Drawing paper. How beautiful it is to draw with gouache if you are a beginner artist Paper for drawing with gouache

For an artist, paper has a sacred meaning. Its smell, texture, various shades, the ability to create on clean slate three-dimensional colorful image cannot leave the artist indifferent - not everyone is ready to exchange a sheet of white paper for a computer or Graphics tablet. Paper has become related to the artist, it is an obedient and patient tool. Species art paper so many that artists work in a variety of techniques, sometimes using paper not only as a basis, but also as an artistic material.

Types of art paper by manufacturing method

Paper is made from pulp, waste paper, old rags and other semi-finished products by cleaning, pressing and drying. Distinguish paper cold and hot pressing. Hot-pressed paper is smooth, cold-pressed paper is rough. There is paper that comes out without wringing. Such paper has a very rough surface and is suitable, for example, for pastels. According to the type of surface, art paper is grainy and textured. Grained paper is divided into fine-grained, coarse-grained, smooth. They produce special paper for watercolors, pastels, drawing, and graphics.

watercolor paper

When young artists ask about types of art paper for gouache, pastel, or other fine art media, they are often told in an art supply store that watercolor paper will do. What is this special paper that is suitable for most types of painting?

Since watercolors are “wet” paints, the paper must withstand high humidity, not warp, and not spoil the drawing. On good paper, the paint does not spread, it turns out a natural overflow from color to color. Watercolor paper is made from cellulose, sometimes cotton is added. Cotton contributes to the fact that, when wet, the paper holds its shape. The picture owes to cotton that the drying process is also “painless” and does not harm the pattern.

watercolor paper:

• dense, rough (good watercolor paper has a density of 300 g / sq. M.);
• with a bumpy "catchy" surface;
• pure white.

For different types watercolor painting fit different types art paper. Fine-grained - for delicate single-layer drawings, large textured paper - for glazing technique, large strokes. For watercolor paper, the purity of the white color is important, since it is the white color of the paper that plays an active role in transparency. watercolor drawing.

Watercolor paper is rarely painted on, simply held on a table or easel. The watercolor paper is tacked to a stretcher so that it holds its shape when wet. Moisten the paper with a soft sponge or a wide brush. Sometimes paper is placed on a special moisturizing device.

Types of art paper for pastels

Pastel paper is similar in properties to watercolor paper. It should also be dense, rough, cotton is added to it for softness. Dry pastel should not crumble from the drawing: smooth glossy paper, which children like so much, is not suitable for pastels. The weight of paper for pastels can be lower - about 160gsm. m. If watercolor paper should be white, then for pastels, on the contrary, many types of artistic colored paper are produced. Also, pastel paper may differ from watercolor paper in size. Small works are often painted with pastel, so they sell small format pastel paper.

Paper for acrylic and oil paints

Based on the fact that acrylic paints paint on almost any surface, we can assume that such paints will not be very capricious to paper either. Really, watercolor paper suits them, as well as many other pictorial artistic means. But there are nuances. for painting acrylic paints paper is best primed. It is primed, as a rule, with an acrylic white primer, for which acrylic paints then “cling” perfectly. You can also draw on unprimed paper, but then there will be more paint consumption. The shop for artists in Korolev sells a variety of types of art paper, including special primed paper for acrylic paints.

Oil painting also requires prepared paper. Because the oil soaks into the paper and breaks it down over time, the paper oil painting impregnated with glue and primed. As a primer, white oil paint, acrylic primer, enamel are used. Oil paints are usually painted on canvas, but some masters of painting, in order to achieve certain artistic effects, paint with oil on paper.

Paper… for paper

Some artists ask themselves the question: why draw something on paper if it is an excellent art material in itself? And they make amazing things out of a piece of white paper. Simon Schubert "paints" with curves. By bending the paper in the right places, he achieves a solid pattern without a single stroke of paint. Jeff Nishinaka creates animals and people from white paper, voluminous panels, bas-reliefs, sculpting his own sculptural compositions paper, like clay. Ingrid Siliakus specializes in 3D urban landscapes with complex composition and many small parts. So apart from the traditional use various kinds art paper for origami and quilling, there are types of "paper" creativity that do not even have a definite name yet.

