I used DRIED GOUACHE for 30 days in a row and learned this...
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2024
- This is Part 2 of my dried gouache series, where I share my insights about using my favorite medium in a new way. Dried gouache simply means pouring the gouache into pans and letting it dry between uses. This is similar to watercolor, only gouache is very opaque. It's taken me a while to get used to, but now it's my favorite way to paint with gouache outside!
Blog post about dried gouache ➤ bit.ly/sbdriedgouache
What is Gouache? Blog post explaining everything ➤ bit.ly/whatisgouache
Patreon ➤ bit.ly/sburnspatreon
00:00 Dried gouache experience
07:07 Dried gouache palette
10:34 Opacity test
15:58 Tips for painting with dried gouache
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We love that the information presented here is based on objective, hands-on experience. Controlled drying rate is really important in manufacturing semi-moist and dry cakes, so it makes sense that you got better results with paint that was more gradually dehydrated. (Traditional Asian ink sticks are also gradually dried by transferring them through a series of containers of moist sawdust, from damp to dry. This helps keep the sticks from warping and cracking.) Gouache has a high proportion of solids to binder, so it may be that repeated reactivation rinses away some of the binders and plasticizers, leaving the remaining paint underbound slightly. How tube paints perform as "leftovers" has become an increasingly important property that artists see as a key advantage, and we're so glad for videos like this!
"so it may be that repeated reactivation rinses away some of the binders and plasticizers, leaving the remaining paint underbound slightly" yes I thought about that too! I was thinking maybe after a couple months, I'd add a drop of binder to any of the colors that are more crumbled, then break up the chunks as best I can. And maybe add a bit more gouache, as they tend to dry out faster when there is less color in the pan.
@@SarahBurnsStudio Some people add a drop of glycerin to tube watercolors that they put in a palette to dry. I haven't tried that but I am wondering if it might work to slow the drying rate with gouache.
@@heelerjustheeler879 Too much glycerin can make paint sticky, but a very small amount may impart desirable handling properties. We think gum arabic might be the 1st thing to try, or you can add a small amount of either to the water you use for reactivating, if you want to add only a tiny amount.
@Blick_Art Sarah uses the winsor and Newton blending medium and it seems to have very good « stay wet » properties. Do you know if that medium is anti-microbial by any chance? I heard that it is at least in part made with propylene-glycol, which should prevent problem like mold too. Knowing that for sure could be a game changer. Can you confirm? Thank you.
An online class from a Korean artist named NOMA I took did this, it was the first time I’d seen gouache used like that except she used fresh white and black every session, I was so curious about it but she never actually explained why she used it like that so this video is perfect to see the actual benefits and cons compared to fresh from the tube.
I've decided that next year I want to replace my acrylics with gouache as I finish them up. So back to watch all these videos again. The fact that I can dry them and use them like watercolour is what sealed the deal
One day I found information on the W&N website that they recommend using distilled water for diluted ink painting.
This intrigued me and I decided to see what it was all about. It turns out (although my tap water is very soft) that gouache also reactivates better when exposed to distilled water than tap water. Tap water sims to sit on top of the paint and sink in quite slowly but distilled water... wow, quite different story.
BTW they didn't lie about distilled water and ink, it's quite amazing how it behaves ;)
Very interesting, I may try that!
I had read something a while back about the benefits of using distilled water including your spray bottle. I’ll have to revisit this to refresh my memory on the reasons.
I place a piece of cling wrap over the pans before I close the lid and that keeps the paint wet! Seals the moisture in.
Taking the time to offer hands-on valuable insights like this to the art community is so awesome. I love your analysis and thought process. I also enjoy all the comments on using dried gouache and your replies. So interesting. And I’m in love with the bird painting! Thanks, Sarah.
So glad you find this kind of thing helpful!
I use dry gouache almost all the time^^
this video, and your other dry gouache video is a blessing, a gold mine of info! ngl it's a bit validating, I live in Florida so it's hot and humid here, and I've ran into mold times before.😭 so it's great to know i'm not alone in using intentionally dried out gouache.
Im a lazy gouache painter. So, after MONTHS of not painting, I’ll take out toothpicks and mix each one the night before while adding water with a water dropper. Works great because you don’t mess up your brushes
I have been so eager for this video. Thanks so much, Sarah. I have been experimenting with dry gouache too. I have found a few other artists using gouache in this way. One is John Muir Laws. He takes a small piece of gauze and puts it in the bottom of the pan before adding gouache. He also presses the gouache down with his finger to compress the cake. I really like this method a lot as it contains the crumbles. I have also heard of artists using honey water to mix in with the gouache before drying in order to contain the cracks. I have done that a little, but haven't tested enough to report. You are so inspiring, and are largely responsible for my interest in this medium. Thanks so much.
Do you know why he adds the gauze?
I heard that compressing the gouache helps avoid the cracks too. I know some manufacturers do that when selling their watercolor in pans. I may try that in the next round. I'm assuming the gauze gives the paint something to grab onto so it doesn't harden only to itself?
Yes, I think that is the idea. Somewhere I read that Turner did this too, but now I can't find the source.
