Paul’s 100 Day Challenge; Sketchbook

[Ramona]

Gouache is a medium I was always interested in, but never tried using! Your studies look really good, I liked the transition in the portrait with ink to gouache.

[PaulDidier]

Thanks Ramona. Yes, I’ve always been interested in learning gouache. I became more interested when I learned that the vast majority of painting we see in magazines during the 40’s and 50’s, both ads and illustrations, were done in gouache. Also, much of the concept art for films and parks, like Disneyland, were done in gouache.

I’ve always struggled with it and am determined to get a handle on it. Don’t let that discourage you though. I think it’s an issue with me, and the way my mind works rather than the medium. I know many artists that don’t have the issues I do. Also, the popularity of gouache in all the areas I mention above tells me most artists don’t have a hard time with it, otherwise they’d have used a different medium.

I must say that since taking on this challenge and working with it almost daily I think I’m getting a better feel for it.

If you’re interested in giving it a try I’d urge you to go for it.

[Ramona]

Thanks for your detailed reply, Paul! Growth happens outside the comfort zone, right, so you you chose the right path with tackling gouache.

I think you do already a good job on these, but I bet you can improve even more as the challenge progresses.

Thank you, I will definitely try gouache colors at some point, maybe I’ll find some affordable colors until the challenge ends!

[PaulDidier]

Hi Ramona. Thanks for your reply and encouragement.

If I can make a suggestion, it would be to start with black and white gouache as I am. For me, the biggest challenge of gouache is the significant change in value when it dries.  It makes it very difficult to mix a new tone that will match an existing dry tone. When painting in color, (again for me), this makes it tremendously challenging, and often frustrating, to learn how to paint in gouache. I think working in black and white has helped me a lot in getting a handle on the value change as well as the necessary consistency of the paint.

Where I live the local art store has been closed, but I’ve ordered large tubes of Winsor Newton Permanent White and Ivory Black for $7 for 14ml tubes or $15 for 37ml tubes. This is for the professional grade, (I try to avoid student grade paint), from Dick Blick online. I believe Amazon has them for about the same.

So that’s a very inexpensive way to get started.

[David Carter]

Lovely sketches.  What paper are you using?

[PaulDidier]

Thanks David. The toned sketchbook is a “Cachet” sketchbook by Daler/Rowney. Not sure what the paper thickness or tooth is. It has some tooth, not a lot. Feels kind of like a bond paper. The white sketchbook is Strathmore Mixed Media vellum surface 90lb paper.

[PaulDidier]

Had wifi trouble last night and couldn’t post.

Decided to try something different for my gouache day. I’ll post three photos of this. In the first one I did some quick gestures with thin gouache. In the second photo I went in and painted the figures in two values. Then in the third image I added two more values and did a little blending. Only got to the first figure on this stage. Will try to get to the other figures today.

Here’s the gestures done with thin gouache.

 

[PaulDidier]

Here’s the figures with two values.

[PaulDidier]

I only got to the first figure. I tried to indicate two more values and then do a bit of blending.

 

 

[Joshua Jacobo]

Nice. You’re juggling a lot! I will just say keep it up!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by Joshua Jacobo.

[PaulDidier]

Thanks Joshua. I have an idea to try to implement one of your suggestions. I’ll try it on my next gouache study.

I also noticed in a comment you made a while back you asked if I was using a water brush. I’m not. I think I have one somewhere. It’s probably not a very good one. I remember buying one several years ago. Do you recommend using them? I’ve just been using traditional sable and imitation sable brushes.

[Joshua Jacobo]

No difference. Just a preference thing.

[Chi Varjus]

You’re right. I’m feeling like I have even less time now that I’m staying at home and practicing full time. There are so many things I wanna do!!

What pen and ink are you using? I wanna get into that myself but confused by the types out there. I wanna do a little ink wash on my figure after sketching them.

[PaulDidier]

Hi Chi. Here’s a couple of photos of the pens and brushes I use. In the foreground is a refillable pen I bought years ago at the insistence of a really wonderful teacher I had. It’s a Namiki fountain pen with brown ink that I’ve added some black ink to so it’s a bit darker. This is ink for writing pens and is not permanent. What’s nice about that is after you draw you can get a brush with a little water, (or a lot of water), and go over the drawing and it will create a wash. I love dip pens but it’s obviously difficult to carry a bottle of ink around to sketch with so I use this.

In the background is a good old dip pen. I prefer larger nibs. This one is a “Hunt” brand #513. I just Googled pen nibs and this looks like a pretty standard size with various brands, along with #512. I have finer nibs, some so fine they require a smaller holder. I tend to not use these as much. As we’ve discussed I tend to “over-render” and the smaller the nib, (as in painting, the smaller the brush), tends to get me to be more preoccupied with tiny details than I should be. Also the smaller nibs can snag on the paper and splatter when I try to draw loosely. I use a variety of generally permanent ink. I will experiment with different brands and types from India Ink to Acrylic artist’s ink, (probably terrible on brushes). I use these with brushes too. Next to the pen and nib are a couple of sable brushes. Not too expensive but not the cheapest either. I generally use a #3 and #6 brush. Ink destroys brushes so I don’t buy expensive ones, but I don’t get the cheapest ones either. Cheap brushes won’t keep a point and won’t last as long. These actually last pretty well as long as you clean them promptly and take care of them.

Hope this helps. Didn’t mean to be so long-winded but the right tools can make a big difference and it’s frustrating to spend money on something that doesn’t really work that well. Here’s the composite picture of my tools;

 

[PaulDidier]

Here’s day 29. Felt like just doing some studies of Heinrich Kley’s work and losing myself in this master’s amazing work. Always humbling, inspiring and I think I learn something new every time I do this.

 

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