Art paint, like any coloring agent, consists of a pigment of a certain color and a binder. The pigment can be either natural or synthetic. The highest quality and most durable is a natural pigment that can be obtained from various sources. For example, from minerals or rocks (ocher is obtained from clay of certain shades), plants and other gifts of nature also come into play.

Wooden bath tubs are barrels of various shapes and sizes. Modern manufacturers are very inventive and ready to offer products targeted at almost any customer. For lovers of simple solutions, simple barrels with a ladder to them are suitable, but for fans of special comfort, there are many fonts equipped with lighting, hydromassage, a heating system and much more.

Instruction

Gouache is an opaque and thick paint. She doesn't like water. Keep this in mind when choosing brushes. A squirrel brush is ideal for watercolor, but it is undesirable to use it when drawing. It is best to choose a brush that does not absorb water very much. Brushes made of kolinsky and bristles (natural or synthetic) are best suited for gouache. The cheapest option would be from natural bristles. In the set you need to have brushes of different shapes and sizes: thin and thick, flat and round. Remember that gouache is a fairly heavy paint, it lays down in thick layers, so the paper should be dense and not get wet very much.

First you need to learn how to mix colors. Unlike watercolor, which can be blended directly on, gouache is heavier and thicker. To mix it, you need a palette. As a palette, you can use a thick sheet, cardboard, plastic or wooden board. Mix the colors thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained. To get started, experiment with color, check what shades are obtained with several primary colors. You can divide the sheet into several small squares, and paint over each of them with a new resulting shade.

Starting to paint with gouache, remember its main property: it is an opaque paint. If you made a pencil sketch before writing in color, then it will not show through the paint layer. The colors easily overlap each other, so the order in which the details are drawn becomes unprincipled. You can start with the darkest objects, or you can start with the lightest ones. If some part of the painting is not entirely successful, wait for the layer to dry completely and refine it again. You don’t need to get carried away with overlapping layers, as a result you may end up with a “dirty color”.

Experiment with textures. On a blank sheet, make a series of strokes, each time wetting the brush more and more. Start with a completely dry brush and finish with a very wet one. You will see that each time the paint lays down differently. With a dry brush, it is ideal to draw small details in the final stage. You can also use a toothbrush to splatter paint, a sponge, a tissue, or even your fingers.

Watch the condition of the brush! If particles of old paint remain on it, this can ruin the blended shade. Always have enough clean water and a rag to wipe the brush on hand. If the brush is old and lint is coming out of it, don't paint with it anymore, otherwise fine hairs will remain on the paper.

Children love to draw, especially with paints. One of the most unpretentious paints for drawing is gouache. basis artistic education child is drawing still lifes, including flowers. How to draw flowers with gouache paints?

Instruction

IN this moment offers a wide variety of products for children's creativity including gouache. All of it is approximately the same in. Gouache is not toxic for drawing, however, if it gets on the mucous membrane or in the digestive system, it is fraught with complications, so do not leave the little ones painting with gouache unattended. Gouache is enough and does not require strong dilution with water, it goes well without it, unlike. However, with a wet brush, you can easily correct the blot, which you cannot do, for example, with oil paint. Therefore, gouache is so well suited for children's creativity. It also mixes easily with each other, forming new colors and shades.

In order to flowers gouache, you must first make a pencil sketch. Flowers are easy to draw, you just need to observe them in nature. The flower consists, as a rule, of petals gathered around the core. Petals are drawn in the form of simple geometric shapes. Most flowers have rounded petals, but more oblong than the core. Do not try to draw all the petals of the same shape, in nature there is nothing absolutely identical. Some petals may be smaller, some larger. Some are twisted, others are straightened. Some are bright and saturated colors, while others are already losing their colors, preparing to fall.

