🎨Gouache – Material Breakdown!
I just hit 66/100 portrait paintings and thought it’s time to spotlight the materials that got me here 👇
🖌 BRUSHES:
1. Fan Brush (Pig Bristle) -Weird triangle shape = amazing textures + surprising precision. Got a set wit 7 sizes for 7€. I use the small ones most!
2. Dagger Brush - Half-moon shaped. Super precise, paints the longest brush strokes forever.
3. Small Bristle Brush -For textured sketching + early drawing stage
4. Flat Brush (Winsor & Newton) - This one’s 2 cm wide – perfect for first block-ins + crisp edges. Other cheap synthetics work great too as long as its wider than 1,5cm.
5. Mini Palette Knife- Helpful for premixing with my limited palette. I prep:
→ Neutral grey
→ Deep dark
→ Bright orange
🎨 COLORS:
I use big 60ml Schmincke tubes and burn through them quite fast.
- Indian Yellow
- Bordeaux Red
- Phthalo Green
- Opaque White
🖤 (Sometimes) Ivory Black
Used to use way more colors (better when outside without time), but limiting myself really leveled up my mixing game💪
PAPER:
My go-to: Clairefontaine 93341C
I cut the 24x32cm sheets to A5 size. Not cheap, but 100% worth it. Perfect texture + waight
🎨 PALETTE SETUP:
I started with an old pencil tin. On one side, I put a kitchen sponge and squeeze the paint directly onto it. When the sponge is wet, the gouache stays workable for weeks. The other side is used for mixing. A "new" tin is about 10€.
With gouache, it’s essential to have a spray bottle - especially outdoors, where your mixing area can dry up quickly.
Pro Tip:
I keep my palette at an angle and let a little water collect at the bottom. When your brush gets too dry, quickly re-wet it there.
📏 TAPE:
I used standard construction masking tape for ages until I realized the bright yellow was throwing off my colors. Then I found a bright blue version—which helped define the canvas edge but still interfered with my color perception.
Now I use a kind of neutral grey tape. It's small and not cheap (3.50 Euros for just 5 meters). But what can you do?
Have any questions? Drop them below! ⬇️
Have fun painting!
Subjects to #paint are unexpeced at times. I find myself more and more beeing excited by simpler things.
_
#gouache #painting #art #pleinair @southeastpleinair
First #pleinair #painting of the year,
with @southeastpleinair at Huntington Castle. What a beautiful place! Will have to come back again
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#gouache #landscape #ireland #art
Are you looking for a very special present for your partner?
I am opening for some very few portrait commissions this winter.
If you are interested, join the exclusive waitinglist (link in bio linktree)
I can only do 3-5 this winter, so make sure you dont miss out.
P.S Send this reel to anyone you know that might be a good fit 👇🏼
#present #portait #painting #commissionart #commissionedportrait #gouache
Painting 1: Bridge and Brandon Hill
A5, Gouache on Paper
Part of the painting series that won me 1st price and artist choice that day.
By lunchtime I already had two paintings done, so I decided to wander and see what else I could find. I followed a little street climbing out of town, and suddenly - boom - the most stunning view over Graiguenamanagh opened up in front of me 😍
Of course, I had to set up right there and capture it as my third painting of the day. 🎨💛
Painting 2: Graiguenemanagh bridge with iconic Brandon Hill in the background.
A4, Gouache on Paper
Part of the painting series that won me 1st prize and artist choice that day.
It was great going as a small crew, chatting life, art and having fun.
And after a coffe reak, I guess, we had to see what is on the other side of that bridge. 🎨
Painting 1: Bridge and Town of Graiguenemanagh
A5, Gouache on Paper
Part of the painting series that won me 1st price and artist choice that day.
Funny enough, I had painted this exact view back in 2021 during the pandemic - so it felt like a really comfortable and familiar place to start. 🎨
What an amazing day painting in beautiful Graiguenamanagh for the @irelandstownofbooks Plein Air Paint Event 🎨✨
It was my very first time joining something like this with registration, judging, the whole lot - and honestly, I loved every second!
The weather was perfect, the town was buzzing, and I got to meet so many insanely talented artists. 🌞🖌️
And to top it all off… I even ended the day with winning!
Feeling so grateful for the experience and already hooked – can’t wait for the next painting adventure with you all. 💛
Possibly the sunniest Annecy Filmfestival in years!
So many new and old friends, great conversations and inspiration to keep going for another months
See you next year!
@studiohuckepack
#annecyfestival
