Sarah, you are so skilled, you could probably use mud and twigs and produce a beautiful gem. Thank you for sharing your time, your skills and yourself💜
I like using acrylic gouache to establish a value map as an underpainting. To make it flow easier over the page I often gesso my paper and add a little bit of water to establish that underpainting. For other layers I use both regular gouache and acrylic gouache interchangeably.
When I started gouache I first bought the acrylic ones from Holbein and Turner. I did not realize I had bought the wrong ones. Then I bought Shinhan designer. Designer gouache was very challenging at first because of how easy it is to react the underlayer. I have worked with pencils and pastels for so long and always set the underlayer so this does not happen in those medium and it is pretty etched into my soul at this point. I realized I could do the same thing with my gouaches using them together. l I started using the Acrylic gouache as my under layer and then I gave it 24 hrs to cure before working on it my designer gouache. Suddenly everything became so much more enjoyable. Also I use a retardent and a couple drops of water to mix using my acrylics gouaches and keep them on a small say wet palette. This makes them flow well and I can use them for a few days before they dry.
Hi Sarah. When I was at college years ago I was introduced to traditional gouache which was the go-to medium for students. I loved it! I loved the way it felt when at the right consistency, all creamy and lush. The way it applied and the gorgeous smooth, no-streak matt result were sooo satisfying. The ability to use pastel & coloured pencil on top was a real bonus. However, layering wet mediums on top was a challenge. So many times I would wish the previous layer would stay put so I could add more without fear! Since then I have used mainly normal acrylics, which tend to be mostly transparent & semi-opaque. Soooo many times I have longed for opaque flat colour like the old days! So I got some Liquitex acrylic gouache primary colours to try out coz they were on special offer. It comes in 59ml jars. Then I learn that these are actually different again from other acrylic gouache as they are ready to use straight from the container. Adding water is optional but not required, unlike gouache which is thicker, more dense and usually requires some dilution. And can I use coloured pencil on top? I personally think that the Liquitex AG is an opaque, more liquid acrylic paint which is fab coz it's something I have longed for and will find really useful. But for acrylic 'gouache' I may try another brand like Holbein for example, where the paint comes in tubes. Is 'acrylic gouache' the best of two worlds? That's what I was hoping for but as you stated in the video, it is acrylic so I think I will treat it as an opaque, matt, permanent paint. Anything else I find will be a bonus! Are we artists ever satisfied, lol? 😛
Very helpful to know. I recently got a set of the Holbein acryla gouache but haven't used it enough to really see if it will work for me long-term (that changes today, thanks to inspiration from you!). A TIP: you can use alcohol (I prefer the 90%) to remove the acryla gouache from a palette or porcelain mixing cups. It peels it right off. Same with brushes. But yes, it is a good idea to use a different set for painting with this media.
I bought Turner Acryl Gouache by mistake, I had a brain fart and bought it thinking it was regular acrylic. I’m now into gouache and want to get a set of the regular gouache with the idea to use them both in the same painting for the different properties. Your videos are great!!
I definitely enjoyed this video. I want to pick up some acryl gouache because traditional gouache and I don't get along so well. I don't like my layers blending together. I was thinking of using my traditional gouache with the acryl gouache to see how it does. Well, this showed it's more than possible to mix the two and have them work well together! Thank you!
I use both but for a while i was just using acrylic gouache. Now I use it as either a undercoat or on top of traditional gouache. I like using both in combination.
Sarah, I liked that the cat was watching you paint the mountains. He was very interested in the picture taking shape as you painted. I have been trying to paint with gauche recently, but it's harder than it looks. Maybe that is because it does mix with the paint that is already down, but probably other problems too that I don't realize. Another problem is that it drys darker than you think it will.
I been painting with gouache for like 3 years and just got myself a set of acrylic gouache primaries from Holbein to experiment , this video will really useful !
Amazing progression over the last three years Sarah! I loved this new painting. I never thought of combining these two types of paint. Thanks for the video!
