Gouache & Acrylic

Gouache and Acrylic Exploration

Gouache and acrylic painting offer unique opportunities to play with texture, opacity, and blending. These mediums allows for stunning visual effects and is an excellent way to explore artistic expression.

Gouache & Acrylic

Technical Considerations

Materials

• Gouache uses opaque water-based pigments.

• Acrylic uses polymer-based pigments that dry quickly.

• Satin glazing liquid or slow-drying medium for Acrylic

• Assorted brushes (flat, round, detail)

• Palette or mixing tray

• Water container

• Absorbent cloth or paper towels

• Heavyweight paper or canvas

• Brushes
  
  

How to Start Painting

Steps:

• Prepare Your Workspace – Set up a clean, well-lit area with your materials organized.

• Prime the Surface – For acrylic, consider using a gesso-primed canvas; for gouache, a smooth, heavyweight paper works best.

• Mix & Experiment – Use the palette to blend gouache or dilute with water for softer tones. Mix acrylic with glazing liquid for more extended working time.

• Seal (Optional) – Apply a varnish or sealant to protect the finished piece.

Additional Tips

• Layering: Build from light to dark for gouache, and the reverse for acrylic.

• Opacity: Add more water for transparency or less for opacity.

• Care: Always keep your brushes clean and moist while working.

• Blending: Gouache dries fast but can be reactivated with water. Use this to blend edges.

For the Classroom

• Gouache and Acrylic painting is suitable for students of all ages and skill level with minor adjustments:

• Younger Students: Simplify techniques, focusing on color mixing and basic shapes.

• Advanced Students: Introduce layering, glazing, and blending methods.

• Safety Tips: Ensure proper cleaning of brushes and minimal spillage. 

Composition Tips

• Use complementary colors to create dynamic contrasts.

• Focus on balance, whether through color, texture, or space.

• Highlight focal points by layering details and using bold contrasts.

Inspiration and Resources

For Gouache: 

• Mary Blair (renowned for her imaginative, colorful gouache work)

• Yuko Shimizu - A Japanese illustrator who often uses gouache for her whimsical and bold works.

• Rebecca Green - Known for narrative-driven gouache illustrations, often focusing on storytelling and character.

For Acrylic: 

• Kathryn Mapes Turner – A contemporary landscape painter celebrated for her atmospheric and impressionistic acrylic works.

• Roos Schuring – A Dutch plein air painter known for her loose and expressive landscapes, often capturing the beauty of light and nature with acrylics.

• Graham Gercken – An Australian landscape artist who creates impressionistic, loose-style works that focus on color and atmosphere.

Books and Techniques:

• The Art of Gouache by Jeremy Ford (for gouache techniques)

• Acrylic Revolution by Nancy Reyner (for innovative acrylic methods)

Personal Reflections

Gouache and Acrylic each has unique qualities as medium but also common similarity. Gouache challenges us to embrace softness and reworkability, encouraging subtlety and precision. Acrylic, on the other hand, pushes toward bold, confident strokes and textures. Both mediums have valuable lessons about layering, composition, and the joy of experimentation.