Getting Started with Gouache : Supplies and materials Part Two

Hello! Welcome to the continuation of Getting Started with Gouache : Supplies and materials Part Two.

Here, I'll be covering papers, brushes, palettes and touching on various supplies I use and recommend. Much like my rant on student grade paint, the same applies to your paper and brushes! I encourage you to throw down for some good brushes and paper to put that paint to work properly. Below are my recommendations.

*Along with paper, Acrylic gouache can be used on surfaces like wood panels, found objects, etc. I will touch on that in a separate future post as there’s much to say about surface prep, sealing your work on nonpaper surfaces, and the like. Let’s stick with the paper application for now!

Paper

Arches brand paper is my go to and has been for as long as I’ve painted with gouache-I’m a bit obsessed. Good quality paper made for paints allows your water mediums to perform at their very best and I haven’t found a paper that takes a proper beating quite like Arches. Watercolor papers come in various formats, weights and surfaces-I find paper surface to be personal preference depending on the results you’re aiming for.

Formats: Arches paper comes in Blocks (my favorite), pads, single sheets and rolls. I will always reach for the convenience of a watercolor block first. This format is quite literally a block of watercolor paper sheets bound by a wax seal along the border. You’ll paint straight on the block which prevents your paper from curling/buckling as you apply your water and paint. When you’re finished painting and it’s dry, you can gently use a palette knife to slice the sheet out of the wax sealed border. (I will address paper curling tips and fixes and whatnot in a later post).

Surface: Watercolor papers generally come in two surfaces: cold press and hot press. Hot press papers have a smooth finish and are nice for getting in there for detail work. Your paint doesn’t absorb as quickly with a hot press surface but I do find they curl a little quickly for how I work. Cold press papers on the other hand have a textured surface, paint absorbs quickly and you’ll find they’re a bit more durable as you throw paint down. I also prefer cold press for the ability to really work a dry brush technique and play with paint textures in my paintings. If you want to push it even further, there are “rough” press papers-which are extremely textured and heavy. They’re ultra durable, fun to work on but I find them personally difficult to really get in there with detailed work. I’ve also had a lot of success working on various illustration boards and suggest you try playing around with them, too! Experiment with what you gravitate towards, see what you like and take it from there!  Arches, papers, and illustration boards can be purchased at most local art stores (try your mom-and-pop shops first, please!) and online at Blick (dickblick.com).

Additional papers for Acrylic Gouache: I’ve found Acrylic gouache works great applied in light application on a variety of fine art papers and printmaking papers. Traditional gouache…not so much-stick to watercolor papers and illustration boards. If you’d like to experiment further, I’ve had great results with acryla gouache on Legion Stonehenge (these come in lots of yummy tones and colors, too), Fabriano and Hahnemühle.

Brushes

Warning: I get really nerdy about my brushes!

This is one of my favorite subjects to cover and address-and YES, brush quality matters a whole heck of a lot when it comes to water mediums (and all paints!). If someone tells you otherwise, don’t listen. I cannot stress the importance of investing in good brushes and caring for those sweet little babies-their job is to make your paints sing, so treat them well and they’ll take care of you! I encourage you to try all different shapes and sizes, but there are a few hero brushes I reach for daily that have become my workhorses.

Trekell brushes are my go to for both traditional gouache, acrylic gouache watercolor and various acrylic paints. These brushes hold water and paint extremely well, keep their shape (+no loose hairs getting in your paintings!) and really last with daily use. I always suggest proper cleaning and care after your painting sessions-especially when using Acryla gouache and various acrylic paints. Rinse often, don’t leave them hanging in the water jar and it’s wise to clean with brush soap and condition every so often (remember to dry them flat, too!). Below are a few favorite brushes I recommend to gouache painters with a brief description of each. Brushes I recommend here can be purchased over at www.trekell.com

*Suggestions below include a pretty wide variety of brushes to add to your brush library. If you’re a beginner to gouache and feel a little overwhelmed with options, no fear! I’ve teamed up with Trekell to offer folks a curated set *specifically* for use with gouache/acryla gouache and watercolor paints. This set includes my personal hero brushes and really has all you need to get going. This will allow you to get a feel for how each brush works and you’ll be able to build upon your brush library to suit your personal needs. This brush set can be found here

Trekell Protégé and Protégé Plus Synthetic Kolinsky Short Handle Artist Brushes

Trekell Protégé Round 7500 Series

The round brush is going to be your most trusted companion when working with all water mediums, especially gouache. You’re going to need something that will keep shape and point as you work-as well as hold water efficiently. Having a variety of sizes is extremely helpful for laying down your color, doing clean line work as well as tiny detail work and getting that paint in smaller areas! I recommend size 0-3/0 for small/fine detail, size 1 and 3 for your main paint drivers, and something a little larger like a 6 and 12 for larger areas and water pickup.

Trekell Protégé Wash 7510 Series

Good wash brushes are key for laying down smooth washes, layering color, filling in larger areas/backgrounds and dry brushing. I reach for sizes 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2” and 3/4” daily for painting, for wet on wet techniques, blending and dry brushing larger areas. If you work on larger watercolor paper, a 1” brush is a good investment, too. These specific brushes really hold a lot of water and pick up color beautifully. I recommend picking up a couple of different size wash brushes to start and building up your brush library as you can!

Trekell Golden Taklon Short Handle Artist Brushes

Round 2000 Series

I love the round size 12 and 6 specifically. You’ll find yourself reaching for the rounds often and you’ll never have too many on hand!

Wash 2070 Series

Another option for wash brushes! I use both Golden Taklon and Protégé Wash brushes daily and love them both. Like the Protégé Wash, I use these primarily in sizes 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2” and 3/4”-and it’s always handy to grab a 1” if you’ve got the budget for it!

Filbert 2020 Series

Great for thick applications of gouache. I use these for blending and dry brush technique which will give you a rough paint texture on your paper. I regularly use sizes 2, 4 and 6.

Script/Rigger 2050 Series

This brush is great for pulling clean lines and doing line work. I will always recommend a round brush first-but a rigger is great to throw in your brush library if you’ve got the budget. I like the size 0

Additional Brush notes:

• Cleanup: Brush cleaner and conditioner really goes a long way and ensures longevity of your tools. Brushes are an investment so take care of them! I use Trekell Coconut Oil Soap and Artist Brush Restorer. Soap I use daily after a painting session and brush restorer is great for monthly maintenance or as you start noticing your brushes getting a little frazzled!

• Mixing brushes: It’s best to have a few mixing brushes on hand, as you really don’t want to put stress on your daily painting brushes. I recommend picking up a couple of brushes to dedicate to mixing only-these absolutely do not have to be expensive and pretty much anything will do. I tend to hold onto my old/well loved brushes and reserve them just for mixing purposes only. Don’t throw away your well loved brushes, put them back to work as mixing tools!

I’ll learn more about technique and how I use these brushes in additional posts.

Palette

The truth is, you can get away on the cheap with your palette. If you’re on a budget, head to your local thrift store or outlets and pick up some cheap dishes/saucers and designate them for paint only (you can actually find lots of useful and cute options at the thrift), they’ll work just fine! Go big if you can for ample mixing space. Disposable palettes work well for both gouache and acrylic gouache primarily, as acrylics are a little harder to clean off of glass/ceramic-but it’ll do in a pinch. I use many different palettes depending on what I’m working on. I LOVE ceramic palettes because they create less waste, but sometimes, when working on larger pieces, a disposable palette works best.

Various travel palettes and watercolor palettes are also something I use for traditional gouache and watercolor (acrylic will NOT keep and needs to *always* be used fresh from the tube or kept in airtight jars for use soon after mixing)-there are pros and cons here and it’s something I’ll cover in a later post for anyone interested.

Disposable and ceramic palettes can be purchased at most local art stores and online. I like Canson XL Disposable palettes for working on larger pieces and mixing, Blick Studio palette pads are also great and come in a variety of sizes ( 9" x 12” would be perfect for beginners!). Below is a list of various palette options I use and recommend. I’ll also make some further posts about setting up your palette and creating custom palettes.

Holbein Watercolor Palette with removable wells - This palette is offered in two sizes and includes ample mixing space. The design of this particular palette is so helpful, as color wells can be removed and replaced as needed, making palette customization a breeze. I recommend this palette option for gouache and watercolor only, NOT acryla gouache.

Canson XL palette paper pads - These are quick and easy, no cleanup and works best with Acryla gouache and acrylic paints.

Ceramic Palette - If you’re looking for a great ceramic palette and can't seem to find what you’re looking for, I recommend one from Sugarhouse Ceramic Co. These are beautiful, sturdy, handmade and clean up great. You can purchase it at sugarhouseceramicco.com.

-Studio XL v2 Wet Palette - I’ve had this palette for about a year now and it’s wonderful for when I’m working on a large piece for several days and want to save my paint colors and keep my palette ready for work. It stays wet, seals completely and creates very little waste. I highly recommend it. You can purchase at RedGrassCreative.com

-Transon Paint Saver storage palette - This palette is ideal for travel use or if you like to have all of your paints in one place ready to go during a painting session. I have had both good and bad experiences with these palettes, they do need some maintenance and constant cleaning upkeep to avoid your paint from molding up in the wells. This is recommended for use with traditional gouache ONLY

Additional Supplies and Pencils

Water Jar - Pickle jars and jam jars work perfectly for this-keep two on hand. I keep one close by as I’m working just for rinsing in between colors, you can keep a second clean jar close by for when you need fresh water to work with your paints.

