Brush Set Giveaway! Chicken Sketchbook Sunday & Tips for Working with Gouache!

Hi friends! I had so much fun playing with gouache in my sketchbook today. I forget how awesome gouache (opaque watercolor) paint is and how fun and forgiving it is to paint with.

The brushes I used today were perfect for gouache and I get to give away TEN 7-piece sets and winners can pick from the unicorn or mermaid Mythos brushes by Royal & Langnickel. Do to shipping restrictions this contest is open to USA residents only. For a chance to win simply leave a comment saying what state you are from and which brush set (unicorn or mermaid) you prefer. I will draw 10 winners at random next Sunday and you will be notified by email. *You do not need to put your email in the comment, I can see it in my admin, I will contact you by the email you signed up to comment with. Don’t worry if your comment does not appear right away, if it is the first time you have commented here I have to approve it.

Speaking or Royal & Langnickel I am the Featured Artist on the Month! You can read the article here. I am so thrilled to be featured by a company whose brushes I have used for decades, I hope you give it a read:)

OK, now on to the Sketchbook Sunday video! I hope you enjoy it!

Supplies: (Affiliate links may be used)

• Gouache (Arteza)
• Grey watercolor pencil (if desired)
• Mythos Unicorn Brushes (Royal & Langnickel) *Leave a comment for a chance to win!
• Sketchbook (Fabriano Venice book)
• Reference Photo: Photo by JOHN TOWNER on Unsplash

Tips for Gouache:
1. Work dark to light.

2.Work in thin layers (use a light touch to layer or be more aggressive to blend back to previous layers)

3. Use alone or with other media (over watercolor and marker, under pastel and colored pencil)

4. Mat and frame under glass as you would a watercolor.

5. Do not work in thick layers because the paint can crack.

6. Paper or matboard are excellent surfaces for gouache as it can bond well. Avoid using it on canvas or acrylic primed surfaces as the paint may not adhere well.

7. Play, experiment and have fun!

I hope the video give you insight on my process. I think diving in with the dark color can give you confidence and also speeds up the process because you get the dark values established quickly and you don’t have to fight the white paint which can overtake things quickly and muddy things up. If you want more help on your art journey, including real-time versions of 2 sketchbook sunday paintings a month consider joining critique club. You can post your current paintings and get a detailed critique from me and encouragement from other members, so you can improve and reach your artistic goals. Learn more here!

And one more shameless plug for the road…

If you want to paint better birds I have a class on that too:  Texture Toolbox Feathers & Fowl where you can learn how to capture the beauty of birds and the textures of feathers and plumage by following along with four step by step real-time tutorials with patterns included. There is also an archived list of all past bird tutorials I have created in case you are looking for something specific.

Phew! That was a long post! Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a set of brushes, give gouache a chance and til next time happy crafting!