to do gradiations, about right consistensy and so on.

So i would be very grateful about any kind of info.

l0bo

[Anid Maro]

Here are a couple links I found from a quick google search.

An overview (http://www.geocities.com/mary_m_haselbauer/Gouache.html) as well as a Handprint (http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/pigmt7.html) article.

I haven't done too much with gouache myself, all I've used is a tube of W&N white gouache as either a corrective fluid with inks or as a way to make my watercolors more opaque. However my understanding is that many watercolor techniques (particularly regarding preparation and application) apply quite well.

Handprint's watercolor (http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/water.html) section is an excellent place to find answers to watercolors.

Nathan Fowkes is a masterful painter with gouache and has a blog site (http://nathanfowkes.blogspot.com/). He doesn't discuss the things you're asking about, but he's got the occasional series of process pics that lets you see how he works.

Hope that all helps. Now I'm gonna go run off and read that Handprint gouache article, I didn't even know he wrote anything on gouache 'till now.

[L0bo]

those pages look neat.
gonna read over it tomorrow.
thx dude !

yeah, Nathan Fowkes blog is the reason I want to learn this stuff.
his paintings are absolutely wonderful.

[Flake]

This guy scoots around between mediums but there is maybe something of use to you here..
http://virtualgouacheland.blogspot.com/

I'll let you dig through 3 years of archives though.

Edit: also, anything you can find by The Legendary Syd Mead, he has burned through truck sized tubes of Gouache over the years..His dvd series by that company we cannot mention is good, but borrow it if you can as it's mostly someone chatting over speeded up video..

[SoufMeng]

Anid beat me to Nathan Fowkes' blog. To complete though, he also has a landscape sketchbook (http://nathanfowkes-sketch.blogspot.com/), as he calls it, with the latest post being another demo.

[Chison]

looks like he use big stroke of Gouache mostly for landscape and buillding work awesomely well

[FranciscoShreds]

damn... already kind of beat me to it. But here's a process vid posted in erik tiemens blog. http://virtualgouacheland.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html

And here's a really good sequential set of process vids made by main loop. really gives you a good idea of how to approach plein air painting. http://community.imaginefx.com/forums/234216/ShowThread.aspx

[tensai]

This guy scoots around between mediums but there is maybe something of use to you here..
http://virtualgouacheland.blogspot.com/

I'll let you dig through 3 years of archives though.

Edit: also, anything you can find by The Legendary Syd Mead, he has burned through truck sized tubes of Gouache over the years..His dvd series by that company we cannot mention is good, but borrow it if you can as it's mostly someone chatting over speeded up video..

I can highly recommend that Syd Mead series, for so many more reasons than just seeing him make sweet tender love to gouache. Do check it out if you can.

[Farvus]

Anid beat me to Nathan Fowkes' blog. To complete though, he also has a landscape sketchbook (http://nathanfowkes-sketch.blogspot.com/), as he calls it, with the latest post being another demo.

As far as I know Nathan Fowkes switched to watercolor from the tube applied with opaque brush strokes + white gouache. The reason was too fast drying time. Those demos can still be used because it's all similar medium, I think.

[Noah Bradley]

I haven't watched it, but I'm craving this video by Erik Tiemens. (http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/store/product/470/Watercolor-and-Gouache-Painting)

[Cam Sykes]

Thanks alot guys these artists are truly amazing with the medium. Nathan Fowkes has really vibrant colours and so precise with the brush strokes.