Creative Artist - AU (2020-02)

Step 2 Step 3A

Step 3c Step 4A Step 4B

Step 5A

Step 5B

Step 3B

WoRKShoP Gouache

28 artist

Step Three

I now take a stiff hake brush and blend it a bit

more (the paper still needs to be wet to do this).

I used a 70mm hake (Francheville #6) with stiff

bristles. To finish off the blending I then resorted

to the very much softer (Holbein two inch and

one inch) goat’s hair hakes, to softly merge the

colours. It’s important that when you use these

brushes that they are dry, as they become wet

you need to use another dry brush. The wet

brush will pick up too much paint and that will

make the blending more difficult. For a small work

like this I used about four brushes in this process;

for larger works more brushes will be required.

If necessary, wash out your existing brushes, let

them dry, re-wet the paper and continue. It won’t

make any difference to the finished work if it is

done over several hours, days, or weeks.

Step Four

Once the background is complete I attach the

gridded drawing to the watercolour paper, using

masking tape, but any sort of sticky tape will work.

Then I slide a sheet of white Saral Transfer

paper underneath and trace the image onto the

watercolour paper. That leaves me with a white

outline of the subject, which I then fill in with white

paint. I use a 50/50 mix of White Gouache and

Atelier Matte Medium and Varnish, plus a few drop

of water to make it easier to apply. It will probably

be necessary to apply at least two to three coats to

cover it properly, and results in a white silhouette

of the subject. Once that is completely dry (usually