Drawing & Painting
Painting Architecture and Urban Scenes in Gouache
A course in painting architectural subjects and city scenes in gouache, using photographs as reference.
Gouache is a fun and easy to use water based medium that dries quickly to a beautiful mat finish. It is an opaque version of watercolor. Unlike transparent watercolor, gouache allows for painting light colors over dark, providing greater freedom in how a painting is created.
Topics will include choosing a composition, transferring photographic reference to your paper, paint handling & consistency, painting gouache in layers, and techniques for suggesting textures. The class will include basic, simplified instruction in one and two point perspective. Students will also learn how to mix a wide range of colors from a limited palette. The class will include demonstrations by the instructor and individual instruction based on each student’s level of accomplishment.
Supply List
Gouache paint (Winsor and Newton or Holbein are a couple of good brands.) Not “HIMI” or “Jelly” gouache, and not “acrylic gouache” (“Acryla” or “Acryl”), which is actually acrylic paint.
- Ultramarine Blue
- Cadmium Yellow Light or Pale
- Winsor Red or Pure Red
- Burnt Seinna
- Permanent White
- Shot handle brushes suitable for acrylic or mixed media, ½” and ¼” flat wash, (ideally 2 of each for light and dark colors), #4 or #6 round
- Watercolor palette with a generous mixing area (or a “Masterson Sta–Wet Handy Palette”)
- Watercolor or mixed media paper, 140lb (300gsm) or better in weight, hot or cold press, 8x10” or 9”x12” or similar
- Water container for brush cleaning
- Mister spray bottle for keeping palette wet
- Pencil and eraser for sketching out the composition