I had a lovely afternoon at the art store this week, stocking up on supplies and looking for something new to experiment with. Inspiration hit when I stumbled across this bargain-priced set of gouache. I’ve never painted with gouache before, so I couldn’t resist this chance to try it out. I’ve heard it’s sort of like watercolor, except more opaque and more pigmenty.
I also picked up some paper tape, which has been on my art supply wish list for a while now. It is perfect for stretching paper:
This way the paper doesn’t buckle when it is painted on. Off to play with my new paints!
HI Juls
Wish I had an art store close by to shop in but then again having it 400km away means that my pocket is save. 🙂
Cleaned out my scrap corner/spare room and refound all of my art supplies and lots of other things that I had forgotten about so am playing with all of these – have decided that I am not allowed to buy anything new until I have used up at least ten things that I alreeady have – new years resolution 🙂 so far I have used up my left over letter stickers and used the ink up in some old textas just doodling on a big canvas.
What is gouache? You said it is like water colours but not. Sounds interesting. Can’t wait to see some paintings. 🙂
You switched your blog comment format! I can comment again without having to reboot and use Explorer! Hooray!
I never had much luck with gouache myself – but it so perfectly suits some painters (look at the increcible work of Egon Schielle, who used it almost exclusively). I wonder how you’ll enjoy it. I hope you like it. I can’t wait to see what you do with it.
I always wanted to get some of that tape, too – but I couldn;t find any, figured out how to do stapling, and I’ve been doing that ever since. Tape would still be simpler and less time consuming, though…
hi jul, I have been so missing lately, I do apologize to you….I see you have made a post about gouache and now I am curious how you liked it? I really like them quite alot, for special places where it really fits…I recently did a landscape on my blog using quite a bit of gouache you might be interested in looking at….landscape in red, an inglorious name, I realize, but actually it has a #5 or 6 at the end so not so bad?? ah well…..
blessings to you..
Emma – I wish you lots of fun using up those art supplies. 🙂 So far I’m enjoying my gouache, although I haven’t produced any finished works yet. I’ll post some of my experiments soon.
Steve – yay! So glad you can comment now.
I think I’m most suited to acrylics and oils, but the gouache is fun to play with. Plus it seems to suit me a little better than watercolor, which I never really got the hang of. How nice that there are all these media out there in the world, so we can each find one that matches us!
I’m a huge fan of Schiele. Seeing his work was the highlight of my last trip to Vienna.
I think paper tape is often available in hardware stores, if you want to take another look for it. I’m sure stapling gives you a much nicer edge, though – the tape doesn’t come off the paper, so it has to be trimmed off or just left on (and matted over).
Linda – no worries, I have been extremely absent from the internet, too! Computer problems… anyway, I’m off to check out your landscape now!