To me right now, gouache still feels a bit… well… gauche, I suppose… Very like those old powdery poster paints we used to paint with at school, turning out paintings that looked permanently flat and matte and almost chalky-opaque. Yet recently online I’ve seen some truly beautiful paintings done in gouache, so I know it’s definitely possible to create ‘proper’ art with this medium.
I’ve learned that gouache paints are surprisingly versatile, they’re water-based so can be used effectively along with (or instead of) watercolours, dry really quickly but can easily be reactivated and reworked, and can also give good solid-body coverage a bit (but not quite) like acrylics – technically the best of both worlds, what’s not to love so far?
So although on paper I realise it should probably be the perfect medium for me, I’m still struggling a bit with it just now so am really not feeling it too much at the moment. I’ll keep on trying, though, in the hope that given time and experience, gouache grows on me…
For this year’s April Blogging through A-Z Challenge I’ve decided to follow the art-inspired theme of me, now in my 60th year, exploring and experimenting with how to paint using acrylics, gouache and watercolours. After a couple of false starts this is a relatively recent journey I began in earnest a few months ago. So far it’s been an even split between fun and frustration, getting to grips with all these new painting skills, but I’m determined to keep going with it this year and see where it takes me… 🙂
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