How to Paint With Gouache or Watercolor

affordable brand of gouache from 'michaels'

This will be a step by step tutorial on the easiest way to paint with watercolor and gouache.

Instructions

1. 

   Take your 12x 14 inch acrylic or whatever you want to tape your watercolor rag paper [100% cotton rag=super durable paper] to and measure a 1 inch border first before applying tape.

2. Always burnish [to rub with a tool or make smooth] to make sure your tape adheres properly to your paper and to your work surface. A credit card works fine. Use the edge of the card against the tape. Rub back and forth. As paper dries between layers of paint it will pull and want to warp. Taping the paper will minimize this effect.

3. 

   Apply your background colors first in a delicate wash. In this demonstration I will be painting the sun behind a cloud. [small photo in lower right hand corner] Your background color is what is behind everything else. See the light behind the gray clouds? That's what I mean.

4. After paint dries completely! mask off [to conceal or protect] the area that will later be revealed as the golden lining behind the cloud. You can use common liquid latex [eyelash glue, mold maker], or rubber cement. I use a cheap brush dipped first in water and blotted then dipped into latex. Frequently washing off brush in COLD water [warm or hot will make latex harden]. You can use a toothpick or a skewer, whatever gets the masking fluid [liquidlatex, rubbercement] onto the paper. Allow to dry before next step [working in foreground colors].

5. 

   If you are patient and gradually apply layers of color, the depth of your painting will be more convincing. It will not appear so 2 dimensional. Begin applying the darker foreground colors in delicate washes. As you can see here, I have displayed the process in smaller pictures at the bottom of the image.

6. 

   Here's the finished painting, as you can see in the small image in the corner of this photo. You can simply remove masking by rubbing a clean dry finger on it. It will roll up, and you can pull the rest off by hand. Some people prefer to use special erasers to lift off masking.

Tips & Warnings

• 'Scotch' brand masking tape, 2 inch is best. Any cheaper discount brands of masking tape will leave adhesive residue on your paper so spend a few extra dollars and save a painting.

• Blue tape doesn't work, it wont adhere to your paper or work surface for very long so don't waste your money on it.

• Arches is the best paper to buy, it costs more and it's worth every penny. They've been making artist paper for over 500 years so I trust them to do it right. You can scrub or scratch your paint away with little to no damage to the paper, you CANNOT do this with bargain watercolor paper.

• Arches paper will not tear as you remove masking tape after a painting is complete. Discount paper will rip.

• Most brands of discount watercolor paint or gouache are decent enough to start with if your a beginner, as you improve your technique and familiarize yourself with the medium of watercolor/gouache painting you should try higher quality products.

• 'Michael's arts and crafts' shoppes carry 'Reeve's' discount brand watercolor and gouache. These are a fraction of the price and have a decent amount of pigment. A set of gouache paint with 18 tubes of paint will run $10.00 as compared to high quality gouache set's such as 'Turner Design' that may cost $100.00.

• I use Turner, I prefer this brand because the binder doesn't seem to leave a residue after drying. If your a serious artist this set is well worth the investment. I received a set of 18 tubes a year ago and I paint every day, I have hardly used any of the paint as it is super saturated and can go a very long way.

• Watercolor paints manufactured for children have high amounts of binder [substance that holds pigments together] and lower amounts of pigment so you wont be able to get vivid saturated hues that you will with artist quality paint.

Resources

• Reeve's
• Arches Paper
• Turner Design Gouache
• Chinese paint brush