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  • #991846
    ingbranch
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        I’ve been working with watercolors for a number of years now. I know that practice is key but I find myself wondering if I really like the transparency aspect of it. I’ve known about gouache but never really tried it. I like that that it’s also easy clean up, easy set-up. My questions are:

        What is a good brand? Either student or professional?
        Brushes to use? I assumed it would be same as watercolor brushes.

        I like to fill pans with paints for travel. But I find that gouache tends to crack when dried in the palette. Is there a fix for that?

        Thank you. Any advice is appreciated.

        #1204661
        Rocket Jones
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            I’ve just started with gouache and bought a Daler-Rowney starter set of tubes at one of the big box department stores.

            Personally, I’m finding that I like a stiffer brush for gouache than the ones I use for watercolor.

            "We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone who's weirdness is compatible with ours,
            we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it Love." -- Dr. Seuss

            #1204658
            rozzi
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                I have enjoyed using Car an Darche pan gouache pans – very easy to rewet. I read somewhere in the gouache corner archives that a drop of glycerine mixed with the paint keeps them from drying hard. I have one tube of Schminke (good quality) and that seems to rewet easily too.
                I like synthetic brushes for gouache – no need to use expensive watercolour brushes.A stiffer brush when working with thicker paint is good too.

                Comments welcome and critiques greatly appreciated :D
                Ros
                My Blog ***My Flickr Site***Instagram

                #1204656
                ingbranch
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                    Thanks for your replies.

                    I agree about the brushes. I find that the sable brushes I have take in too much water and really waters down the paints. I’ve switched to my nylon brushes (much less expensive) and they allow more control. Rocket Jones: Let us know how you like the Daler-Rowney. Currently I have the Holbein set and when dried on palette seems to crack and loosen. Making travel with them fairly a nuisance.

                    rozzi: I’ve read on these boards that the Caran set lacks vibrancy. Do you find that to be the case?

                    #1204653

                    If your Holbein gouache is cracking, you might check to see if it’s the acrylic based gouache – Holbein Acryla.

                    You’ll have to experiment to see which brand you prefer and I recommend using only artist grade gouache and those brands that obtain the opacity with good, lightfast pigment instead of fillers. But be aware that even within the same brand, the different colors can behave differently. Since you’ve used watercolor, I’m sure you’re aware of that possibility.

                    I’ve used Lukas and Turner Designer and like both but am slowly replacing them with Schminke Horadam as the colors I’ve used so far seem to be very high in pigment with very good coverage.

                    Let us know what you come up with and please show us your art! It’s a rare treat to see any gouache paintings here now.

                    #1204652
                    Deborah Secor
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                        My personal favorite brand of gouache is M. Graham. I find it doesn’t crack too much when it dries on my butcher’s tray, though occasionally a larger clump might come up. It may be the honey component that helps that. I love the vibrant colors and the consistency of this brand. It really is like, well, honey. :D

                        I use synthetic brushes, too. I favor a ½” wash brush, #4 filbert, ¼” angular shader, and a #0 round–but I paint ATCs, for the most part. I treasure a little blender brush that does miraculous stuff with edges in gouache.

                        One of the things I like best about gouache is its opacity. You really can control that aspect quite a bit, thinning it down to make it fairly transparent at need.

                        Have fun!

                        Deborah

                        "All glory to Him, who alone is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
                        Landscape Painting in Pastels (free online book)
                        Gouache Blog

                        #1204654
                        meglyman
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                            I second the M Graham – all tube gouaches seem to flake some when they dry, but it’s better than Holbein in my experience. Also like synthetics and sometimes even bristle brushes, depending on the surface.

                            Meg Lyman Illustration - www.meglyman.com
                            CrashOctopus Blog - an Ode to Art and Beer

                            #1204651
                            WFMartin
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                                Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache would be my suggestion.

                                wfmartin. My Blog "Creative Realism"...
                                https://williamfmartin.blogspot.com

                                #1204659
                                R-Wenzel
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                                    Gouache is the best Holbien is my choice for reconstituting with a wet brush,

                                    #1204650

                                    this will probably not answer your question to satisfaction,,,,but imo, one of the finest gouache artists ever was an illustrator name john berkey. VERY sargent influenced. https://www.google.com/search?q=john+berkey+illustration&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=vNq9U5SpGanmsATSmYDAAw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=634

                                    berkey was mainly illustrating for sci-fi pocket books and his influence on star wars was obvious. his gouaches were unbelievably creamy and had a spectacular sheen all their own.

                                    HE HAND-MADE HIS PAINTS. i wish i knew the formula, but it was old school and he used honey. but his gouaches didn’t dry and change color/value as much as the store bought stuff, which always turned me off. if you have the inclination a little digging might help. and if you are so inclined, give a call to robert doak. he is a boutique producer of paints, mostly oils but he MIGHT have info on gouache. the guy loves talking people’s ears off.

                                    "it's alright to be judgmental,,,,,,,,if you have taste"...MILT

                                    #1204655
                                    artist123
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                                        I just started gouache and since i mostly do ACEO’s I don’t need a large amount and have not tried to make my own but I found a link you might try.
                                        http://dbclemons.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/how-to-make-gouache-paint/%5B/URL%5D

                                        #1204660
                                        Merritt
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                                            I agree with WFMartin with using… Winsor & Newton Designer’s Gouache… I have been painting in gouache for over 30 years as a designer, its my preferred medium. John Berkey’s work above is a good example of how good gouache painting’s can be. To answer your question W & N designer gouache (tubes) I use W & N sceptre gold 11 brushes and also W & N no 7 brushes I look after my brushes by cleaning them after each use religiously and have some bushes going back years. I only paint on 300-600 gsm acid free Archers paper. To me it docent matter if a tube or on the pallet paint dry s out I just apply a touch of my spray bottle of water and mix with an old brush to bring it back to life. Its easy to transport it dosent smell, and it can be used in combo with water colours and other mediums. I hope this helps answer your questions.

                                            An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.

                                            #1204657
                                            llawrence
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                                                I third the M. Graham suggestion. They are truly different.

                                                If you want to go economy, then those big tubes of Da Vinci can’t be beat. But they don’t compare to the M. Grahams.

                                                #1204663
                                                everelusive
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                                                    Hi, I use Art Spectrum brand. I use soft natural brushes for laying down paint, then harder bristled (synthetic ) brushes to blend/scrub layers together. I currently pains on mdf board that I covered in acrylic gesso and then in pastel ground, but will be experimenting with DIY clay board very soon which I really hope will work as it will allow me to work on much larger pieces (currently limited to 1200×900 mm as this is all I can fit in my car.) And also the pastel ground REALLY eats my brushes.

                                                    #1204662
                                                    jimscarlet
                                                    Default

                                                        I’ve just taken delivery of a Da Vinci watercolor brush,
                                                        which is a tad stiffer than usual W/C brushes.It is called
                                                        Cosmotop Spin series,and has a very sharp point which is
                                                        what I was looking for. The prices are reasonable too.

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