Captivating Gouache Seascapes: Luminosity, Blending, and Textures

Moving water can be one of the most beautiful and dazzling subjects to look at…

About This Class
Moving water can be one of the most beautiful and dazzling subjects to look at…

…and therefore the most difficult to paint.

Raise your hand if you're like me and could never quite piece together the steps to capture that glimmering flow of the sea with your watercolor, no matter how hard you tried!

As mainly a watercolor artist, I knew it was possible to paint amazing water scenes, but I was stumped for years, even after painting every day – until I discovered gouache.

What is gouache? Is it like watercolor, or acrylic? Do you use it wet or dry?

And most important – how do you even pronounce it?

Whether you’re an experienced watercolor artist like me or a newbie discovering a love for art, using seascapes to learn gouache will help you learn to love both the medium and the subject.

That's because gouache has unique characteristics that make it perfect for testing the ocean-painting waters if you can't quite master it with watercolor or other mediums.

In this step-by-step introduction to gouache and seascapes, we will explore:

Similarities to and differences of gouache from other paint mediums
Basic painting techniques, like the wet-on-wet and dry brush techniques, to harness its versatility
Gouache brands I love and a full supplies list for the class
Why gouache is my favorite medium for painting the ocean!
How to use gouache's unique characteristics simultaneously to capture the magic of the sea
(Oh, and by the way, it’s pronounced guh-wash, but all together in one syllable. So fun!)

We'll start with lessons comparing gouache to three well-known paint mediums (watercolor, acrylic, and oil paint) to identify its shining qualities and why they're useful for painting moving water. Then we'll put those skills to the test with three step-by-step seascape scenes, each one focusing on one aspect of gouache's versatility.

As we work through the class, you’ll gain the building blocks you need to confidently call yourself a gouache artist and paint serene seascapes that will bring the enchantment of the ocean straight to your desk.

Grab your gouache, a paint brush, and some watercolor paper, and let’s get started!