I use Holbein gouache dried in full pans. I actually find it easier to control the water this way and Ive never had a problem getting opacity. It's so lovely just to be able to paint from pans rather than tubes! Sometimes I will still use fresh white but that's because it's hard to keep a pan of white clean.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with dried gouache! I usually add a couple drops of humectant (glycerin and/or honey) to the paint as I put it in the half-pans, mix well, then let dry. I add a bit more to colors that tend to dry extra hard, crack, or are difficult to re-wet. This has basically solved most of my problems using dried gouache! I also do this with a few watercolors for the same reasons - although they don’t usually need as much. I think M Graham gouache already has honey - I don’t remember if I added more humectant when I panned those (it’s been a while).
does honey work? i woudlve thought it would risk mould growing
@@CatherineCane Some companies, such as M. Graham, use honey. It works well - they re-wet beautifully too.. If you are in a humid climate, I would use less or just use glycerin (also less). Paints with a lot of honey can sometimes run out of the pan in hot/humid environments. To prevent mold/mould in places like that, use distilled water only, as tap water can add mold and other impurities (some professional artists use only distilled water when painting).
@@MaryPrasadArt ah I'm in the UK which is a very humid climate. I use W&N gouache, I've been thinking about putting it in pans because I usually use my gouache on a palette or plate wet, then leave it on there when I'm done and repeatedly re-wet it once its dried and use it until it's gone. i don't know why I havent tried panning it yet!
Thank you for sharing your experience, much appreciated!
Thank you for a very informative and helpful video!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us!
Thank you for this. Really interesting and helpful 😊
Great video! Wonderful tips. Thanks!
Nice video, Sarah!!! Thank you for inspiring me!!! ❤
I LOVE that 6 well idea!
Oh Sarah! as a total bird nerd (like, walking around recording bird song for personal S&Gs lol!) and someone who loves painting and drawing birds I was ENAMORED with your bird paintings! I love all your work always but how fun to see these little birds!!
I’m getting more into birds! Pretty much since last summer I started paying attention to them for the first time. I am very behind on learning the names, but I watch them and listen to different calls (I have an app now) with my zoom lens. It’s fascinating!
I gotta ask, what are “personal S&Gs”?
@@SarahBurnsStudio I use Merlin Bird ID to listen to the sounds around me and it shows each bird that it detects so quickly that I am learning to recognize more bird calls every time I use it. 🐦⬛💕🎶💞
@@BrazenSpirituality personal sh$Ts and giggles 🤭 😬.
@@joannnulmer9060 😂😂😂
Thanks so much Sarah!
Found video interesting and informative very helpful thanks for posting this ...
The blackbirds were so beautiful. Wow.
Gorgeous black birds! I am just getting into gouache so your tips are very helpful. ❤
Thank you for sharing your findings - 🙏
I was so excited to see this update!
Also I got a second set of your brushes :)
Oh wow that’s awesome! Thank you :)
Oooh I loved that black bird!
I’m so glad you are enjoying using dried gouache! 😍 I’ve had my palette a while now and use it rarely so it’s super dry and cracked, but I find it so fun to use and I love how it can be closer to watercolour in this way but lovely and opaque 😊
Those little divided half-pans are so cute!! It’s nice to see what your experience with dried gouache was like, I’ve always debated putting it in pans or just using it straight from the tube like I always do. This is really helpful information!
I loved the bloopers at the end!!! 🤣 💞
Low maintenance is definitely a plus!
Thank you for sharing your experience with the dried gouache. I found it very interesting!
Thank you so much Sarah for sharing your insights! I am a watercolour painter and love gouache too. I use it only occasionally though and was a bit put off with trying to keep the palette and paint moist. So now I will be packing a palette again and not worry of it dries! Thanks again
More painting and less maintenance is always a great thing! And I have my qualms with burnt umber drying out as well but it is such an essential neutral on the pallete. 😀
Such an insightful video, I also love using dried gouache because it's like the best of both worlds just like you said. I can create dry and wet brush on the gouache and it is pretty great for diverse textures. Thank you for this cool video!
Love seeing dried gouache as an option somewhere else! I had switched out my travel watercolor palette for dried gouache years ago, and it's easily my favorite way to use the medium. I don't even really prewet it, since I really like the transparency that can be had working directly from dry and working up to opacity gradually! We have some crossover in colors, and its really cool to see your process and how you use them-- though its a relief that your burnt umber is also a little difficult. I use m grahams right now, but have yet to find one that reconstitutes well. I'm holding out hope for the dan smith one once I run out of my current tube!
The idea of using it more transparent then building up the opacity is a really great way to work especially for quick sketches outside. I think that will probably be my method when I take it traveling and doing 'urban sketching' (as urban as it gets in Scotland lol)
Thanks for this! I've been wanting to try it but I was worried about just wasting a bunch of paint if it didn't work out, glad to see it wasn't a bust :)
Great tutorial!! I put my gouache in a palette, and yes, it dried out. I, too, found out the same colors dried much faster. After playing with it for a while, I found I loved painting with it after re wetting it, mush more than right out of the tube! It was much more like painting with watercolors, but opaque. The best of both worlds! It doesn’t take the place of my painting with watercolors, but gives me something else to play with! Seeing what you’ve painted gives me more ideas on how to get more out of my paints and paintings. Thank you! (I’d also love to have a part 3 to this.)