Gorgeous painting! Thanks for sharing this with us & explaining what the difference is between the two. I don’t think 🤔 I could get use to using the acrylic gouache because like you, I rely on being able to blend in with my lower layers of gouache to get certain results. But I agree that not having the under layer blend sometimes is a good thing too. 💕😃
Yea I think it will have its uses. I am going to give it time / practice. I think especially for big skies with more complex colors it would be really useful
I just got some turner acryla gouache and the first artist I thought about was you. I was like "hey I wonder if Sarah has any videos on acryla gouache?" Have you done any others? I find I'm really loving it. At least, so far. I know its just kind if like matte acrylic but I find it waters down and glazes way better than the acrylic I've tried in the past ❤
No I have not used it enough to make more vidoes..I am just not a fan of the permanence, since part of what I love about gouache is being able to blend into my layers below. But...never say never! I might revisit in the future. I just found out I can get Turner from an online shop and I'm kinda tempted.
Beautiful work, Sarah. Thanks for the demo. I just bought some acryla gouache and hadn’t considered using it only as an underpainting. Off to the studio to give this a try.
I use acrylic gouache alongside watercolors and regular gouache as on of my main mediums, and I’ve also experienced the gouache soaking into the paper. Usually I dilute my early layers (if I don’t just use watercolor), but when I dilute it I try to use liquitex matte acrylic medium because in my opinion it kind of helps keep the paint bound. Acrylics really aren’t meant to be thinned down like gouache or watercolor and they behave quite oddly when they are so by adding the matte medium (which is essentially just binder + mattifying agents), the paint glides along like I hadn’t diluted it as much and I can extend the working process on cotton paper just a bit. When it’s diluted, unlike gouache the pigments don’t really like sitting on the paper and interacting with the sizing, they almost sink into it and separate from the binder entirely in a way that’s oddly spotty. While they are like gouache, they still have acrylic properties. That being said though acrylic gouache is rather different from matte acrylic paint or even normal acrylics with matte medium. Matte acrylics tend to be streakier and not as opaque or pigmented as acrylic gouache (or at least the ones that I’ve tried) so the techniques and the way I layer have to be altered. Same basic process, but at least for me I notice they don’t play as well with water which doesn’t suit my treatment of them as primarily water based media. Not really sure though because I haven’t tried many, just a few bottles of liquitex acrylic gouache alongside liquitex soft body acrylics mixed with matte medium. I much prefer Holbein and Turner acrylic gouaches to either of those.
That sounds like a great thing to try. I use casein sometimes as a base layer but hate the smell and it needs to cure on my paper for a week before it reliably stays pretty stable. Acrylic is forever😊
@@SarahBurnsStudio It has a bit of a perfume like cleaning product smell. It fades as they dry, but I am so easily annoyed by smells, unless it’s cinnamon buns or toast😋
Fantastic...have been think of doing this in just the last few days! Never used acrylic gouache before so amazing timing. I hope you do some more on these mediums together...Thank you
So I have only done one gouache painting ever and it was with himi which sucks! But I struggled so badly with the under layer lifting that I sent it back to amazon and ordered both the holbein acryla and the w&n designers gouache with my fingers crossed that it would work. And it looks like it does at least not cause problems for each other. I love your art so much and I love that you always have honest reviews and I thought that this piece was definitely more vibrant at least on camera but it was still identifiable as your style. This video has me ready to start playing with both gouache sets as a team. Ty. And the kitty earns a double thumbs up
@SarahBurnsStudio hi again I got my new gouache and I have a question. I did two 7x7 " paintings with the w&n and it's a million times better than himi. It seems like I'm really using quite a bit of pigment. Is this normal?