Once you've drawn your pencil sketch, prepare your paints. If necessary, mix on the palette desired colors to get new shades. Where light falls on the flower, the petals will be lighter. In the shade, their color will be more saturated. The basis for compiling a new color palette when painting with gouache is the addition of white - that is, white paint. With this, you can convey both the fading of colors and the transparency of colors. If you add black to the paint, but vice versa, you will get brighter and dark colors. Do not try to highlight the outline of the petals and the flower with a different color, especially black, unless, of course, you want to achieve a cartoonish image - this is one of the most common mistakes when drawing with paints. Draw the stem of the flower. It will be darker near the flower head, as the shadow from the bud will fall on it.

Sources:

• how to draw a flower with paints

Gouache is best used for writing autumn and summer landscapes, as well as still lifes with bright colors. This paint allows you to give strokes juiciness and density, makes the depicted objects voluminous.

You will need

• - poster or artistic gouache;
• - cardboard with a rough surface;
• - brushes are flat and round in section with a soft bristle, ideally suited for pony hair;
• - palette;
• - a simple pencil and an eraser for sketching.

Instruction

Prepare the material on which you will draw. Give preference to thick thick paper, and preferably cardboard, as it is more hygroscopic. With a wide brush dipped in clean water, treat the entire surface, leave to dry completely. After such a primer, gouache will lie more evenly on cardboard.

Sketch a drawing with a simple pencil. Do not press on the stylus, so that later on the cardboard there are no grooves. Despite the fact that a dense layer of gouache will completely cover the pencil mark, try to make thin, barely noticeable lines.

Prepare gouache. If you are using fresh paints, mix them thoroughly until a uniform consistency is obtained. If the gouache is dry, dilute it with a little water. You can also completely reanimate the paint, while it will not lose its properties.

Start painting with gouache. First, fill in large areas with one color, such as the sky or the surface of the water if you are painting a landscape, or the drapery if you are painting a still life. Use for this flat brushes or round (number 3, 4, 5).

Mix paints to get the desired shades. To do this, you can use a plastic palette purchased from a craft store or a flat china plate.

Pay attention to the details of your painting. To create lively three-dimensional strokes, take undiluted gouache with a brush, but remember that too thick a layer of paint may crack and crumble over time.

Edit bugs. Gouache allows you to apply a second layer and completely cover the previous one, even if it is somewhat darker. But do not try to completely "redraw" the picture on top of the first layer of paint, the paper will get dirt.

Use different techniques applying paint to paper, for example, with hard brushes to get "grooves" from the bristles, or with a large addition of water to get transparency. You can also use watercolor to draw individual elements, but remember that when you mix it with gouache on paper, enigmatic divorces.

Dry finished painting and insert into a frame that matches the style and shade of the drawing.

Gouache is the name of paints and painting techniques at the same time. It is relatively inexpensive and interesting stuff which is perfect for learning the basics of painting. Drawings made with gouache dry quickly, and mistakes made are easily corrected.

The drawing was created by artist Gavrila Lubnin

Hello, dear readers! Today we will tell you about how to choose paper for drawing.

To begin with, there are a great many types of paper itself. And many artists (even very skilled and advanced ones) use paper for their work that is not intended for pencil drawing. Most often, from paper not created for drawing, artists use office paper. You can also buy writing paper, newsprint, wrapping paper - all of these options are not very suitable for, but some of these types can be used. Moreover, they have some advantages over traditional drawing paper. First, we will tell you about the main properties of paper that distinguish one type from another, and after that we will definitely return to our “non-drawing” samples and find out why it is sometimes convenient to make different sketches on them.