Thank you so much for the update! I made a palette with my W&N designer gouache and yes it dries out but I use it so much more, as you say, it's best to do small paintings so perfect for a small sketchbook. My next purchase definitely needs to be a toned sketchbook 😊
Thanks for the detailed update Sarah! I would be very intrested to see another update on the dry palette in a few months. Also love the bloopers at the end as well as the guest appearance of Vader 💜
Yea I will most likely do an update after giving a it a lot more time to dry and use outside
Very interesting video Sarah. I love that palette for watercolour. Not sure i am brave enough to use it for Gouache though. I hope I get to go on your 12 month subscription. Its such a cool idea.
Thanks for your in-depth review. Exactly what I needed since I just began to setup my gouache palette. Your Scottish landscapes, seascapes and birds make me want to try harder to meet my daily art goals. Your love of art inspires us all Sarah ❤️ So glad I found both of your channels.
Thank you so much :)
Perfect timing! I used my dried Goauche today . I sprayed them all when I first arrived but maybe they needed my more. My painting looks more like a watercolor.
Hey Sarah! This was awesome, a great update! Love the birds.. they would make great stickers 😊 would love to hear more about your custom colours and why you chose them compared to going for new tube colours. The light green and the purples look beautiful! Happy Friday! 💜🍻🤘
The colors in my palette are based on what I use the most, which kinda changes now and then. So if I find I’m having to mix the same colors every single time, I will remove one color and make a custom mix of the new color. It’s a constant struggle to decide what to keep in my palette! I was testing a variety of blues to see if any had trouble rewetting, but now that I know they are all “fine” I will probably reduce down to 2 blues and give more space for custom mixes
I love birds & painting birds - they somehow speak to me 😄 love your bird - you have inspired me to try painting in Gouache- 🙏
Sarah: I'm a professional artist living in NJ. I was born in Dumfries birthplace of another BURNS (Rabbie). I've always painted in oils and acrylics. Thanks to your fabulous videos, I just ordered sets of Winsor Newton and Holbein Gouache. I can't wait to try them. Love your work. Carry on Lassie. I miss my Bonnie Scotland.
Derek
I have a palette full of dried gouache colors and they rewet fantastically. M Graham, Winsor x Newton mainly. It's nice being able to layer and layer until I get what I was going for with it. Love how your Black Bird turned out!
Thanks to you, I have a pallet of gouache that I let dry. Mine is in a metal tin. When I reconstitute them it is easy to see they are ready. I just smear a little in the mixing area. If it stays in place and doesn’t bubble up I know it’s ready. I did order a few new tubes of Davinci gouache to try out. The ones I have are very old. Enjoying the series.
I heard Davinci gouache is really nice!
How do you like the DaVinci gouache? I have their watercolors, which I love, but I haven't tried their gouache.
Thank you for this update and your first video. I have tried dried gouache, drying it slowly like you did and adding vegetable glycerine to help with consistency/cracking (did not know about the medium you suggested at the time). I tried it because I saw a TH-cam video using Sui Gouache in a palette from Amazon (Penestra I think). I’ll look it up and link if I can. In addition to using the glycerine I also put a layer of parchment paper over the pans before closing the palette and let it dry VERY slowly. The Sui gouache is still perfect in that palette after months and I’ve had varying success in additional palettes with different gouache brands as you have. One other thing I do since I don’t paint with gouache as often as you, I have a suspense on my digital calendar reminding me to spray all my gouache at regular intervals! I find using gouache this way more accessible for me as we do a lot of boat and camper travel and I just need something more portable than a bunch of tubes! It gets used way more like this as it’s much more like my usual watercolors, only opaque, which I have come to adore! Thanks for all your valuable insight on this lovely medium!
Thanks a lot for the tips...I have some dried gouaches and I will try to revival them...nice to see Vader in the video!
Great video. I think you are right in saying different brands of the same colours might behave differently.I have used two different brands of magenta and they dry very differently with one being easier to rewet and offering more opacity than the other.
This is a great idea instead of carrying around wet gouache. I'm not sure where I heard it but someone suggested pushing the gouache down as it dries so it won't crack. I think this will depend on the brand and color. Thanks for sharing this with us. Have a great day
Thanks for the video it was so informative. I love the Daniel smith gouache as well dried. Please keep us informed a few months from now.
Will do!
@@SarahBurnsStudio thanks Sarah I hope you enjoy painting this summer as I will in Ohio happy painting my friend 😀
Dried gouache crumbles its what it does I use schmincke and winsor. I have a habbit of adding just a drop of glycerine in my pan after use call it my nutty anti fungi thing
I been doing that for a few years wait for my watercolour half pan empty, and fill them up with gouch.
Wow! This is so informatIve. I now teach gouache painting (after initially learning from you during COVID). The first question I get, is always about using the gouache when it’s dried up. So I will refer my students to you (which I have in past several times to watch your videos and read your blogs for homework). You have come such a long way, Sarah and I continue to enjoy your sharing of your artist’s life in Scotland. Cheers to Wolfie who is obviously becoming your second hand man with your business.
