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View Full Version : gouache sequence a sorta step by step part1


fredflickstone
May 15th, 2004, 01:02 AM
http://rev-art.com/lemenimages/stewpingoauche.jpg


Ok, so here is a small step by step to get you off my back oabout the goauche demo...heh

Seriously though, I will make these images better when I can, they are all a bit yellow, and the final scan came out like crap.

But it will show a process.

The rest of the page is blank so I can do a few other demos and explain a few other approaches.

This approach is what we refer to as the tiling method. Tiling is where you take all the areas your eye depicts as color break up, based upon known information of anatomy, etc. to make an accurate painting of what we see. I say anatomy knowledge etc because the more you know, the better these shapes will realize themselves out to be...

This image I took from a book on Himalayan culture. I painted it in my little 4 x 6 sketchbook, brown paper for a neutral background. The painting was painted in about an hour maybe 1.5 hours, I didnt clock it, but it was quick.

the painting was started at whatever point I feel I mixed a color that looks like it fits into the picture, and then from there, I find the opposite color, or its complement. In this case, I started with the yellow orange on her cheek, and then found the core shawdows of blue purple on the chin. No rhyme or reason other than to start it with something somewhere. The minute I commit to a color I have to begin the painting.

The entire drawing started with a pen drawing, ball point pen, a quick sketch that was drawn in in less than 5 minutes.

The painting, once the first colors are down, evolves in color notes, clean color notes, not dirty colors, and try to roll form with accurate color notes, in the same size I see in the image. I painted this one in small because its in my little sketchbook that I am doing my studies in currently.

The first few color notes set the chroma pattern for the image. Then from there, I can see how to adjust any color that goes into or onto the canvas, into the painting.

All the pictures, up to the point of the last image is in a tile format, or hard edged all the way around. Once all the tiles I want are in the picture, then I blend them out a bit to flatten the image so not everything is interesting. Then I can go back into it and create a solid focal point in the area I want the eye to go to. In this case, since the head is only 2 inches tall, I dont have much of a choice but to make almost all of it focal.

The colors are created by color balance. The paint is wetted with water, and the water content to paint content is varied depending upon whether I want to establish a tile, more opaque, or a glaze, more transparent. The water content you have to try for yourself to understand how much it takes to make it flow right, or dry brush on right...its about effects, and knowing how to blend it or block it in...its all about your experience with the water and the paint, I cant teach that.

But I can say its one of the most versatile mediums out there, as much as oil. ANd I will be doing at least 5 more approaches to painting in goauche so you can learn it too the right way.

If there are any other questions, post em, otherwise, give me feedback so I can know what to describe for you.

Thanks for reading and looking.


Ron

BNicolucci
May 15th, 2004, 01:17 AM
I know you are probably tired of hearing this Ron, but man you rock! That you are so willing to take the time to help everyone out just speaks volumes of the kind of guy you are. Awesome.

I know I'll be swinging by the art store tomorrow to pick up some goauche and try this out. Then I'll definitely have some questions for you. I can't wait to see you work in person at Austin. I'm gettin goosebumps just thinkin about it. Woot!

ps sorry to sound like a geeky fanboy, you are just a very, very inspiring teacher/guy!

imager777
May 15th, 2004, 07:02 AM
Do you mix your colors dark, so they'll dry closer to what you want; or do you mix the colors you like from the start, and not worry about lightening?

I hope that made sense.

rogfa
May 17th, 2004, 07:57 PM
These are great Ron! Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated.

Could you recommend a good palette to start with?

--Roger

Avetice
May 18th, 2004, 10:14 AM
hey how does that sketchbook paper handle the goauche and water? I've tried painting with them in a white papered sketchbook that was pretty thin and it didn't like it. I also have those brown papered sketchbooks as well bt the paper still wrinkles for me after a little while. Do you work on one side?

Main Loop
May 20th, 2004, 08:04 PM
thank you x3000...

ill wait till you do all your demos before i decide i want to ask you questions..

silva412
May 21st, 2004, 01:42 AM
hey ron,

thanks so much for taking the time, man. I have been waiting for a serious gouache tutorial from you for ever. I know you have probably been asked this a million times already, but I am going to austin and I was wondering if you were going to be sitting around throwing these out for us.....I would love to get a chance to check out that sketchbook.......thanks again. Can't wait to meet you in austin.

-Danny

Pitvipr
May 21st, 2004, 05:42 PM
This is an excellent step by step gouache tutorial!!!
Thanks man! :)

Right now im in a Color Theory class..and all we paint with is gouache paint ;) Ill probably be posting some of my paintings later :D

fredflickstone
May 23rd, 2004, 03:12 AM
thanks everyone. I am glad these help a bit.

Avetice-this paper is fine. ANy paper is fine as long as you can handle some curling. But since it is in a book, it will flatten out eventually...

ROn

lichi
May 23rd, 2004, 09:31 AM
What about painting in high chroma?it cannot be the same result or am I wrong?

Thanks!
lichi

Rimshot
May 24th, 2004, 11:32 PM
These tuts on gouache are great! Youve inspired me to try it myself, but i was online looking at gouache and have no idea what colors to buy...(the stuffs expensive, so id rather not guess). I was wondering what colors you recommend/use the most? if you had only say 10-15 colors, which ones would you want? Any advice would be great :chug:

jester
August 11th, 2004, 07:12 PM
Ron, I'd like to revive this thread (you promised more different approaches in gouache... ;) ) and have a question regarding th eamount of water, although you stated that you can't teach that. I'm quite sure you can give some hints...

My main problem is when working with rather creamy colors to get an opaque effect and an oil like structure, the paint dries on my brush really fast. But if I dip it in water to moisten it, the paint becomes too wet immediately. I can't figure out what to do. Is there a gouache medium I haven't heard of which can be used?

Jester

Bojee
August 12th, 2004, 03:27 AM
Jester- any acrylic based medium will work with gouache, matte medium or matte gloss, I don't think you need it though unless you were looking to get into glazing.

jester
August 12th, 2004, 03:33 AM
Bojee, thank you for this, my main problem is just fast drying but to know that these work is good for special effects I might be looking for some day.

Jester

Bojee
August 12th, 2004, 04:32 AM
Jester- have you tried mixing more paint, larger batches tend to stay wet longer, also maybe a spray bottle to mist the paint to keep it wet. Also if you look real close in the first picture Ron posted showing his tools , Ron lays out his paint on a wet paper towel which you can mist as well, that should keep the paint fresh while your working, you can use the same technique with acrylics.

jester
August 12th, 2004, 07:45 AM
I'll try that! :)

Jester

Bojee
August 12th, 2004, 11:47 AM
Jester- Cool , Good luck.

omarpac
February 20th, 2005, 10:21 AM
hey fred
i have got lotsa of questions
and plz plz help me
wud u plz be more specific on how to use gouache
ive used gouache and used them thin layer by layer just as watercolours
but when i try to paint them like what u did
i dont have smooth graduations
wud u plz say how do u mix ur colours ?
am lookin for the technical side of painting with gouache
i simply dont know how to use them
plz help

omarpac
February 21st, 2005, 08:48 AM
anyone plz help