• Density. It is characterized by an indicator of the weight of one paper sheet with an area of ​​\u200b\u200bone square meter. Each of you, dear readers, must have had moments when you worked on paper that was torn from light erasing with an eraser. Or when you spilled watercolor on an ordinary paper sheet, which subsequently simply dripped, almost without changing the structure of the paper. In both cases, the explanation lies in the density - paper with a low density is thin, loose, strongly deformed by the impact of the eraser and very quickly gets wet from the paint. But high-density paper does not crumple, does not deform when erased, and does not soften from even the most watery brush strokes. Let us explain with examples: the density of ordinary office paper is 80 g / m², and newsprint - from 40 to 60 g / m². Record-breaking performance is achieved by paper grades for watercolor drawing - 500 g/m². Professionals consider density from 90 to 110 g / m² as comfortable numbers for drawing with a simple pencil.
• Grain. She is an invoice. It is characterized by the smoothness of the paper, the expressiveness or lack of texture of the paper sheet. High degree graininess will give your work volume and liveliness, but technical sketches are better on smooth paper and the lines are generally transmitted more clearly and accurately.
• Working with the eraser. Here we have in mind not only the already mentioned density (the paper should not tear and wrinkle from light movements with an eraser). High-quality drawing paper does not create problems with erasure, the lines outlined without strong pressure are removed with an eraser without a trace. On some types of paper there is an unpleasant feature - pencil lines are very difficult to remove with an eraser, it is better to avoid such paper, especially if it has a low density.
• White. Such an obvious, but in some cases very important criterion. In what cases, you ask? For example, if you have a need to scan your drawings. For our site with drawing lessons, all images are first drawn on plain paper and then scanned. The paper that our artists use is not very high quality, but it is perfectly white, so the illustrations in the "drawing lessons" section look catchy and clear.

Now a couple of facts about the types of paper that we listed at the beginning of the article.

Office paper has one eye-catching plus - it is very white, that is, it has complete order with the last of the factors we have listed. The lines can be seen very well, the texture is smooth, scans from sheets of such paper are very good. But with other criteria, everything is not very good - the density of such paper is low, it wrinkles and tears from the impact of an eraser, and the lines themselves are very time consuming to erase.

Writing paper - as a rule, such paper has a medium density and a pronounced yellow-gray tint. This paper also wrinkles too easily, scans from it turn out to be yellow-gray, so the lines, if you draw on such paper for scanning, should be very bold, clear and noticeable. But on the other hand, it has a significant advantage - the eraser lines are erased from it very easily. Another undoubted plus is the price, this paper is one of the cheapest.

And now we will introduce you to several brands that produce the highest quality, in our opinion, paper.

Fabriano Academy

Very high quality Italian paper, sheet weight is 200 g/m². Paper has a natural grain, made from high quality cellulose. Perfect for sketches and sketches, as well as for completed serious work.

Good density and other technical characteristics of the paper guarantee convenience when working with an eraser - nothing will be crushed or torn here, all lines can be erased easily and comfortably.

Fabriano paper may not be represented in the range of stores in our country, but it is very popular in the world and you can always buy this paper in the online store.

Canson

A French manufacturer that takes the quality of its products very seriously. The range of types of paper is huge, for drawings with a simple pencil, we recommend the Dessin J.A. and “C” a Gran lines. These two types of paper are produced in various options density - sheets Dessin J.A. available in variations from 90 to 200 g/m², "C" a Gran - from 125 to 224 g/m².

If you're working with watercolors, go for the highest density options - you can't go wrong. In general, samples of all kinds are of very high quality, it is convenient to work with an eraser, such paper is also scanned very well - whiteness on high level. Of the features, we note the presence of light graininess.

Daler Rowney

This English paper is often praised in various art forums, which is not surprising - Daler Rowney's albums are among the best in the world. The texture is a cross between smooth and fine-grained. Many artists believe that it is this texture that is best suited for drawing with a simple pencil. Note that sketchbooks from this company do not have such high quality as albums - many complain about the lack of high density and, accordingly, problems with erasing.

This was a review on how to choose drawing paper. It was prepared for you by the artists and authors of the site Drawingforall.

Stay tuned, we have a lot more to come interesting lessons step by step drawing, as well as reviews various tools artist!

