Flourish Forum
Tutorials => General How To's & Projects => Topic started by: Erica McPhee on January 09, 2014, 08:06:37 PM
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Quick video on how to mix gouache. As always, let us know if you have any questions! [NOTE: My apologies for the absolutely horrendous quality of this video. Had I known it would have 11,000+ views, I would have made it a lot better!]
http://youtu.be/1OmwQWGdF-I
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Thank you Erica!
This is very helpful. I've never been shown how to mix gouache before.
Love,
Roseann
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You are very welcome Roseann! There are entire workshops dedicated to using gouache (calligraphy & color). If you ever get a chance to take one, I highly recommend it! I don't work a lot with color because most of my work is for reproduction. I forget how fun it is to work with gouache and water color! :D
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Would you recommend loading the nib with a brush? Because I made my mix in a small jar, and dipping it isn't working out so well for me. (But I'm not sure if that's a consistency issue or not...) :/
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Yes, Sherry, I do that in the video. ;D I always load the nib with a brush.
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I saw in the video. I gotta try that! :) See if it works better. Haha. Because right now it's either too globby, or there's nothing adhered. I want to love gouache so much.
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It is tricky to figure out but once you learn the right consistency, it is the same as using a sumi ink or even Doc Marten's White. It is like the consistency of 1/2 and 1/2. Just a bit creamier than milk.
Ink is, of course, closer to water. So there is definitely a difference in texture/consistency.
If it is too lumpy, you either need to stir it more or add just a couple drops more of water.
If it makes you feel better, I hated gouache the first few times I used it. But once I got the hang of it, I loved it.
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This video is very helpful. I finally tried using gouache for the first time but instead of water I used gum arabic but I can't seem to get the consistency right. You can't see the ink when I try to do upstrokes but flows ok with downstrokes. I guess I just have to play around with it more.
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Hi,
I think you'll have much better results if you try it again, but this time try it with distilled water. If you feel you must use gum arabic, just add a drop. Hope this helps.
Love,
Roseann
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Ok, I will-I just thought gum arabic is good because people swears by it. Distilled water it is...
Thanks =)
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I don't know how I've never tried gouache considering the dozens of other mediums I've tried using to write with my broad-edge pens but this video helped a ton, thanks! I tried both with and without Gum Arabic, depending on the nib I tested, and it flowed well either way.
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Wonderful to hear that! Especially since I was just considering reshooting this video because the lighting is so bad!
This looks beautiful. Your consistency looks perfect. Great color and beautiful flourishes! Thanks for sharing! :)
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You should change the title to "How to Mix and Properly Pronounce Gouache" lol. That word gets butchered so badly! Great video though :)
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Yes, a very useful video :)
It's universally pronounced gōō'äsh here in UK, mangling French words being a national talent.
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Is Gouache cheaper then dipping ink?
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LOL Christopher and Andy! Funny! But you know what -- I should do a quick video with all the calligraphy terms and their pronunciations. I pronounced Gillott with a French pronunciation (gee-loe) [not sure how to write that] for years before I met other calligraphers! I didn't realize it had such a harsh pronunciation (jill-ot). :o
;D
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Brad, it depends upon the ink and the gouache. I purchased very inexpensive gouache at Walmart that seems to work quite well. But there are more expensive, higher quality ones as well. There are some expensive inks out there, too.
The difference is really in the texture and quality of either. So a gouache is opaque (you can't see through it), whereas with an ink, you typically can see shade. The gouache is thicker and smooth whereas an ink is typically thin. The colors of gouache are varied and can be mixed. Inks - not so much.
Hope that helps!
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The price is also dramatically affected by the pigment cost for gouache. Take Windsor & Newton for example, a very popular choice amoung calligraphers. A 14ml tube can run from approximately $5.00 to $20.00 depending on the color. Pigments like Cobalt are extremely more expensive than say Alizarin pigment.
I think another advantage of Gouache is the huge palette of colors you have to choose from and also the ability to mix those colors making the color choices limitless.
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Wow, as much variation as that? I just checked Blots and 14ml tubes here run from £4.00 for Prussian Blue to £6.50 for Cobalt Blue. (Furthermore, the blacks and whites are also available in 37ml tubes at the attractive price of £7.99). Oddly all the Schminke 20ml colours are £8.50.
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I'm a big gouache fan, too. Am not a fan of the bottled inks, with the exception of Sumi & walnut.