Wow, this was a really interesting video! I knew that some people used acrylic gouache for initial washes of very sheer color, as for a sky, and then used traditional gouache on top. I always assumed that traditional gouache would not adhere to thicker layers of acrylic gouache because the acrylic gouache, though matte, is still a plastic. I know watercolors do not adhere well to thicker layers of acrylic gouache (or I should say they bead up a bit. Adhesion when dry may be okay.) I suppose the traditional gouache, when not heavily diluted, has more body and that’s why it goes on without problems. Regarding adding water to acrylic gouache - at least with the Holbein version, when used on paper, you can add pretty much as much water as you want with no ill effects. You can water it right down to a watercolor consistency (if you don’t mind the sheer effect.) When dry, it will absolutely not budge. If your concern is adhesion and integrity of the paint film, I’d encourage you to do some tests. Interestingly, I was using a cheap plastic palette with my mine, and the first time I finally went to wash it, I could NOT get the acrylic gouache - even just the remnants of watery washes - to come off, even after soaking in water for hours! With many acrylic paints, water releases the dried paint from surfaces - it peels off, but the dried paint pieces also begin to disintegrate when submerged in water. This didn’t work for me! Even after soaking for hours I had trouble removing it with a plastic scouring pad. In the end I used rubbing alcohol. Part of the issue was probably the palette material, but it also tells me this paint is tough and I certainly don’t need to worry about water interfering with the integrity of the paint film. For that matter, you can even draw on paper with soft (“chalk”) pastels, which are pigment and a very tiny bit of binder, and then brush water into it. If you use a lot of water for a watercolor effect, so you’re not applying a thick “paint”, the pastels can’t even really be smudged once dry. That tells me that when painting on porous paper, a continuous paint film isn’t terribly important unless it will come into contact with some environmental threat, such as water. Brittleness is a concern with a thick surface layer of a material without a strong binder (traditional gouache, or the pastel/water mixture I mentioned) but when used thinly the pigments settle into the paper. In my experience, though, the Holbein Acryla Gouache actually maintains a strong continuous paint film when heavily watered down. When fully dry, scrubbing into it with water has no ill effect until the paper itself starts to fail. It’s not just that the pigments have settled into the paper.
Just a quick comment from someone who has used acrylic extensively. If you want to blend into acrylic, you have to keep that bottom layer moist. I use a fine mist bottle to keep it moist. You don’t let it dry completely. So I don’t know if that would’ve helped you with your blending when you put your second layer of gouache on. I’m not even sure if it would’ve helped if you instead had used to second layer of gouache acrylic while the first layer was still wet. Just a thought. I’m enjoying this video because I’ve never used gouache acrylic and I wondered how it worked. So thank you for doing the experiment. My comments are just guesses. I really don’t know. I’m just trying to figure it out like you did. Thanks, Sarah.
It’s funny I had just bought the Holbein 18 color set of acrylic gouache. All I have done is swatches of the color and now I’m getting ready to paint an intricate background in Prussian. I am glad I watched this. I don’t think I will use it for full paintings but who knows down the road. I just wanted it for under paintings, but after listening to what you said, I’m wondering if I will like it at all because I rely on reconstituting color also.
I used acrylic gouache for at home sketchbook sessions/warm up for a bigger acrylic or oil piece. The reason is that unlike regular gouache, it is not going to get reactivated or rub off onto the adjacent page (which I hate) and unlike regular acrylic, it is not going to make the pages stick together. Rarely do I use it for my "serious" art work. I prefer the Turner acrylic gouache over the Holbein, I feel it has a slightly less dry feel to it and the pigment load is very good (though admittedly not quite as intense as the Holbein).
@@SarahBurnsStudiooh, the straight acrylic (not acrylic gouache) is what sticks (i.e. if I have two acrylic pieces on a single spread). Regular gouache can get reactivated from the back if I paint on the next page. That has happened with every gouache brand I've used. With gouache I also worry about my sketchbooks getting ruined if they accidentally get wet. Anyway, that's why I like acrylic gouache. It doesn't have either of those potential issues in a sketchbook.
I use acrylic gouache all the time I mainly like turners acrylic gouache I don’t know if that brand makes any difference to what you’ve used but what I like to do is my first layer will be a flat color layer and then the second layer I will usually start from dark and then add light and I blend that with in the painting itself, it helps with some colors they don’t lay down as dark as other colors like they’re kind of blotchy so having that first initial lay down helps get rid of that that Bloch look.
I used watered down washes first even with acryla gouache and it behaves just like regular gouache. I find that if I go in too thick right away with acryla gouache, it’s hard to cover large areas and it’s hard to blend.
Thanks for explaining the difference. Have been wondering why acrylic gouache is on sale. That must mean you have to wash the brushes in soapy water? Lovely painting, thanks for sharing.
I’m curious about how archival this will be. I would think that the lack of porosity in the acrylic would eventually be problematic with the traditional gouache sitting ON TOP of the acrylic.