Glad it was helpful! Also thank you 💜
A ziplock bag could help if you pour paint in the palette and must travel. Also you might put a little clingwrap over wet half pans. Not 100% spillproof but better and def keeps it off your bag etc. :)
I thought about doing the cling film - I think that would be the safest for flying!
I am new to gouache, and to sketching and painting of any sort. I ordered an inexpensive paint set from Amazon. They sent me two sets, actually, but about half the paints in each set were completely dry. I was unable to open a few other pots. The pots were large and flat, with screw on caps. I found putting chunks on a wet pallett worked pretty well to keep it reactivated, but it has been frustrating. I use very small sketch books (3.5 x 4.5), which makes the best of using dried gouach. I love your videos and your willingness to teach we newbies. Thank you
Thoughtful review based on practice. As a researcher I find your techniques very important; folks can replicate and modify as desired. Thank you
I think to avoid crumbling paint after rewetting several times it's better to to not fill the pans fully, so you can go through them faster and refill them before it starts to get to that crumbly state.
Thank you for the video I've been thinking about this method but wasn't sure whether it was practical or not. A
Yes that might help.
Hi Sarah, It is so good to see you and your beautiful art. I am new to gouache and have been experimenting with a less expensive brand. The paints when dry do a lot of cracking and have wondered if you have tried any alternatives to the blending medium? I wondered if you have used glycerin or anything else to improve the flow of paint so that it isn't so watered down and thin. Thank you for your time and help.---Eileen Snyder
Thanks Sarah for your work on this, I really appreciate it. I was really curious what it would be like using dried Gouache. After watching this, I don't think it suits my style. I thought it would be fine as you can rewet Gouache which has dried on the palette. I do this if I want those subtle touches of colour. But it crumbling and me having work on the crumbly bits wouldn’t work for me. I don't mind cleaning a palette after use, but being mindful of rewetting and waiting before use, not for me. I do like knowing that it is still usable. Luckily I have a palette that doesn't leak and keeps my paints wet. It doesn't have the fancy water pots on the sides though. It obviously really suits your style, perhaps you also painting watercolour is why. I am an acrylic painter who uses gouache outside. Watercolour and I aren't friends.
I use weekly pill conteiner and it works very good, only I wish it has more compartments. I only open the colors I need I like how big the wells are and it doesn't get messy at least for now. It is light weight but bulky but I do kind of like it this way.
I actually thought about doing that too. But I couldn't find one that had the internal separators that go all the way to the lid (like there was a small space between which would allow the paint to leak through before it dries
I did this too and even found one that has a plastic internal lid I can take on and off but helps seal in fresher paint. It has 6 compartments which may not be enough for some.
The lids are interlap. Because I keep gouache semimoist I don't see how it would leak, but there is a chance. The containers are big and much convinient for bigger paintings. Anyway it worth trying it only cost 0.99 from Walmart. Another unexpected bonus the lids can be open with one hand just one push of the thumb.
I guess it depends how you use it. I like to use a big old white Tupperware lid as a palette, and find if I only lay out a small blob (winsor&newton) and pre-mix a few colours and shades with a palette knife (thus spreading it out) it dries quickly, doesn’t crumble and rewets beautifully. But then I’m working small, and forgo the pleasure of double-loading the brush. I also tape brushes to another big lid, and bind the two together to make a clamshell. It wouldn’t suit everyone though 😂
I have the same W&N turquoise and I have to say mine stays moist like that too! I paint by squeezing fresh gouache onto a plate, using it, and then i let any leftover paint dry and use that again and again. My other W&N have dried hard, but turquoise remained shiny and slightly soft even after weeks in the open air waiting for me to use it again. I think it's to do with the formula of that specific shade. It still works just the same though
Also, you don't have many in the palette, but I've found that W&N reds rewet really nicely. Particularly the cool reds
great looking blackbird, they are hopping around here too, but not as common as the starlings, couple of them nesting in the neighbors roof tiles lol
Starting to see some of the smaller companies selling pan gouache now. Stoneground started selling dried gouache half pans last year.
I have never had much issue letting my gouache dry. I keep my gouache in a mijello fusion 18, I have a couple of them for watercolor and use one of them for gouache as well. Squeeze the white fresh and let the rest try. If you paint often you don't have to really worry about mold and other things people spread the FUD about. I just make a point of not squeezing too much in my wells and a few times a year I try and let each color run out so I can wipe the well out and start it over. Might not be required... but can't hurt either.
I loved this video. I just started painting (watercolour) last year (I’m nearly 60 and can’t draw if my life depended on it) and wanted to try gouache too.
You’ve got a new subscriber ❤
I think this is a great way to get started with gouache!
@@SarahBurnsStudio Thank you! I bought a Himi set, it should have a nice price/quality ratio. It’s nice and creamy and I hope it doesn’t dry out too fast 😂
Very nice
Agree. I've used dried gouache ( mostly m Graham, but a mix of others too ) for years, and just in past year tried stay wet sealed palettes. I love both - but dried is definitely easier for on the go quick access with no fuss.