Here in the US, you can purchase W&N gouache tubes at Michael's Arts & Crafts, using their 40% off coupons :D
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Well I might just have to give it a try I have seen it at Walmart as well but it made me kind of nervous. But I'm glad you posted the video it makes me feel a little bit more comfortable with it.
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I bought two tubes on sale and now I love it and I have to buy more :< and it's all your fault! ::) :D
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LOL sisterofdream! I do that to people a lot! ;D
Brad, give it a try! I was very intimidated by gouache for a very long time. And then when I tried it, I thought it was fun and I really like the texture/feel of writing with it. :)
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I will. Thanks Erica I always have to think of the work squash so i can pronounce gouache. And not goo-sha
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Ok, I have a question. I have white gouache and Goldpearl, both from Schmincke, the special calligraphy gouache. The white I gave up, it's just blots and ugly and I can't make it work, but that's not so bad now that I have the Dr. Martin's Bleedproof which works just perfectly (thanks Schin! Another of your tips :)).
I really like the gold though, in principal, but I get so often 'dry' upstrokes – I mean, they are basically invisible. Does that mean I have to thin if even more? I think that it looses it's opacity then.
Has anyone else this problem?
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Ok, I have a question. I have white gouache and Goldpearl, both from Schmincke, the special calligraphy gouache. The white I gave up, it's just blots and ugly and I can't make it work, but that's not so bad now that I have the Dr. Martin's Bleedproof which works just perfectly (thanks Schin! Another of your tips :)).
I really like the gold though, in principal, but I get so often 'dry' upstrokes – I mean, they are basically invisible. Does that mean I have to thin if even more? I think that it looses it's opacity then.
Has anyone else this problem?
Are you mixing it with any gum arabic?
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I think I tried all possible variations ... water, gum arabic, both … it's not that it doesn't work at all, it's just extremely slow and I have to retouch these upstrokes a lot. I was just curious if others had similar experiences ;). Thanks for answering!
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Gold gouache is so beautiful yet so tricky! For me, it depends on the nib/paper/climate. On certain days it works perfectly - but some days I want to throw my pen and ink out the window. I find that nibs that do not have super-thin hairlines work better for gold.
One trick I read in our calligraphy guild's newsletter (which I have yet to try, but will soon) is to add a tiny bit of regular gouache to help with the flow - so you can add a tiny bit of Venetian Red for a more reddish gold. If you try it, please let me know if it works! :)
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Linda makes a great point, the nib makes a big difference. Something like the Nikko G plays a lot nicer than a 303 with gouache, at least for me.
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Thanks Linda and Heebs! I used a vintage Brause Rose which is usually the most forgiving if nibs … maybe the point about climate is important – I was using it with more success last autumn when it was much more humid than now! Hm. I'll let you know if I find a way to make it behave better ;)!
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Can I just say...that after months of not touching gouache because I thought I would never get the consistency right...well, I finally did!!!!
woohoo!! The upstrokes are now showing! Using the pipette and a brush makes all the difference :)
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Hooray! That is great news! Feels pretty good. I used to be so intimidated by gouache, now I love writing with it! :)
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I don't know how I've never tried gouache considering the dozens of other mediums I've tried using to write with my broad-edge pens but this video helped a ton, thanks! I tried both with and without Gum Arabic, depending on the nib I tested, and it flowed well either way.
Where did you get your oblique? I love it!
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I don't know how I've never tried gouache considering the dozens of other mediums I've tried using to write with my broad-edge pens but this video helped a ton, thanks! I tried both with and without Gum Arabic, depending on the nib I tested, and it flowed well either way.
Where did you get your oblique? I love it!
Thank you :) It's a lovely piece of work made by Brian Smith (UniqueObliques (http://instagram.com/uniqueobliques))
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A short update regarding the Schmincke gold pearl I was having problems with (dry upstrokes) – it works now. It sounds stupid, I just hadn't added enough water before. I thought it would become too transparent, but it's still nicely opaque. I just added more and more distilled water ;D.
Still it's not so comfortable like regular ink, but so worth the trouble, I think!
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If I have a problem with flow with gouache I add a drop of Ox Gall liquid... but only one drop otherwise I get the opposite problem. I like making mixes... it makes me feel like I'm an eccentric scientist :-)
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Erica - thank you so much for this video!! I did not know about loading the pen with a brush before and now this has opened up so many possibilities!! I've been hunting through my craft room for all sorts of different coloring media to use with my pointed pen and my practice work is even more fun now with color!! My fave has got to be the Twinkling H2Os - just *love* that little bit of shimmer!