I know this isn’t relevant to your video, which was great btw!, but I didn’t know where else to ask lol. Sooo any chance you have an idea when your Craftamo brushes will be back in stock again? I would absolutely love to get a set. I’ve been looking for a nice gouache brush set for a long time now lol so I’ve had my eye on them since I discovered you collaborated with them! Thanks in advance for any info! Keep up the great work! 🖤
I am intrigued by acrylic gouache but part of my hesitance to give it a try is that I don't know how heavy it is with fumes. If you have feedback on that, that would be great. I am sensitive to strong smells and live in a small space.
Turners do one specifically for their acrylic gouache and it works fine for both turners and Holbein acryla gouache. (Great for those red hot summer days here in Aus where even a stay wet palette suffers from rapid drying)
You can use a matt acrylic medium instead of water, or simply add a layer of matt acrylic on top of the traditional gouache to seal the first layer. Almost every big brand has acrylic gouache in their product range. It'll be another shopping spree of different brands to find your preferred consistency and properties, I suppose. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Thanks for an interesting video. I was surprised, that you didn't opt for the traditional gouache version of the background to get your smooth blend, where you preferred a smooth blend with the background.
FYI an art journal artist here on youTube suggested a thin layer of fixative before sealing with matt medium and a brush, so the brush won't drag colors and muddy the piece. She was using Faber-Castell gelatos as the underpainting, but the principle is the same. Water-soluble underpainting sealed with an acrylic medium and a brush.
@@miklosnemeth8566 One that is neither wax not oil based if you want to work with acrylics on top of it. If you want to work watersoluble guache in combination with acrylics, an acrylic fixative is probable most suitable. Because you likely want to preserve the matt finish of gouache, you should opt for a fixative with a matt finish. Should you want to work on top you best opt for a workable fixative, it probides a better grip for any medium on top. Hope this helps.
NOT A TUTORIAL: Do not watch this video if you are looking for an answer to the question posed in the titling of this video. There IS NO NARRATION addressing the topic, instead slow motion muzak and self flagellating close ups of someone pushing paint out of tubes
Sarah, you are so skilled, you could probably use mud and twigs and produce a beautiful gem. Thank you for sharing your time, your skills and yourself💜
If I ever forget my brushes, I'll give it a try! (and thank you 🙃)
I like using acrylic gouache to establish a value map as an underpainting. To make it flow easier over the page I often gesso my paper and add a little bit of water to establish that underpainting. For other layers I use both regular gouache and acrylic gouache interchangeably.
Interesting strategy!
When I started gouache I first bought the acrylic ones from Holbein and Turner. I did not realize I had bought the wrong ones. Then I bought Shinhan designer. Designer gouache was very challenging at first because of how easy it is to react the underlayer. I have worked with pencils and pastels for so long and always set the underlayer so this does not happen in those medium and it is pretty etched into my soul at this point. I realized I could do the same thing with my gouaches using them together. l I started using the Acrylic gouache as my under layer and then I gave it 24 hrs to cure before working on it my designer gouache. Suddenly everything became so much more enjoyable. Also I use a retardent and a couple drops of water to mix using my acrylics gouaches and keep them on a small say wet palette. This makes them flow well and I can use them for a few days before they dry.
I know artists that start with watercolour and once all colours and values are more or less set, they paint on top with acrylic gouache, works great!
I never knew you could combine the two versions of gouache! Thank you for sharing Sarah, this is a fabulous idea!
Hi Sarah.
When I was at college years ago I was introduced to traditional gouache which was the go-to medium for students. I loved it! I loved the way it felt when at the right consistency, all creamy and lush. The way it applied and the gorgeous smooth, no-streak matt result were sooo satisfying. The ability to use pastel & coloured pencil on top was a real bonus.
However, layering wet mediums on top was a challenge. So many times I would wish the previous layer would stay put so I could add more without fear!
Since then I have used mainly normal acrylics, which tend to be mostly transparent & semi-opaque. Soooo many times I have longed for opaque flat colour like the old days!
So I got some Liquitex acrylic gouache primary colours to try out coz they were on special offer. It comes in 59ml jars. Then I learn that these are actually different again from other acrylic gouache as they are ready to use straight from the container. Adding water is optional but not required, unlike gouache which is thicker, more dense and usually requires some dilution. And can I use coloured pencil on top?