I’m excited to use it when I travel farther from home too! The convenience will be soooooo nice
Oh wow that’s great news about being able to use the gouache dry from the palette. I am super excited about it because it’s much easier to keep maintenance of this way. I am finding that this way suits my style as well. Have you tried any of the M Graham gouache with this dried gouache. I am figuring that they don’t dry out as quickly since they have honey 🍯 in the paint like their watercolors. Thanks for sharing this wonderful informational video with us. I really appreciate your vast knowledge of gouache & your database of information on your website. 💕
I only had a few colors during this experiment, but since then M Graham has sent me a larger selection of gouache to try! (it's really hard to buy here)
So I will be making a little m graham dried gouache palette soon to play with and will give an update after a while :)
@@SarahBurnsStudio Oh great, I am looking forward to seeing that! Thanks 😊!
Love the bloopers at the end!! 😂 Wolfie’s influence??
Haha no this time I was filming on my own and just could NOT say anything easily 😂 I just felt like sharing that side of it because I don't think people realize how hard it is speaking to a camera. But yes he totally liked the bloopers too.
😂😂😂
bIRB!
Very interesting to hear about your dried gouache...every time I watch your videos, I'm tempted to pull out my gouache, too! Alas, my current sketchbook paper would dissolve under paint :(
I almost said birb so many times 😜
Hi Sarah, Such a great video on using dried gouache. I loved your blackbirds too! I hope you don’t mind if I share my dry gouache experience? For my dry gouache palette I use 2 drops of blending medium in each pan. I use the Art Toolkit folio palette so the pans are small and shallow. I get really great results with this setup. It doesn’t crumble, the pans dry very quickly and they rewet like a dream. BTW Scotland looks breathtaking. Happy painting!
Oh interesting! I thought they might crack more if it was in a thin pan such as that. That’s good to know.
@@SarahBurnsStudio Thanks for responding! Some brands like the Senex did crack a little but they didn’t crumble. The Holbein not as much and M. Graham did not. I was afraid when I set the palette up it might crumble and fall out (like Daniel Smith ultramarine blue watercolor often does). I was really surprised to see that that didn’t happen with the addition of the blending medium, even in the colors that developed slight cracks. When I tested the pans without the blending medium they dried much harder and did not re-wet as easily. I also tested the blending medium in my Transon palate with my wet gouache and I will say that I didn’t like it at all with the wet gouache. I felt like it made it very sticky.
I often use dry gouache and it help me better to control it with water.
Thanks so much for this update! I’ve been eagerly waiting to see it! Once you get the paint wet enough to use, how long does it take for it to dry enough that you can throw it in your bag without fear of the paint seeping out everywhere?
Pretty much instantly. If there’s excess water that might spill out I just soak it up on my paper towel (it’s never much). but the paint isn’t super fluid enough to spill out on it’s own. The only one that came close is cobalt turquoise light but even that didn’t spill
Thank you!!
I wonder if it would work to add a little bit of honey to each color. I have a Sennelier tin of pan watercolors. They have honey built into them. I’ve added a few W&N pan colors. I was surprised at how much I prefer the Sennelier, which never feels super dry!
Hey thank you for your educational videos. I have a question. If you use tubes on site. Is there something that we have to keep in mind?
Yes 1. Will you bring a large mixing tray to mix color from the tubes? 2. After you're done painting and have extra paint, can you seal up your mixing tray so you don't waste the paint and so it doesn't leak?
My gouache is the same some dry way quicker than others it doesn't matter where you get it from ,my husband made a base up for me so all I have to do is add the colour tint to it.
Excellent video helped me a lot . I got all these tubes of paint and wasn’t sure if I wanted to use a dry or wet palette so helped me alot
Another great video. Love your bird paintings!! So inspiring. Could I ask please which Schminke gouache you use? Is it the Horadam or the Designers? Thank you!
It's Horadam. Sorry I should have said it (It's listed in the blog post though)
@@SarahBurnsStudio Thank you! I remembered the blog post AFTER I asked the question (not sufficiently caffeinated).
I'm wondering if the reason some of the colors that change over time with the cycles of drying out and re-wetting are colors that that contain more than one pigment. The reason for that would be, as you pointed out, some pigments reconstitute more easily that others.
The pigment that reconstitutes quicker will be the one you're using the most, eventually changing the ratio of one pigment to another in a given color, thus changing the actual color that ends up on your paper.
Hope that makes sense. Of course, it's just a theory. It would need to be tested.
Now i want to know what is better to pint with: watercolor or dry gouache ❤❤❤❤
Totally depends on the artist, the painting, the situation
This was really cool :-) I’ve recently become interested in having gouache available in a way that water color is in the pans… I bought some of those little empty plastic paint containers that are connected in a little row, you know the ones I mean like when we were kids and they came in the paint by numbers? it’s been like three weeks and they’re still still totally wet! Of course, I still have to have an additional little plate or some thing to do mixing, but they’re totally sealed and portable and you can dip your brush right in them :-) Transon also makes a little portable silicone sealed paint palette with a waffle design inside, but I haven’t tried yet it has 16 wells, and it’s like the size of your hand. :-)
I wonder if resetting with gum Arabic would be better for really dry gouache
Do you keep gum arabic around to mix with your gouache to rewet it? I am wondering if that would make them smoother, but I have not tried it.
I do have some but haven’t tried it yet. If anything I just add more gouache and mix it up really well
I am really late to comment on this but Sarah I am SO grateful for your channel, your videos and tips have really revolutionized how I look at and use gouache, so thanks for that!
I put a drop in when I poured the pans (before they initially dried). To be honest I don't think it made a huge difference, maybe it would be more noticable to someone who let's their gouache sit alone for longer times. I use mine quite often so they don't have time to get super crumbly.
Thanks so much Sarah! 😃@@SarahBurnsStudio I set up a dried gouache palette and left it out open, and literally had cracked chunks falling out of the pans 😂 Now I've got a set drying slowly, with some blending medium, and hoping it will be slightly less... cracky. 😋
i'm just getting started in gouache. i have an EXTREMELY limited budget. I live in Canada and although I'm geographically fairly close to where Daniel Smith and M. Graham are made, the exchagne rate makes it implausable to order from the US, and the cost of paints here is pretty high. WN is higher than DS but it's not great either way.
I was planning on shelling out for the limited palette for WN when I remembered I had a set of 5 half-pans from a Canadian company called Stoneground Paint Co., based in Saskatchewan, who does hand-poured watercolours and now gouache. I have a primary set plus white and black, so 5 colours - and I broke them out and played with them and I don't like the mixes they make. So upon deliberation, rather than ordering WN, I decided to spend the money ordering some more Stoneground gouache - I was able to get more colours for a lower price than 5 WN colours, and I'll be able to play a bit more and really dive into the medium before shelling out for tubes - which I do plan to do eventually, maybe, if for no other reason than it's cheaper than hand-poured half pans for sure.
I was concerned because I've been watching a lot of your videos and I know you've always preferred to paint with tubes and I was worried I wouldn't be able to try a wider range of techniques with the hand-poured pans but I will say this (especially for anyone living in Canada who wants to try gouache without committing to a big price tag with tubes): they rewet EXTREMELY easily. Touch it with a wet brush and it's activated. And then it dries back down as if it's never been rewet. I don't know how it'll behave as I get further into the pans; we'll see. But also, the washes I'm getting can be quite opaque. I have nothing to compare it to but there's no streaking so far with the colours I've used, they mix well, they layer well. I'm brand new so I'm excited that it appears I'll be able to do a range of things at a more accessible price point.
I've heard Stoneground Paint Co make great paint and I've had a few requests to review it, but can't get it here affordably. But I'm glad to hear it reactivates nicely!
a timely video for me Sarah, I just created a travel palette for dried gouache myself! great to know it wasn't a terrible idea! LOL. Also, I LOVE your custom brush! When did THAT happen? 🥰
It happened a few months ago, very exciting!
@@SarahBurnsStudio very cool indeed 🥰
Thanks for this. Your series of gouache experiments are very interesting.
I realise this is a stupid question but as someone who's only really tried watercolour, everyone (on TH-cam) I watch paint in gouache paints in sketchbooks, or otherwise very small. I know it has a reputation for cracking on the page after it dries, so smaller sheets make sense as a cracking avoidance strategy, but is this just an inherent feature of gouache, and it's mainly a fun/sketching medium for working small? Is it worth pursuing if one wanted to use it larger? Or is that where you should just start considering acrylic/oil etc, if I'm considering playing with a more opaque medium?
The only reason gouache will “crack off the paper” is if it’s applied really thick (like acrylic). The main reason people don’t paint huge gouache paintings is cost. Tubes of high quality gouache are expensive. And since most people paint with it less diluted than watercolor, a single tube doesn’t go as far as the same size tube of watercolor.
I’ve painted with it on a 12x16 inch paper and enjoyed it. Typically I’ll start with a more diluted first layer (could even use watercolor for that) then paint my more opaque details with a bit more paint
@@SarahBurnsStudio Ah, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you.
Do you mind sharing where you found those narrow pans that fit in the brush holder for your portable palette? I would love to find them! You’ve inspired me to try more plein air painting! Thank you
Portable Painter sells them on their website
Thank you!!! Duh...😊
I love dried gouache! I use a large white plate even though I have pallets, it just seems to work best. I keep it covered with an old book to keep the dust out and start fresh once in a while.
On a related note, have you tried sealing with archival wax? It brings out the colors and makes them glow!
That’s a great idea, and cost effective :) Yes I’ve used wax to seal them. I usually use Dorland’s cold wax
Hi Sarah, what blending medium do you use? I apologise in advance if i’ve missed it.
it's Winsor & Newton watercolor blending medium
I just bought some schmincke gouache. But what's the best brand in your experience in the travel palette you are using ?
I'm still comparing a few brands, but so far there isn't one that "sucks" if you see what I mean - they are all doing just fine. I really like the Daniel Smith but they are so expensive here and the others aren't that different
Your reviews are extremely helpful for someone like me who's a complete noob to gouache, Ty!