Small spray bottle/spritzer - You will absolutely need one of these, it’s just as important as your water jar! I buy them in packs over on Amazon cheap and can’t work without it, any small spray bottle will do (just make sure it’s a fine mist). You’ll be using these to keep your paints and palettes wet as you work, to spray your watercolor paper and work with different techniques down the road.

Paper Towels and rags - You’re going to make a mess, you will spill water and you’re going to need to wipe your brushes, there’s just no avoiding it. Embrace the chaos and go wild, but make sure you have a roll of paper towels or some rags on hand. You will be needing them on your quest.

Artist Masking Tape - Artist tape will allow you to tape off areas of your paintings and keep the paint from bleeding. It’s gentle enough that it won’t tear your paper when you peel it off (Tip: only peel off once your painting is completely dry!). I strongly suggest *always* using art tape as opposed to something like clear scotch tape, etc. If you’re just playing around, you could even use some Washi tape, too. Of course, you can always freestyle and just go at that paper without taping off areas-the choice is yours.

Pencils and erasers - I always start with layouts and sketches prior to throwing down paint. You can also sketch directly on your watercolor paper and lay your paints right on top if you choose. If you do choose to work this way, go light with your pencils so it doesn’t blend too much with your paint and get muddy. Any pencil will do (I tend to use Staedtler Lumograph), but I suggest staying away from anything with a soft graphite to avoid muddiness. A 3H or 2H will get the job done and keep your painting clean. I also like using kneaded erasers-they create no mess (those eraser boogers are my enemy, you know what I’m talking about!) and if you’re working close to your palette, it keeps things out of your paint.

Small palette knife - These are multi use tools and great to have on hand-if not right away, pick one of two up down the road. You’ll definitely need them if you move forward working with watercolor blocks, they’re handy for paint mixing and scraping areas down. Spring for metal and not plastic, it’ll last you longer.

Color Wheel - Last but certainly not least! The color wheel is one of the most useful and valuable tools when planning out a painting and learning about color relationships. This is your road map! The wheel will guide you when choosing color combinations and hues for your work, especially if you’re new to working with color and paint. It takes the guesswork out of color selection, makes your life easier and helps you plan before the paint is down. After working with the wheel over time, it becomes intuitive and second nature, you’ll know what to reach for instinctively. Color wheel theory deserves an individual post (warning: it’ll be a long one!), and I’ll get there in time.

Things you don’t *really* need right away, but tools to consider and supplies I use daily:

Small hairdryer - I keep one on hand for daily use, especially for making larger works. These are great to help speed up drying time when working with multiple washes, wet on wet techniques and for making sure work areas on your paper are dry before moving to another section. It’s something I can’t work without and speeds up my process.

Lightbox - I’m a dinosaur and still use a lightbox. My primary use is to transfer my pencil drawings to watercolor paper prior to starting my painting and keep the original sketch as a guide. Yes, I know there are easier ways (you could always just scan in your sketch and print out a copy as a guide). But the trusty lightbox deserves a mention! They’re relatively cheap on amazon and come in a variety of sizes. Always handy to have around!

Mediums -  There are lots of various mediums available that can help you along the way with traditional gouache and watercolor (these will not work with acrylic gouache). I will do a long post about the specifics down the road, but here are a few I like to use:

Blending Medium

These can be added and mixed in with your paint to slow down drying time on your palette, I like using this for traditional gouache and watercolor. I suggest adding this medium sparingly with a dropper bottle. Go slow here, you can always add more later. This medium is especially useful if you’re looking to add traditional gouache to an air-tight palette, like the Transon Paint Saver storage palette I mentioned. More on that later! I like to use Winsor & Newton Watercolor Blending Medium.

Masking fluids

These glue-like substances can be brushed on areas prior to painting. They will keep any area you apply it to free of water and paint. Do not apply with your good brushes (this stuff can absolutely take out brushes so use something cheap and disposable here) and always spot test on your paper surface prior to large applications. Apply the masking fluid straight to paper prior to painting, let it dry completely, then proceed with your paint application. Once your painting is finished and completely dry, you can just peel the dried medium off your paper. I like and use Holbein Watercolor Masking Fluid a lot.

Household materials for experimenting with texture - I really encourage you to gather up any and all materials for a play session to experiment with making textures . I’ll be making an individual post on this subject as I think it’s a great beginner exercise. Items like tinfoil, plastic wrap, bubble wrap, cleaning sponges and foams strips (like you’d find at a hardware store), natural sea sponges and toothbrushes all make great tools for creating various textures when using water mediums and it’s always fun to have a few on hand!

That pretty much wraps up my second post for Getting Started with Gouache : Supplies! I hope you found it useful and have fun gathering materials. There’s much more I want to share in regard to further supplies, but my goal was not to overwhelm at first by taking this slow. As always, I’m here to help, and questions are always welcome in the comments.