Why doesn't gouache come in pans?

[ArtSavesLives]

Deborah, can you recommend a starter color palette . . . just in case artists like me who can not afford to fill our palette in one shopping trip want to add on to what we have? At this point Da Vinci are sounding like the best value, but I am not sure of which colors to add to my primary mixing set from Holbein . . .

[groke]

Originally Posted by ArtSavesLives

Oh . . .and I have been wondering if you can use retarder with gouache to keep it from drying so quickly? And can you mist it on the palette to keep it from drying out like you can acrylic?

Glycerin has worked for me

[dledmunds]

I started out with a discounted Grumbacher pan set that I didn't like much. Too much work wetting it...it dries too quick and you have to keep re wetting to get any paint amount for larger areas.

I like to use a disposable sheet for mixing...not sure why, but its pretty much works well for me. I use a plastic well tray for watercolors.

And I love Holbein Gouache and use the Windsor Newton Permanent white in the larger tubes..good price for the amount. I have been adding colors here and there, but seem to always gravitate to about less than 10 colors.

[Studio-1-F]

Kathy Johnson just recently posted on the Caran d'Ache gouache pan set: Gouache Again.

Key quote: Meanwhile, Ruth wrote to Caran d'Ache for information...and kindly shared it with us! It seems the new colors are not as lightfast as I prefer, so I'll mostly stick with my home made gouache sets for professional work and keep the big new toy for journaling!

Here is the set on the Caran site. Note that it is in the "Enfants" part of their site.

Here it is for sale.

Jan

[halthepainter]

Originally Posted by ArtSavesLives

Deborah, can you recommend a starter color palette . . . just in case artists like me who can not afford to fill our palette in one shopping trip want to add on to what we have? At this point Da Vinci are sounding like the best value, but I am not sure of which colors to add to my primary mixing set from Holbein . . .

Hi all, I just stumbled in here. I usually take part in the Gouache Corner where Deborah is our Mentor.

If you want a bargin brand, Pelican 12 color set is quite a bargain and I like it a lot and it is convenient to use.

My tube sets are Lukas and Turner which are also great. There have been some summer sales in all three brands at Jerrys and Art Supply Wharehouse.

[autolisp]

Just a thought about storage containers. Why not try empty 35mm film cassettes. You could probably get them for free at a processing outlet. BUT hurry digital is taking over fast, as the sales figures of film show. I still shoot B&W film by the way.

autolisp

Edit: I also recall another WC member who stores paint in empty hypodermic syringes!

[Devoted 2Art]

Here's an idea if you want to make a pan set that is easy to maintain & keep clean. I found 'Bead Storage' containers at Wal Mart & Michael's with generic round labels from Staples.



The containers are not air-tight but there are real advantages over the traditional watercolor palette.

The large plastic lid can be used to as a mixing tray & to store colors in use.

Each container has it's own screw on lid. I label the top & bottom indicating contents.

The containers are easy to clean, refill or whatever and cut down on waste.

Here's one filled with Schmincke tube gouache & watercolor. Just squeeze some paint in, then a bit of distilled water & mix with a toothpick.



I've got a bunch of these trays for different brands. They're really clean & economical. They're about 7.00 each but that's a fraction of what you'd pay if they marketed them for watercolors
Just an idea.
- John

[M.L. Schaefer]

John, that is a VERY good idea. I'm just putting together a gouache "set" and was wondering (more like wracking my brains) about what kind of palette to use...this looks to be both useful AND economical. Aint Wet Canvas great! And You TOO!

Margarete

[Devoted 2Art]

Thank you Margarete. Hope the idea it helps and works for what you need. It works nice for small scale work. (I actually spent a some time responding to this the other night & got an odd error message when I tried to post- sorry it took so long to get back to this.)
Good luck-
-John

[murphe]

I had a few tubs like that around John and thought I'd use them to store my homemade gouache. I found out they weren't airtight in a short while as they all dried out and one actually grew some mold.
Not enough preservative obviously.

I doubt the handling when re-wetted has anything to do gouache having a heavier pigment load than watercolour as I'd imagine the opposite is true.
Certainly the recipes I've seen point to more filler in gouache and watercolour is more expensive than gouache. A 5ml tube of watercolour is often around the same price as 14ml of gouache and the strength of colour also seems to me to suggest the same.
Watercolour does take more mulling of the pigments to make but I don't think that would account for the price difference.

[JPQ]

qouache in pans i have one idea for product which is suitable when lightfastness is not important these paint dont have tests or pigment info (but at least their other products use mainly good pigments) but amazing good range for mixing.
http://www.carandache.ch/m/la-couleu...ex.lbl?lang=en
btw i dont remember which colours are availalbe in pans and which only in tubes. maybe white is only in tube becouse my small and old set have all others in pans but white is expection.