It would be awesome if you could do a review of Turner's Design Gouache. I ended up buying the set BEFORE doing the research:(
If I can find some for an affordable price I’d definitely do that
@@SarahBurnsStudio thank you so much!
You were going to tell us which brands work best in a dried down palette. You mentioned Daniel Smith but what about WN? Schmincke and Holbein? (which are both expensive in the US)
There is no ‘best.’ Given my results, I’m hopeful you can see they all work well. It’s more a matter of how you use them and which specific colors you choose
Have you tried adding gum Arabic to paint to cure it?
What do you think about Japanese watercolor? Also, I use a Portable Palette for plein air watercolor and I have a real problem with it leaking after I use it
I have not tried it
Dear Sarah,
(A few questions, A story, a movie like voice, a design idea, your work to inspire, and the adventure has only just begun...)
I wanted to think about the time I was at TAFE doing design with Olivia. We used a ceramic open flower plate, I think we got used to mixing huge amounts for large works.
If there was any left over, we would carry on the next day. Due to leaving it, and then using it, within a week, it seemed as though it dried in colour arrangement. We added to it. We nearly always ran out, and still had to top up, by remixing something at full strength opacity. I am wondering if a flatter shaped palette, or ceramic palette, or a stay wet palette would benefit you with your dried gouache? It then means keeping colours on a flat mixed area, for mixing, and new places for new mixes. A larger flatter surface might mean that instead of digging, you spot where your brush could land, in either creamy, or drier. We were taught creamy, one layer kind of illustration style, so that is how I think about gouache. I love the latest upgrade painting to the start of your video, with the blue mountains, those warm colours, I think you nailed it!
I have bought the gouache, and put it downstairs in the garage. I wanted to paint sunflowers in an illustrated flat design, with sienna brown and cobalt blue, with creamy yellows, two yellowy greens, and off white/creams. I wanted a large scale, say A1. For some reason this one work has been in my mind's eye for years.
Why don't I?
Well other things to do, but more, I think I love the opaques, the creamys, so I went back to the trusted brands I knew. I bought a stay wet palette four years ago. Nope. It doesn't feel right for my brush in my mind's eye to be going into something, rather than on top of a flat plate. I think we just used clingwrap. Olivia made sure we bought the W&N Designer's gouache. I recall I had so much Cadmium Vermillion left. I think it got hard, and it eventually was thrown out, not by me. It was series 5, and I used such a small amount.
So, I thought, okay what about if I keep it dry. And go to the tube to refill spots, that were getting less opaque. This is more of a studio practice, than plein air. I think I will stick to the 6 sided petal shape ceramic to do the work. I think I was mostly worried about slowing down so much around shapes, for that tiny overlap.
Back then, we laid it out thickly, like soft cream. High. Meaty, almost to the point it could crack on the painting after it dried. We hated to do two layers of the one colour, in the one spot, on a large area, if we didn't mix enough, or if we re-used the same colour to finish a section, which was now dried and transparent. Such a matt surface, so opaque, it was used for commercial design. So that was the reason for the first flower palettes, to hold enough for one colour on a large piece.
but if I just use a masking fluid, it should work out better. Do you have any advice about masking fluid, with paper, and gouache?
I love the beige journal that you work on. Do you like the surface? You seem to love that size? I do go out and about, I just can't bring myself to do the plein air that I love to see you do. It is freeing on my behalf!
If you like dry brushing now, does that mean your go to paper is rough? I can't recall the paper we used for our colour and design class. Maybe it was a hot press, which covered flatter, and more opaque. Maybe it was an expensive brand, like Arches. We used very soft squirrel brush, a mop was used to do most work or a small round. Maybe we had one flat brush. The two I still have, now about 27 years old. After a while the handle cracks, the timber varnish cracks, the holes near the ferule are now darkened grazes, and the filament fibres break with every pass, brittle. I don't buy any since, the synthetics are easier to manage.
I doubt we would have been able "to move any paint with a soft mop, for a dry brush technique!" It simply wasn't allowed in her classroom. This was in the days with film photography, and bromides, and designs in 1993 were still quite flat. Colour next to each colour, and all the magic of how colour changes it's neighbour and sizzles.
We had neon in the mid 80's, but certainly not in gouache. We could do our own designs, but we had to follow the lesson of the day. One that I recall was "mix a few greens in different hues (yellow green to blue green range, with our split yellow/blue primary), in large quantities, add white and black to them all for the largest areas, to create tints and shades. Taking each section, a bit like a tapestry, mosaic, or stained glass, In a small section off centre, the focal point, the adjacent colour oranges pure and tints only white in a few sections. I recall mine was of a tropical forest. The orange kind of flower seed pod, really stood out as a unique looking contrast amongst the range of greens in hue and value.
I think it is, "analogous" so it looked like only one half of the colour wheel in hue, with emphasis 40:6 if one divided each section up into a smaller shape, and each colour, tint or shade, used at least twice. say about 40 green triangular shapes, leaf shapes, 6 orange and it's tints.
Oh, I feel the hum of the gouache gods.