Painting with watercolors attracts more and more emerging artists. Many of them argue that once you start doing it, it is then difficult to break away from this fascinating process. In addition, watercolor allows you to quickly achieve a tangible result and see the fruits of your creativity. She has one more feature: experienced artists they say that 50% of success in watercolor painting depends on the chosen material: paper, paints, brushes. Consider the types of materials and find out which of them should be preferred by a novice artist.

Paper

Paper is one of the most important materials for watercolor painting. From its quality, density, water resistance, relief depends on what the picture will turn out. Modern industry produces paper from both wood and textile fibers. Cotton paper is better quality, but also more expensive. If it is 100% cotton, then it is considered to be of the highest quality. There is also a composition of paper made from 100% linen, it is easy to make edits on such paper.

In order for the paper to withstand abundant wetting and not warp, a version of it is produced with sizing. High-quality paper is distinguished by the presence of embossed markings and watermarks.

Embossed paper is especially suitable for watercolor painting. It is called "grainy" and is divided into three types: coarse grain, medium and smooth.

Rough grain paper is ideal for large formats, medium grain is best for all types of work, smooth grain for miniatures.

The first rule when purchasing paper for watercolor is that it should not be smooth, but must be grainy. Textured paper creates grain.

The degree of paper density is another important factor to consider. Density is determined by the ratio of mass, which is calculated in grams, to the area, it is measured in square meters. The more grams per square meter, the denser the paper. The thickest paper is 250 g/m2 - 300 g/m2 or more. The thicker the watercolor paper, the better. There is a certain pattern when choosing paper of different sizes. The larger the sheet to be used, the denser it should be.

We have put together for you a list of watercolor papers that we think are the best for watercolor. But there are a large number of varieties of watercolor paper, in gluing, in separate sheets, of different textures.

To do a review on watercolor paper, you need a separate article, but for now, our short list to help you get started:

• Canson Montval watercolor paper is 100% made from high quality pulp. The paper is suitable for all "wet" techniques: watercolor, gouache, acrylic paint. These properties make this paper particularly suitable for beginners;
• Canson Moilin du Roy watercolor paper is made from 100% natural white cotton. Watercolor pigments on such paper are well preserved and look brighter. Moulin du Roy is free of acids and bleaches, making it strong and durable;
• Arches watercolor paper, 100% cotton. This paper has three surface types: Hot Cast Paper (Satin), Hot Cast Paper (Satin), Hot Cast Paper (Satin). The uniform distribution of the fibers makes the paper the most resistant to deformation. This allows the watercolor to spread evenly on it. The unique gelatin impregnation technology used on Arches watercolor paper allows it to withstand scraping and best preserve the brightness of the colors;
• hot pressed watercolor paper. Density - 300 g / m2. Manufactured by Fabriano;
• rough watercolor paper size 56x76 cm. Density 300 g/m2. Manufactured by Saunders, Cotman, Fabriano.

In stores, you can buy paper both in the form of separate sheets, and in the form of blocks or notebooks. The advantage of notepads is that you do not need to use a tablet. And individual sheets are most often offered to buyers in folders, where they are packed in a certain size and quantity. The most common sheet sizes are from 20x30 to 40x50.

brushes

A selection of watercolor brushes also has great importance. Which variety you choose will determine whether the stroke is somewhat blurry or sharper. Well, the type of stroke depends on your creative task.

The defining features of the classification of watercolor brushes are their shape, size and what pile they are made of. Brushes are made from both synthetic hair and natural material. For example, you can purchase mustel or squirrel fur brushes. They absorb water well and are very soft. If you wet a squirrel brush, even if it is very thick, it still forms a very thin tip. Such a brush is great for painting small details, and for covering large areas of the picture with paint.
Kolinsky brushes do not pick up as much water as squirrel brushes, they are drier, but also more elastic. They have a stiffer pile. Working with them, the stroke is clearer, not as blurry and less “wet” than a brush stroke made of squirrel fur.

The set of brushes should consist of small, large and medium brushes. According to their shape, they are divided into round and flat.