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Thank you, Erica! Very helpful video!!
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i know i'm late to the party, but thanks for this erica!!! it's great to see "in real life" approximately how much water one should add as well as what the consistency of the ink should look like!
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@Andy T: We Yanks also engage in mutilating English, sometimes just to annoy our friends across the Pond! ;D Just kidding @ourclosestally!
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Can you mix a substantial amount of gouache, especially if mixing a color ? And how do you store it? Can you dip the pen if you prefer. New to gouache. Love the color possibilities.
Thanks,
Charissa
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charissa you can mix a substantial amount of gouache if you want. but, really, even a pinch goes a long way since you will be dissolving it in water anyway. i use small plastic containers with a lid to as storage. dipping the pen in gouache never worked for me (maybe it doesn't really work). you have to load it on the nib using a brush. i tried dipping it too before when i was started to use them, but it wouldn't flow out of the nib.
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Thank you... Can't wait to try it.
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I experimented with gouache for the first time today. What rhythm works for loading the ink onto the nib with a brush? I found the process awkward and I was tense anticipating the brush to fall from its precarious resting spot. I used a plate to hold the brush while I lettered with the pen.
Thanks for this video and helpful comments.
Kim
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Getting used to loading with a brush (or with a dropper), I think, is about getting comfortable with the way you write first. When I first started I hated loading my nib because I had to stop and of course I would drop it but it had more to do with the fact that I hadn't developed a good writing pace. Now that I'm used to writing more and keeping rhythm, it's a seamless transition from the brush to the nib to the paper.
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Heebs is right - once you develop a rhythm, it gets easier. Just be careful not to drop ink off the brush when loading the pen (never load it over your paper).
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I think that Gouache is wonderful and I use it all the time. I particularly love its consistency and opacity. It goes such a long way especially when thinned for writing, that I can afford to buy the best 'Artist's Grade' available.
I did this example to demonstrate the power and vibrancy of the colour. I deliberately made the hairlines a little thicker than usual, because I wanted them to show up.
Excellent introductory video, by the way. :)
(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi226.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd289%2Fcaliken_2007%2FFlourishedGouache400.jpg&hash=ead3b6bc196a4c172f3692aa4851f04b)
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Thanks Ken! Beautiful exemplar! I love the colors you used. And thank you for your kind words about the video. This one has been really popular and I cringe because the lighting is so bad. I am going to redo it at some point! ;D
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Thanks for this video. And for the tip about distilled water! I didn't know that one, so I will definitely switch over. I've been using gouache for a while, but I still don't feel 100% confident with it. Thanks for the tips!
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Just have to say, Flourish Forum FTW! I was pondering my latest question-- How does one use gouache?-- and here is the answer! Right at my fingertips. With accompanying commentary and real-life tips and experience from so many angles. I can't explain how grateful I am to have found such a newbie-friendly, welcoming place to learn about calligraphy. :) Gouache, here I come!
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Awe - thanks Megan! I'm so happy to read this ... you made my day! :)
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If i pre-mix gouache with water, will it still be viable after storage?
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best to use distilled water with goauche if you want to store it, otherwise mixing with tap water will create mold!
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Speaking of gouache, I found a pack of 24 colors by Daler Rowney at my local Walmart for $12.97! ;D
They aren't super high quality, but if anyone is looking for gouache to try out for the first time or for gouache on a budget, this is a great option! I was very pleasantly surprised when I tested them out. I mainly use Windsor & Newton for commission projects, but I found these to be more than suitable for small projects and things that I didn't want to waste my more expensive gouache on.
(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs23.postimg.org%2Fv0fg8qbrr%2FScreen_Shot_2014_12_18_at_11_58_24_AM.png&hash=e366b41c5edba45b4b106eba95817df3)(https://theflourishforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs23.postimg.org%2Fgv9n6x2qf%2FScreen_Shot_2014_12_18_at_11_58_43_AM.png&hash=8a57f2bdc2df4af8cabb7abe3472abba)
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Hi all,
I am looking for some pastel gouache.
Could you maybe recommend a supplier for it? Or would you prefer to mix it by your own?
By advance,
thank you.