I personally think that the Liquitex AG is an opaque, more liquid acrylic paint which is fab coz it's something I have longed for and will find really useful.
But for acrylic 'gouache' I may try another brand like Holbein for example, where the paint comes in tubes.
Is 'acrylic gouache' the best of two worlds? That's what I was hoping for but as you stated in the video, it is acrylic so I think I will treat it as an opaque, matt, permanent paint. Anything else I find will be a bonus!
Are we artists ever satisfied, lol? 😛
Your little helper is adorable. Thoughtful review. Delightful outcome
This was very helpful. Strategies are important. Cheers.
This painting is beautiful! Thank you for explaining the difference between these two paints.
Very helpful to know. I recently got a set of the Holbein acryla gouache but haven't used it enough to really see if it will work for me long-term (that changes today, thanks to inspiration from you!).
A TIP: you can use alcohol (I prefer the 90%) to remove the acryla gouache from a palette or porcelain mixing cups. It peels it right off. Same with brushes. But yes, it is a good idea to use a different set for painting with this media.
I bought Turner Acryl Gouache by mistake, I had a brain fart and bought it thinking it was regular acrylic. I’m now into gouache and want to get a set of the regular gouache with the idea to use them both in the same painting for the different properties. Your videos are great!!
Wonderful. You answered a question I had.
I definitely enjoyed this video. I want to pick up some acryl gouache because traditional gouache and I don't get along so well. I don't like my layers blending together. I was thinking of using my traditional gouache with the acryl gouache to see how it does. Well, this showed it's more than possible to mix the two and have them work well together! Thank you!
I use both but for a while i was just using acrylic gouache. Now I use it as either a undercoat or on top of traditional gouache. I like using both in combination.
Sarah, I liked that the cat was watching you paint the mountains. He was very interested in the picture taking shape as you painted.
I have been trying to paint with gauche recently, but it's harder than it looks. Maybe that is because it does mix with the paint that is already down, but probably other problems too that I don't realize. Another problem is that it drys darker than you think it will.
good to know and great looking hills 😀 and it makes sense to have an under paintng that isnt going to react with most mediums you paint over top of it
Hi 🙋🏼♀️ Vader!!
I love acrylic gouache!!
Thx Sarah for your video.
Love this! Going to try using my liquitex acrylic gouache as a base under regular gouache for a project this weekend!
I might give this a try. I like gouache but I'm also new to painting I tend to over mix and smudge a bit. I think this tactic would be great for me!
Go for it!
I been painting with gouache for like 3 years and just got myself a set of acrylic gouache primaries from Holbein to experiment , this video will really useful !
Very exciting!
Amazing progression over the last three years Sarah! I loved this new painting. I never thought of combining these two types of paint. Thanks for the video!
Thank you so much!
Gorgeous painting! Thanks for sharing this with us & explaining what the difference is between the two. I don’t think 🤔 I could get use to using the acrylic gouache because like you, I rely on being able to blend in with my lower layers of gouache to get certain results. But I agree that not having the under layer blend sometimes is a good thing too. 💕😃
Yea I think it will have its uses. I am going to give it time / practice. I think especially for big skies with more complex colors it would be really useful
@@SarahBurnsStudio 😁Ironically I was thinking 🤔 maybe for doing dramatic skies with clouds or water/seascapes paintings.
I just got some turner acryla gouache and the first artist I thought about was you. I was like "hey I wonder if Sarah has any videos on acryla gouache?" Have you done any others? I find I'm really loving it. At least, so far. I know its just kind if like matte acrylic but I find it waters down and glazes way better than the acrylic I've tried in the past ❤
No I have not used it enough to make more vidoes..I am just not a fan of the permanence, since part of what I love about gouache is being able to blend into my layers below. But...never say never! I might revisit in the future. I just found out I can get Turner from an online shop and I'm kinda tempted.
Beautiful work, Sarah. Thanks for the demo. I just bought some acryla gouache and hadn’t considered using it only as an underpainting. Off to the studio to give this a try.