Thanks Sarah for the inspiration. Loving your work a real lot. Tap yourself on your back, your adventure is looking good this end. You are simply a perfectionist, and tough on yourself and your supplies are the work horse, no wastage allowed! Work harder, dry slower, dry quicker, be real, keep chunky, no more mold for you. We are on your husband's side. It all looks great. You are great. I think you like to see the outcome, maybe to satisfy your mind's eye? and "sometimes them paints won't be tamed."
(Big movie voice, with Sarah's expectation, for her paints to deliver, every time).
(There are plenty of your paint supplies willing to give up the horsemanship to be instead the simple pony rides. A journey though and working with your man, is the reason for the adventure. How tremendous is that. I did laugh when your man said, he was the person to carry the load. His sad face. Orrrr. Now back to the paint. Perform. Paint now. I bought the best brands, I have spent good hard monies, so be the best horses! Do not let me down, in wind rain, hail, sleet, snow or biting insects. Go forth. Conquer. Do your work as you were paid to do! I mean it is kilt wearing stuff going down. Did I mention howling wind?
(Are you certain, Sarah you are not of Scottish decent from an American family to throw you off the scented trail? Perhaps a long lost relative to find on a DNA walking path once trod?
I mean if it isn't a Scottish way, perhaps it is a Viking thing, that makes you love the land so much, the beauty has to transfer every time to the page!)
Ah gotta love you both! You look so comfortable now, like Scotland was made for you to get there Sarah.
The journey of how you started with watercolour, favouring gouache, now loving your dry brush, and dry palette. Not to feed us TH-camrs, the fat, the ancient art gods you inspire the burn inside us. Just you on your rock with your trusty steed. Your paints!
(Been to Land's End and John o' Groats as an 8 year old, with the unforgettable wind in mid Summer, in 1981, and it kinda stuck with me....)
I think your work looked pleasing, professional, and loose, from the timepoint about 8 videos back, when you did the course on planes of rocks? Not sure of the video, you did,
"A course with a male art teacher, who showed you how best to look at crevices, and mountains, using arrows to show slope as if it were a rooftop?" but not just the structure looked great in all of your sketchbooks, your colours look harmonious, and very you. Me too really.
Do yer kin what I mean?
In kindred spirit,
Eliza with possible aged Viking bloodlines
But sidelined here in
Sydney Australia xx
PS (Oh, my mistake! Just menopausal me (truth) without taking my Chinese herbal cooling pills, only because we are in Autumn....and if I forget then I am the double headed fire breathing dragon, with her feet in a bucket)
PPS All good, thanks for the reminder!
Who would have known your great in depth gouache consistency video would be so wild?
Loved it. pills coming. 8 down, and 30 mins, as cool as a cucumber in a warm Greek salad.
You're right, I don't get out enough.
PPS Oh I have C19, been bedridden, that must be it too! Have fun, laugh and enjoy your days with your good man. xx
xxx
Each artist will definitely have their own approach that works for them. And not everyone likes to paint outside, some will also hate gouache whether it's dry or wet! :)
Thanks for sharing your research. Was wondering how your various dried gouache compared to caran d'ache pans, any opinion on this?
Also I want to compliment you on growing as an artist. I see it in your paintings! Love your channel
I hate the Caran D'ache pans. They are so grainy and transparent.
@@SarahBurnsStudio good to know, I'll take your word for it
Sarah, how often did you need to refill your most-used colors? I’m trying to figure out if my portable painter will last through an upcoming vacation. Thanks!!
After painting with it every day for a month I was running low on a few of them, nearly out of my custom ‘light brown’ so it’s hard to say for sure, but depends on how long your vacation is and how much you paint
@@SarahBurnsStudio thank you!
Thank you for sharing your insights! I really want to try this out. Something I thought of when you talked about the white that you put the watercolor blending medium in....Lena Rivo mixes the blending medium with a tube of white (you can find info for the ratio she uses on her website ). Anyway, she then puts it in a small plastic craft type squeeze bottle that has a lid so it's portable and she can squirt out what she needs as she uses it. Yes more updates on dry gouache painting! Also, what is the beige sketchbook with the spiral binder? How does the paper compare to the other one you have that is soft bound (Stilton & Birn)? Is one paper heavier than the other? Can you still put tape on to create a border? Is it thick enough to use a watercolor wash and then gouache on top? Appreciate the community of artist learners you have created!
The spiral is the same brand just a different binder type, a bit thinner. Neither handle a lot of water well so I don’t use a lot of water either way. But I love the surface for gouache. It’s pretty perfect.
@@SarahBurnsStudio Thanks! I will check them out. Would you say that the Etchr Cold Pressed A5 Sketchbook might work best for combining a WC underpainting and gouache on top? I have not tried this paper. Oh, and I found the youtube video for you where Lena Rivo shows adding the blending medium to paints, and making the little craft bottles for the white. Might be a great idea so your white doesn't run all over the palette!!
@@koriabdouch3589 Etchr is white paper so totally different idea. But quality wise yea it would be great for watercolor under layer. I actually love that paper. Regarding carrying extra bottles of white…kinda defeats the purpose of my portable painter and travelling light. But otherwise it’s a great idea! Putting it in the palette is fine IF (big if) you give it enough time to get tacky 😅
@@sarahinscotland True.... Thanks for paper tip, too. 😊