Regards, Jen
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Thanks for the video--super, super helpful! And I use distilled water for Pearl Ex-based ink, but didn't know why I should exactly. Now I know and am glad that I just followed along without question.
So, my question is: can you resurrect really, really old gouache? I found a bunch of old tubes at my parents' house when I was there over Thanksgiving. And being the frugal, not wanting to waste anything--read, cheap--person that I am, I kept them for future use. These are probably almost 10 years old. From the looks of it, most of the tubes are dried out. With a little water and a lot of patience, is it still usable? What do you all think?
Thanks in advance for responses. :)
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I have taken dried gouache (rock hard) out of the tubes and put it in small containers and added distilled water and had it soften.
I don't know if it works with all pigments. And none of mine would have been more than about 5 years old at the time.
My favorite containers were old film canisters...but sadly, those have gone by the wayside.
Another thing to know about gouache is that reconstituted gouache always seems easier to use than gouache that is mixed, right out of the tube.
The very first time I used gouache for writing with nibs, we were told to mix up our little pans of gouache, first thing in the morning.
We did not get around to using it until later in the afternoon and I wondered why we had mixed it up, and then just let it dry out.
The instructor explained that letting the gouache rest a bit makes it better for nibs.
So, maybe it's an old wives tale - but, I seem to like my reconstituted gouache better than freshly mixed gouache.
Jean
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So funny Jean, I am the same! I'll mix up fresh gouache and then find that I like it better in the second day. I thought it was something to do with my mixing technique or how much I was mixing. I generally do a full dinky dip worth of gouache-ink to work on project, but glad it is not just me :)
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I third that, Jean and Amy! My gouache is also better the next day, and I have also read somewhere that it's best to leave mixed gouache overnight.
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Sorry friends for digging up an old topic but I am having some trouble with my gouache. The down strokes are good but I can not see or barely see my up strokes. more water? More paint? BTW the nib is fine so I know that's not it.
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More water, and add a drop or two of gum arabic. :)
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More water, and add a drop or two of gum arabic. :)
Thanks Linda
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I wish I had found this video before I tried mixing gouache for the first time. I made the mistake of using tap water, and then a bunch of mold grew in it, gross! Thanks to your video I learned to use the distilled water and I'm having much better luck now, thanks!
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I use Shinhan gouache, I love its very nice color set (69 colors! perfect for Eric the compulsive supplies junkie :o ). I just use water, that's it.
I don't use a brush, I dip my nib straight in the mix and voilà! Trouble free. Good on both up and down strokes, fine hairlines too.
Brad, I have no idea why you might have upstroke issues, sorry.
I find the pigments settle at the bottom after a day or two, and shaking is not enough. I need to use a small brush or stick to "undo the goo" and all is fine within seconds. Lovely!
I use the Nikko G. The other nibs were... meh :-\
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Is distilled water only necessary if you're planning on storing your mixed gouache? Mold won't grow on dried gouache, correct? I definitely used tap water for some pieces I created as gifts! Can you tell how well I paid attention in science class? :-[
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LOL! Sadly, mold can grow on dry pieces as well. I have been known to cheat and use well water from time to time. And yes, I have had a piece grow mold over a couple of years. BLECH! ;D
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OMG - Tap water, the gift that keeps on giving #oops
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This is my first question, just joined the forum. what a fantastic place! Still trying to get used this site and did a few searches. My question is: why do I have bubbles in my gouache? I have no issue writing with it...but the bubbles drive me insane. I'm using w&n designers gouache. Thank you for your help. Hope I'm doing this correctly.
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Hi! Welcome!
Are you overstirring? It could be from that or it could be impurities in your water. You may want to try again with a different water source. Or it could also be the container you are mixing it on/in ... there could have been a soap residue from previous washing?
Just thinking of some ideas!
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My question is: why do I have bubbles in my gouache? I have no issue writing with it...but the bubbles drive me insane. I'm using w&n designers gouache.
Welcome to FF !
I get bubbles when I shake my dinky dips after not using the gouache for a few days, but the bubbles go away rather quickly. (I use Shinhan gouache.) I don't know if it has anything to do with the amount of water you use to dilute it?
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Thank you both!!! I heeded your advice and it has helped. I think I was over mixing. Many many thanks. And this is such a wonderful
Place!!!
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I have ordered some bright pink ink to write on black but it's to sheer. Will gouache look good on black?