Thank you - yea it's definitely a fun way of painting, very easy going
Nice...and yes interrested in more gouache still life...thank you
I use acrylic gouache alongside watercolors and regular gouache as on of my main mediums, and I’ve also experienced the gouache soaking into the paper. Usually I dilute my early layers (if I don’t just use watercolor), but when I dilute it I try to use liquitex matte acrylic medium because in my opinion it kind of helps keep the paint bound. Acrylics really aren’t meant to be thinned down like gouache or watercolor and they behave quite oddly when they are so by adding the matte medium (which is essentially just binder + mattifying agents), the paint glides along like I hadn’t diluted it as much and I can extend the working process on cotton paper just a bit. When it’s diluted, unlike gouache the pigments don’t really like sitting on the paper and interacting with the sizing, they almost sink into it and separate from the binder entirely in a way that’s oddly spotty. While they are like gouache, they still have acrylic properties.
That being said though acrylic gouache is rather different from matte acrylic paint or even normal acrylics with matte medium. Matte acrylics tend to be streakier and not as opaque or pigmented as acrylic gouache (or at least the ones that I’ve tried) so the techniques and the way I layer have to be altered. Same basic process, but at least for me I notice they don’t play as well with water which doesn’t suit my treatment of them as primarily water based media. Not really sure though because I haven’t tried many, just a few bottles of liquitex acrylic gouache alongside liquitex soft body acrylics mixed with matte medium. I much prefer Holbein and Turner acrylic gouaches to either of those.
This is such great information, thank you! I did wonder about the matte medium - i may get some for my acrylic gouache
That sounds like a great thing to try. I use casein sometimes as a base layer but hate the smell and it needs to cure on my paper for a week before it reliably stays pretty stable. Acrylic is forever😊
What does casein smell like?
@@SarahBurnsStudio
It has a bit of a perfume like cleaning product smell. It fades as they dry, but I am so easily annoyed by smells, unless it’s cinnamon buns or toast😋
Sarah iv watched loads of your vids and have ordered some tubes of W&N gouache. Thank you for all advice and inspiration 🎨🖌️
You are so welcome!
Fantastic...have been think of doing this in just the last few days! Never used acrylic gouache before so amazing timing. I hope you do some more on these mediums together...Thank you
Will do!
@@SarahBurnsStudio 😍
So I have only done one gouache painting ever and it was with himi which sucks! But I struggled so badly with the under layer lifting that I sent it back to amazon and ordered both the holbein acryla and the w&n designers gouache with my fingers crossed that it would work. And it looks like it does at least not cause problems for each other. I love your art so much and I love that you always have honest reviews and I thought that this piece was definitely more vibrant at least on camera but it was still identifiable as your style. This video has me ready to start playing with both gouache sets as a team. Ty. And the kitty earns a double thumbs up
I hope you enjoy using the “good” stuff 😄
@SarahBurnsStudio hi again I got my new gouache and I have a question. I did two 7x7 " paintings with the w&n and it's a million times better than himi.
It seems like I'm really using quite a bit of pigment. Is this normal?
@@lisaspears8974 it really depends on your technique..
Wow, this was a really interesting video! I knew that some people used acrylic gouache for initial washes of very sheer color, as for a sky, and then used traditional gouache on top. I always assumed that traditional gouache would not adhere to thicker layers of acrylic gouache because the acrylic gouache, though matte, is still a plastic. I know watercolors do not adhere well to thicker layers of acrylic gouache (or I should say they bead up a bit. Adhesion when dry may be okay.) I suppose the traditional gouache, when not heavily diluted, has more body and that’s why it goes on without problems. Regarding adding water to acrylic gouache - at least with the Holbein version, when used on paper, you can add pretty much as much water as you want with no ill effects. You can water it right down to a watercolor consistency (if you don’t mind the sheer effect.) When dry, it will absolutely not budge. If your concern is adhesion and integrity of the paint film, I’d encourage you to do some tests. Interestingly, I was using a cheap plastic palette with my mine, and the first time I finally went to wash it, I could NOT get the acrylic gouache - even just the remnants of watery washes - to come off, even after soaking in water for hours! With many acrylic paints, water releases the dried paint from surfaces - it peels off, but the dried paint pieces also begin to disintegrate when submerged in water. This didn’t work for me! Even after soaking for hours I had trouble removing it with a plastic scouring pad. In the end I used rubbing alcohol. Part of the issue was probably the palette material, but it also tells me this paint is tough and I certainly don’t need to worry about water interfering with the integrity of the paint film. For that matter, you can even draw on paper with soft (“chalk”) pastels, which are pigment and a very tiny bit of binder, and then brush water into it. If you use a lot of water for a watercolor effect, so you’re not applying a thick “paint”, the pastels can’t even really be smudged once dry. That tells me that when painting on porous paper, a continuous paint film isn’t terribly important unless it will come into contact with some environmental threat, such as water. Brittleness is a concern with a thick surface layer of a material without a strong binder (traditional gouache, or the pastel/water mixture I mentioned) but when used thinly the pigments settle into the paper. In my experience, though, the Holbein Acryla Gouache actually maintains a strong continuous paint film when heavily watered down. When fully dry, scrubbing into it with water has no ill effect until the paper itself starts to fail. It’s not just that the pigments have settled into the paper.
