Gouache Technique

Big thank you goes out to Susan Chong and her wonderful ephemera she so generously shares. I've had great fun painting them with gouache (pronounced "gwash" like squash) paints.

Below is my quick and easy process:

I first print the image out on Epson's Matte Photo Paper with an HP ink jet printer no sealing before hand.

I begin by squeezing out small amounts of paint and thinning it way down with water. I like to use both a thin liner brush and a small filbert shaped brush.

I don't get overly concerned with painting outside the image since I'll be cutting it out later.

Here's a few finished images

Once the images are dry I seal it with PYM II.

After I sealed it, I then outline and add detail with a black fine micron or sharpie pen, and then add highlights with a white sailor pen and gel pens.

Here's the finished image after I've cut it out.

I painted the background with the gouache paints on a gessoed Masonite board, I then added the image after scanning the piece and printed out a smaller image of it, so I could put it behind a wooden doll house window.

The saying reads:

"You never find the path to your self,

but rather, you find your true inner self

along the path inside you."