Among the manufacturers of materials for watercolor special success use brushes:

• German company da Vinci. They are diverse, the best pile samples are used for their manufacture. One of the most popular series of brushes from this company are MAESTRO kolinsky brushes;
• by Rubloff. These are domestic manufacturers, their brushes are also of high quality.

The work of our teacher in watercolor and sketching

Watercolor paints

The variety of colors for watercolor is so great that when faced with a choice for your palette, you can even get confused by their number. For the initial palette, it is better to stop at a few of them, and then gradually add other colors.

Basic watercolor palette:

• cadmium yellow,
• light ocher,
• iron oxide red,
• orange,
• cadmium red (scarlet),
• carmine (kraplak),
• purple,
• green,
• emerald,
• ultramarine,
• bright blue,
• burnt umber.

High quality watercolor paints are produced by the company "White Nights". They are produced in three sets "Leningrad", "St. Petersburg". "White Nights".

Among foreign manufacturers, it is worth paying attention to the Van Gogh company.

The work of our teacher in watercolor and sketching

Pencil

Using a regular pencil, sketches are made. Sometimes shadows are obscured by them. A thin pencil line can be the outline of a watercolor drawing. HB or B pencils are suitable for sketching. The main thing is to sharpen it.

Palettes

Palettes can be made of plastic or porcelain. Plastic palettes are cheaper, but also not very durable. They absorb color over time, it becomes difficult to use them and you need to purchase a new one. It is better to use a white porcelain plate. So that the color of the paint is not a surprise for you on the sheet, then try the paint on paper. It is convenient to squeeze paints from tubes onto the palette. Traces of paint left after washing the palette can be easily removed with liquid detergents.

The work of our teacher in watercolor and sketching

Eraser

Erasers are hard and soft. Hard erasers can damage the paper and should be used with care. They perfectly erase pencil lines and dried layers of paint. But still, it is better to use them only in case of emergency. Soft erasers ruin paper less, they are also used to erase pencil lines.

Klyachki - a kind of very soft, easily crumpled erasers. They can take off the tone, remove a little dirt on the paper. Apart from your direct destination nags are used to relieve stress, for this you just need to crush them in your hands. It helps a lot if suddenly something does not turn out the way we would like. You need to take a short break, mash the nag, and everything will be fine.

We hope these little tips will help you quickly master fine art watercolors!

The work of our teacher in watercolor and sketching

Gouache is a popular material professional artists and newcomers. It is convenient to work with her, the range of tools is large, as well as color palette. Gouache drawings are very beautiful, "juicy", can be performed in different techniques. To draw an image with such paint, you need to familiarize yourself with its features and secrets.

Do you want to paint real paintings with gouache? Start by purchasing the right materials. For beginners, you will need paper, a box of paints, brushes, a palette for mixing tones, water dishes, and a simple pencil. In the minimum set there are 12 basic colors, when they are combined, a wide variety of colors and shades are obtained. More experienced craftsmen also have other tools, devices - for example, a palette knife - a device for mixing and removing gouache residues, applying thick paint to canvas.

At the beginning of the work, it is recommended to draw with gouache the lightest images - mountains, trees, landscapes. It is worth moving on to still lifes or portraits only if you have certain skills, after attending painting and fine arts lessons. Sketches should be carefully drawn in pencil, this will help to avoid mistakes on paper.

Gouache - basic information

Gouache is a type of water-based paint, it consists of powdered pigments, white and water-adhesive binders. The latter include starch, gum arabic, dextrin. Also, some types of paint contain fruit gum, glycerin, honey, oil, acrylic.

Its main difference from watercolor is its opacity. Gouache was created on the basis of watercolor by introducing titanium white paint into it to increase the density, partially lighten the tones, and muffle them. For children's creativity, paint is used that additionally contains PVA.

Working with gouache is quite simple, drawings are applied to different types of materials (paper, glass, fabric, stones, etc.). With the help of such paint, unconventional ideas can also be put into practice: gouache is painted on the skin of the face, body, hands, nails. Colors are sold in jars of 10-30 ml, but there are also professional packages of 500-1000 ml.