Yea the gouache didn't want to stick to the acrylic gouache if I diluted it, but it was completely fine at full strength.
@@SarahBurnsStudiowow this is terribly important piece of info, so no way to glaze over acrylic base layer?
Just a quick comment from someone who has used acrylic extensively. If you want to blend into acrylic, you have to keep that bottom layer moist. I use a fine mist bottle to keep it moist. You don’t let it dry completely. So I don’t know if that would’ve helped you with your blending when you put your second layer of gouache on. I’m not even sure if it would’ve helped if you instead had used to second layer of gouache acrylic while the first layer was still wet. Just a thought. I’m enjoying this video because I’ve never used gouache acrylic and I wondered how it worked. So thank you for doing the experiment. My comments are just guesses. I really don’t know. I’m just trying to figure it out like you did. Thanks, Sarah.
Thank you, I’ve seen some other comments with good tips, maybe peruse and see what you think :)
It’s funny I had just bought the Holbein 18 color set of acrylic gouache. All I have done is swatches of the color and now I’m getting ready to paint an intricate background in Prussian. I am glad I watched this. I don’t think I will use it for full paintings but who knows down the road. I just wanted it for under paintings, but after listening to what you said, I’m wondering if I will like it at all because I rely on reconstituting color also.
I guess if you work fast, you will be fine? But yea once it’s dry, it doesn’t move!
I used acrylic gouache for at home sketchbook sessions/warm up for a bigger acrylic or oil piece. The reason is that unlike regular gouache, it is not going to get reactivated or rub off onto the adjacent page (which I hate) and unlike regular acrylic, it is not going to make the pages stick together. Rarely do I use it for my "serious" art work. I prefer the Turner acrylic gouache over the Holbein, I feel it has a slightly less dry feel to it and the pigment load is very good (though admittedly not quite as intense as the Holbein).
My gouache doesn’t make my pages stick or come off on the next page. It might depend how thick you are painting or what brand you use.
@@SarahBurnsStudiooh, the straight acrylic (not acrylic gouache) is what sticks (i.e. if I have two acrylic pieces on a single spread). Regular gouache can get reactivated from the back if I paint on the next page. That has happened with every gouache brand I've used. With gouache I also worry about my sketchbooks getting ruined if they accidentally get wet. Anyway, that's why I like acrylic gouache. It doesn't have either of those potential issues in a sketchbook.
I use acrylic gouache all the time I mainly like turners acrylic gouache I don’t know if that brand makes any difference to what you’ve used but what I like to do is my first layer will be a flat color layer and then the second layer I will usually start from dark and then add light and I blend that with in the painting itself, it helps with some colors they don’t lay down as dark as other colors like they’re kind of blotchy so having that first initial lay down helps get rid of that that Bloch look.
Great tip! It seems a lot of people like the Turner’s brand, I may look into it
Forgot to mention I also use liquitex gesso 😊
I love seeing this evolution and technique, but it hurts to think of January 2020 as three years ago 😅 Amazing work, though.
So true 😂
I used watered down washes first even with acryla gouache and it behaves just like regular gouache. I find that if I go in too thick right away with acryla gouache, it’s hard to cover large areas and it’s hard to blend.
Yea I definitely found that it needs at least a little water.
Thanks for explaining the difference. Have been wondering why acrylic gouache is on sale. That must mean you have to wash the brushes in soapy water? Lovely painting, thanks for sharing.
