The Artist - UK (2021-02)

22 artistFebruary 2021 http://www.painters-online.co.uk

GOUACHE

DEMONSTRATION

Snow near Grange, Cumbria

MATERIALS

l Arches Not paper, 140lb (300gsm),

tinted with a mix of raw sienna

and alizarin crimson acrylic paint.

l Winsor & Newton Designer

Gouache – I used the following

colours from a starter set

especially made for the beginner:

primary yellow, permanent

yellow deep, yellow ochre,

spectrum red, primary red,

ultramarine, primary blue, zinc

white.

l Brushes: two unbranded, inexpensive

rounds, sizes 8 and 12; a Pro Arte

series 203 rigger, size 2; a Rosemary &

Co series 274 fl at, size 4; two Pro Arte

series 203 rounds, sizes 5 and 4; a Royal

synthetic 5⁄8in fl at

TIP

This subject does not have a strong lead-in so,

without overdoing it, I introduced a subtle line of

marks to the foreground leading to the fi rst sheep

so that the viewer’s eye would move naturally to

the second sheep and into the painting.

 STAGE ONE

I drew out a very

simple outline using a

watery mix of primary

red plus yellow ochre

p STAGE TWO

I began to block in the major shapes and masses. For the background

hillside I used yellow ochre, primary red, a touch of ultramarine and zinc

white; I used the same mix for the large trees, but with less white. For

the mid-distant ground I used primary blue, a touch of spectrum red and

zinc white for the snow. The other colours on the ground were used in

the tree mixes. I was careful not to be too accurate at this early stage

 STAGE THREE

I continued to develop the foreground using the same colours. I began

to paint the distant trees against the hillside with yellow ochre, primary

yellow, ultramarine and zinc white; for the other small trees and bushes

I used ultramarine, spectrum red and zinc white

MY REFERENCE PHOTOGRAPH 
I was attracted by the warm and cool colour
combinations and the fact that the composition
needed very little adjustment. The quality of the
photograph isn’t brilliant, which isn’t always a bad
thing when working from photographic reference –
here it forced me to rely more on memory and instinct