The advantages of gouache are obvious:

• excellent hiding power, the ability to cover dark spots with light colors;
• moderate cost, economy of consumption;
• fast drying;
• good solubility in water;
• ease of error correction;
• the ability to dilute dried paint with water.

All these properties make it possible to conduct creative lessons with children using gouache. It will help you learn how to draw beautifully and correctly, while the technique can be completely different. The finished drawing does not get dirty, it is not necessary to varnish it, except perhaps when performed on glass, fabric or ceramics.

Types of gouache

Not all gouaches have universal properties. Depending on the type, the quality may vary. There are even dry powders that need to be diluted to the desired consistency with water, although they are rare on sale.

artistic

This type of paint is also called professional. It is maximally focused on the creation of large, beautiful pictures, characterized by a matte velvety, high covering power. A smear of material in one layer will be bright, saturated, and will easily overlap watercolor. Usually artistic gouache 36 bottles are sold in one set (it can be found by OKPD code 2 among stationery). To create some stamps art paint use expensive gum arabic.

poster

Posters, theatrical scenery are painted with this paint, so it includes bright pigments and glue for durability and quick drying. In addition, instead of white, kaolin is present here, which makes the drawings not subject to rapid fading. You can work with gouache on plywood, cardboard, canvas. Most often, poster gouache is sold in sets of 24 jars.

fluorescent

Except classic options colors, on sale you can find original fluorescent paints. They are suspensions of fluorescent pigments - a solution of dyes, phosphors on organic resins. PVA glue, antiseptic and plasticizers are added to gouache.

Thanks to the introduced pigments, the paints look bright, have the ability to glow under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. The hiding power of such gouaches is lower, so they are applied only on white bases with thin strokes. There are even neon paints - they themselves glow in the dark.

Acrylic

Acrylic-based gouache is not common, but its properties differ from those of ordinary paint. Thanks to acrylates, the product adheres perfectly to any surface, the pattern is brighter and most resistant to mechanical damage.

Choosing a paint brush

Too soft brushes are not suitable for working with gouache. It is best to purchase brushes made of squirrel wool - they are moderately soft, have a sharp tip, allow you to apply thin strokes with clear contours. But for large drawings such products may seem insufficiently elastic, and work will slow down. Also, the disadvantages of squirrel brushes include too fast abrasion.

Kolinsky brushes are more wear-resistant and resilient, but their price is an order of magnitude higher than the cost of squirrel ones. For shading, creating a background, filling, you can use goat hair brushes, synthetic products (nylon). A textured surface on canvas or paper works well with a boar bristle brush.

If the gouache is diluted with water to a more liquid consistency, a badger hair brush will work well. To create special effects, professionals sometimes use rubber, silicone brushes, but they are not suitable for teaching children and beginners. To draw a still life, you can also use foam sponges, rollers, ordinary paper napkins. Some techniques involve working with a thread instead of a brush.

What brush shape to choose for gouache? Here are the main recommendations:

• flat - used to fill the background, apply broad strokes, perform large details;
• round and oval - universal, change the thickness depending on the pressing force;
• contour - used to draw individual details;
• fan - they fill the background, used in the technique of glazing.

Surfaces for the basis of the picture

Gouache can create real masterpieces on almost any canvas and material, as long as it is dense.

Paper

The easiest drawings for beginners are recommended to be done on paper. You should choose A3 paper or A4 paper, but with increased density. Whatman paper is smooth, the paint fits perfectly on it, while the base does not get wet. If the paper is thin, it will immediately begin to warp from getting gouache.

A good option for creating a picture is cardboard. It should be white, uniform in texture. In some cases (depending on the specifics of the drawing), the use of colored or tinted cardboard is allowed. Corrugated cardboard and gouache, on the contrary, are incompatible - the base deforms over time.

Plywood

Working with gouache on plywood is a pleasure. This material will never get wet if it is of high quality and has a smooth finish. There should be no spots on plywood that can show through even from under a layer of paint.

