Both final pieces are really beautiful Ashlyn! 🤍 I return to gouache this week, but for now I'm just knowing the colours I own and mixing them :) p.s.- your car's drawing are too cute 😍
Thanks for this great post. I've incorporated some materials that are not traditionally used, like soft make up sponges. Master egg tempera painter Koo Schadler introduced me to using these sponges to get layers of egg tempera built up in a painting before switching to fine brushes for detail.
I use a lot of layers in my paintings (oil, as well as watercolor and egg tempera) and sometimes like to put very thin transparent glaze layers in my oils, and these little makeup sponges are perfect for that. I've also used them to soften an area that feels too harsh/sharp.
Kelly Murphy taught at an illustrator retreat I went to some years ago, and she showed how to use a flat spray acrylic layer between layers of watercolor and other media to isolate layers that you don't want to disturb. Doing water media over these layers can be someone frustrating as the watercolor will bead up, but you can fix that by adding a small amount of soap to the paint, which acts as a flow releaser. I keep a squeeze bottle with soapy water to add to the watercolor instead of just plain water.
I've also been using the Daniel Smith transparent watercolor ground to isolate layers as well. If I don't care if the layer gets a little blurry, I don't fix it before I add the ground (using the make-up sponges again.)
Great gauche exploration!! Loved it 😊
Both final pieces are really beautiful Ashlyn! 🤍 I return to gouache this week, but for now I'm just knowing the colours I own and mixing them :) p.s.- your car's drawing are too cute 😍
Thanks for this great post. I've incorporated some materials that are not traditionally used, like soft make up sponges. Master egg tempera painter Koo Schadler introduced me to using these sponges to get layers of egg tempera built up in a painting before switching to fine brushes for detail.
I use a lot of layers in my paintings (oil, as well as watercolor and egg tempera) and sometimes like to put very thin transparent glaze layers in my oils, and these little makeup sponges are perfect for that. I've also used them to soften an area that feels too harsh/sharp.
Kelly Murphy taught at an illustrator retreat I went to some years ago, and she showed how to use a flat spray acrylic layer between layers of watercolor and other media to isolate layers that you don't want to disturb. Doing water media over these layers can be someone frustrating as the watercolor will bead up, but you can fix that by adding a small amount of soap to the paint, which acts as a flow releaser. I keep a squeeze bottle with soapy water to add to the watercolor instead of just plain water.
I've also been using the Daniel Smith transparent watercolor ground to isolate layers as well. If I don't care if the layer gets a little blurry, I don't fix it before I add the ground (using the make-up sponges again.)