As long as you get all the acrylic out it will be fine. I usually use the Master’s brush cleaner stuff
Cute kitty!!
Something about the sky reminds me of anime. Very nice.
It was definitely stylised..kinda boxy
Geweldig
I’m curious about how archival this will be. I would think that the lack of porosity in the acrylic would eventually be problematic with the traditional gouache sitting ON TOP of the acrylic.
That was my wonder too but so far it’s completely fine. I think there’s just enough tooth on the acrylic gouache that it can hold onto
Ok that cat got me to like this 😂
The problem I have with acryla gouache is that it dries so quickly on my pallet. Also, note that M. Graham gouache uses honey as a binder.
M. Graham uses gum arabic as a base and adds honey which they say reduces cracking and improves flow
I know this isn’t relevant to your video, which was great btw!, but I didn’t know where else to ask lol. Sooo any chance you have an idea when your Craftamo brushes will be back in stock again? I would absolutely love to get a set. I’ve been looking for a nice gouache brush set for a long time now lol so I’ve had my eye on them since I discovered you collaborated with them! Thanks in advance for any info! Keep up the great work! 🖤
Yes we are hoping Feb/March for a second release! :)
@@SarahBurnsStudio yay! Awesome. Thank you for replying!
I am intrigued by acrylic gouache but part of my hesitance to give it a try is that I don't know how heavy it is with fumes. If you have feedback on that, that would be great. I am sensitive to strong smells and live in a small space.
I noticed a faint odor but not as bad as my acrylics. Maybe it’s because I was working small and had small piles on my palette.
Can you tell us more about the Red Grass v.2 stay wet palette?
I will in a future video, I want to do one dedicated to palette setups
What is the viscosity compared to acrylics. I paint in detail and can get a fine line better with watercolor than acrylics.
The Holbein brand didn’t feel as dense as say Golden heavy body
I really want to try acrylic gouache but the tubes are so expensive! 😢
Maybe wait for a sale, and just get the basics (primaries / white / black)
Try Turner acryla gouache. Jerry's Artarama Always on sale! 😁
@@sharonsteinbis7247 I wish I could, I’m in the uk, not many art shops and not many brands available 😢
Is it possible to delay drying of acrylgouache by adding any acrylic retarder?
Probably
Turners do one specifically for their acrylic gouache and it works fine for both turners and Holbein acryla gouache. (Great for those red hot summer days here in Aus where even a stay wet palette suffers from rapid drying)
Why to use acrylgouache instead of acrylic? Is it only for matte finish?
Maybe but now there are ‘matte acrylics’ on the market so 🤷♀️
How long it takes to dry? I mean acrylgouache
It was dry within 10-20 minutes, I didn’t really wait long to do the final layer
You can use a matt acrylic medium instead of water, or simply add a layer of matt acrylic on top of the traditional gouache to seal the first layer. Almost every big brand has acrylic gouache in their product range. It'll be another shopping spree of different brands to find your preferred consistency and properties, I suppose. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thanks for an interesting video. I was surprised, that you didn't opt for the traditional gouache version of the background to get your smooth blend, where you preferred a smooth blend with the background.
FYI an art journal artist here on youTube suggested a thin layer of fixative before sealing with matt medium and a brush, so the brush won't drag colors and muddy the piece. She was using Faber-Castell gelatos as the underpainting, but the principle is the same. Water-soluble underpainting sealed with an acrylic medium and a brush.
@@silkeschumann7261 what fixative actually? there are so many fixatives.
@@miklosnemeth8566 One that is neither wax not oil based if you want to work with acrylics on top of it. If you want to work watersoluble guache in combination with acrylics, an acrylic fixative is probable most suitable. Because you likely want to preserve the matt finish of gouache, you should opt for a fixative with a matt finish. Should you want to work on top you best opt for a workable fixative, it probides a better grip for any medium on top.
Hope this helps.
Why didn’t you just put the acrylic gouache on your top layer instead of regular gouache?
Im confused by this question 😂
NOT A TUTORIAL: Do not watch this video if you are looking for an answer to the question posed in the titling of this video.
There IS NO NARRATION addressing the topic, instead slow motion muzak and self flagellating close ups of someone pushing paint out of tubes