Glass

Gouache can also be used to work with glass. Usually they paint glasses, plates, stained-glass windows, crafts with it. It is recommended that you first sketch with a pencil on a regular sheet of paper, then transfer it to glass using a carbon paper. After you can apply paint.

Unfortunately, water base gouache does not allow you to save drawings on glass for a long time. But this can be a big plus, because you can depict new pictures every time - for example, make drawings for the New Year on window glass. The child will love to carry out their ideas, easily adjusting the details with a damp cloth. Gouache fits well on glass bottles - it does not flow, it dries quickly. From above, the finished product can be varnished.

Textile

Fashionable prints on T-shirts, skirts and trousers are now at the peak of popularity. Also, craftswomen who make curtains and products for children draw on fabric. Of course, the usual gouache drawing on fabric will not last long, except perhaps with careful handling. Water ingress, washing will wash off the paint completely. Therefore, to fix the print, varnish or glue is introduced into the paint, or the finished drawing is coated with a special varnish for fabric. If it is supposed to wash such a thing, it is better to use not gouache, but special acrylic colors.

Gouache painting techniques

There are a huge number of techniques by which you can learn to draw - step by step recommendations, videos, master classes are on the Internet. Even a unique technique called "right hemispheric drawing" has been developed - you do not need to use logic to create a drawing. The whole work takes a few minutes, in the end it turns out original picture. The following describes the most popular drawing techniques using gouache.

Glaze

Glazing is understood as the gradual application of transparent, translucent layers of gouache after the previous layer has completely dried. This will allow you to get complex tones by optically mixing colors. Applying paint before drying the first layer leads to damage to the picture, getting a "dirty" color. The effect of transparency is achieved by diluting the paint with water. The number of layers is not more than 5.

Pastose technique

In this case, thick strokes are applied to the working surface without diluting the gouache. The texture, specific tones will depend on the direction of the strokes. For an ideal result, PVA is added to gouache - it will not allow the paint layer to crack, although thick strokes still do not need to be applied.

Sgraffito

In this technique, light strokes are first applied to the base, then, after they dry, they work with dark paint - black, blue, etc. After the final drying of the drawing, they take a special needle, a sharp stick or knife and scratch upper layer, exposing the bottom. The technique is similar to engraving, but is done in the first few minutes (gouache dries quickly). As a result, original textures are created, especially on foreground drawing.

mixed media

In this version, different techniques are used, for example, the background is done by shading, the drawing on it is done with acrylic paints. Gouache is also used in one picture along with watercolor, oil, pastel, tempera.

Secrets of working with gouache

There are a number of tips that artists always follow when working with paint. Here are the main ones:

• draw from dark to light - first draw dark tones, then put highlights, light spots;
• connect shades, not forgetting about the light circle (colours that are nearby give tones without dirt, gray impurity);
• to draw a contour, take a tone from the opposite sector;
• draw shadows in blue, green, purple, but not black;
• correct blots after the gouache has completely dried;
• when drying, the gouache will brighten, so you need to take brighter colors;
• instead of a palette for mixing paints, you can use cardboard, a board;
• clouds in the sky are painted with ordinary whitewash, grass with green paint, and trees with a lighter green tone than grass.

It is necessary to advance in skill in stages, from simple to complex, then the drawings will come out more and more successfully.

Master class: painting a picture with gouache

A simple example of how to do it step by step the real picture(winter tree):

1. You should start with the background - snow, sky. In the area where the tree will be, you need to make the sky brighter.
2. After drying the background with a pencil, draw a tree with twigs. Then draw the contours with paint, drawing the trunk well, brown branches, make them white from snow at the tips. More small branches should be drawn on the main branches.
3. Make detail. To do this, lighten small branches, and “strengthen” the trunk with dark brown, black gouache. Add gray shadows to the branches.
4. To perform a brighter picture, you can enter pink, blue into the background - like shades of the sky.

To decorate the picture, you can also draw animals, birds, a garland - everything that fantasy tells. Gouache will quickly become a favorite material for creativity, because working with it is easy and fun!