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Hi Linda,
You could try adding more of the gouache itself to the mixture. It should look almost opaque and really pop on the black. Although I suppose it depends upon the quality of the pigments as well.
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I have ordered some bright pink ink to write on black but it's to sheer. Will gouache look good on black?
Sometimes adding a touch of bleedproof white to gouache will make it opaque enough to show up on black paper without lightening the color of the gouache itself too much.
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Hi Erica,
Thanks for sharing this video and this is something really new to me. Never heard of 'gouache'. But after reading these post i want to try it for sure. Don't know if i would get that in India. Is there any other name for it? Or someone from India who has bought it can help me out.
Ashok
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@prasad Do you know if there is a different name for gouache? Thanks!
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The only words I could quickly google up are a couple of local variants: guazzo (italian), leimfarbe (german). The Japanese brand I use refers to it as "poster paint". From Google Translate I observe that most European countries use "gouache" (or a spelling variant thereof), but in Hindi for instance they give "gouache" as the translation... (so much for Google Translate)
I am sure this sort of paint is used in elementary schools all over the globe, there is surely a local expression.
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Hi Erica, ericp
Thats so nice of you to help me with the translation.
Is it Poster colour used for paint. The images that i saw on google shows long paint tubes. Let me go to an art shop and try to find if i cant find it.
Another reason for me to visit the store :D.
Thanks,
Ashok
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Gouache is opaque watercolor and is not the same as poster paint used in elementary schools. Professional sign painters who letter posters and show cards might use gouache which might be why the word poster would be associated with a water based opaque paint. The gouache needed for lettering with nibs needs to be the paint that comes in small tubes. Good quality gouache is fairly expensive. Inexpensive gouache does not perform very well with nibs.
Poster paint used in elementary schools would be ok with a brush but probably would t work very well with a nib. Maybe someone wants to try it and let us know.
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Good explanation from Jean. However, I have bought the cheap gouache at Walmart and it works quite well with pointed pen.
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Good explanation from Jean. However, I have bought the cheap gouache at Walmart and it works quite well with pointed pen.
i should have included the full disclaimer about what works and what doesn't work....
because it always depends on the nib and paper.
you never know what's going to work until you try it.
if you can't get good results with the first brand you try - you can't assume that other brands will give the same results.
another thing with gouache - even within one brand, different colors behave differently.
some colors are slimy - others are notorious for separating - so you have to stir a lot more often.
and - regular watercolor is also very nice for lettering. again, i prefer the more expensive brands, but there are probably people who prefer the less expensive brands.
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I have tried the Reeves gouache from Michaels with a broad nib and found that to get it to flow I had to dilute it until it was no longer opaque. I haven't tried other inexpensive brands. I have gotten good results with the Holbein Artist's Gouache and was able to buy a set of 18 x 5ml tubes from Amazon for a decent price which has been perfect for experimentation. Nice, smooth "ink" that flows like a dream!
For regular water colors, though, if you want to try calligraphy with them, for broad edge I have even just used the crayola set you can get in most kid's art sections. A Prang set of 16 colors is also nice--better quality and not too expensive.
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@prasad Do you know if there is a different name for gouache? Thanks!
Hi Erica,
Thanks for sharing this video and this is something really new to me. Never heard of 'gouache'. But after reading these post i want to try it for sure. Don't know if i would get that in India. Is there any other name for it? Or someone from India who has bought it can help me out.
Ashok
HI Erica and Ashok,
@Erica McPhee
@ash0kgiri
It's called Gouache here as well.
These are the places you can get it at Ashok.
This shop is in Kolkotta
http://creativehands.in/paints/gouache/designers-gouache.html
The other shop is in Mumbai
This brand is out of stock right now. I have used these and they are quite good.
http://www.himalayafineart.com/Product/1050/Daler+Rowney+Designers+Gouache+15ml+Tubes.aspx
This one is a bit more expensive but in stock
http://www.himalayafineart.com/Product/911/Schmincke+Horadam+Gouache+15ml+Tubes.aspx
-Prasad
PS: This @ business works really well Erica, Thanks. :) Makes life easy when I get an alert in the email and can answer quickly
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Hi @prasad
Thanks for clarifying and sharing the links.
Right now it looks everything is out of stock :(
Let me see how i can get one.
Ashok
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Thanks for the video!
Just a quick question, would watercolour work in replacement of gouache?
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@Elizher Luz Yes, Water colour works, but it is less opaque.