Lately, I’ve been getting into painting with gouache, a water soluble paint – similar to watercolor, but more opaque.
You can paint with gouache using very little water, so the consistency of the paint is thick like heavy cream. And when it’s that thick, the paint goes on deliciously creamy and dries to a velvety matte finish. There’s something sensual and delightful about gouache.
One of my favorite artists who works with gouache is August Wren. She paints whimsical and colorful butterflies, flowers, coffee cups and tea cups. And she also paints portraits. Recently, I did an online class with her where she showed how she looks at black and white photos and turns them into lovely, colorful gouache portraits.
I painted from a black and white photo taken by Dorothea Lange. I found it especially enjoyable because Dorothea Lange’s photos take me back to the 40’s and 50’s of Oakland and Richmond, California life. I get to see what the streets looked like and begin to understand a bit more about what life was like for people during those times.
Because the photos are black and white, I exercise my imagination as I illustrate the photos in color. Whether or not you want to paint them, be sure to check out the Oakland Museum’s online collection of Dorothea Lange’s photos. And here are some resources for you to check out if you want to learn more about gouache and give it a try:
