Oct 22

About Gouache
Gouache is a French term used to describe a type of watercolour paint. The word is derived from the Italian guazzo which literally means a watering place. Before the 19th century the term guazzo was applied to glue-size painting. 
Gouache is opaque. The pigments used are ground in water and mixed with gum. The results of using gouache appear quite different from those achieved with washes of watercolour, the look of which is more dependent on the nature of the paper beneath.
The National Gallery Glossary

 Gouache has a considerable history going back over 600 years. It is similar to watercolor because it can be rewet and the paint can become infused with its paper support. It can also form a superficial layer like acrylic or oil paint. Also like watercolor, gouache dries to a matte finish. 
Gouache paint is similar to watercolor modified to make it opaque. Just as in watercolor, a binding agent is present. This was traditionally gum arabic but since the late nineteenth century cheaper varieties use yellow dextrin. When the paint is sold as a paste, e.g. in tubes, the dextrin has usually been mixed with an equal volume of water.[1] To improve the adhesive and hygroscopic qualities of the paint, as well as the flexibility of the rather brittle paint layer after drying, often propylene glycol is added.[1] Gouache differs from watercolor in that the particles are typically larger, the ratio of pigment to binder is much higher, and an additional white filler such as chalk, a "body", may be part of the paint. This makes gouache heavier and more opaque, with greater reflective qualities.[2]

 Gouache generally dries to a different value than it appears when wet (lighter tones generally dry darker and darker tones tend to dry lighter), which can make it difficult to match colors over multiple painting sessions. Its quick coverage and total hiding power mean that gouache lends itself to more direct painting techniques than watercolor.[3] "En plein air" paintings take advantage of this, as do the works of J.M.W. Turner and Victor Lensner.

 Gouache is used most consistently by commercial artists for works such as posters, illustrations, comics, and for other design work. Most 20th-century animations used it to create an opaque color on a cel with watercolor paint used for the backgrounds. Using gouache as "poster paint" is desirable for its speed as the paint layer dries completely by the relatively quick evaporation of the water.

 The use of gouache is not restricted to the basic opaque painting techniques using a brush and watercolor paper. It is often applied with an airbrush. As with all types of paint, gouache has been used on unusual surfaces like Braille paper.[4] A variation of traditional application is the method used in the gouaches découpées (cut collages) created by Henri Matisse. His Blue Nudes series is a good example of the technique.
Gouache from Wikipedia

 The Seven Gouache Hazards and How to Escape Them by James Gurney 

Oct 15

Three Artists
Thanks to Nancy Elliot at CCSF, I have been introduced to these watercolorists:

 Thomas W Schaller - for all you world travelers
Lourdes Sanchez - she does great florals 
Bernhard Vogel  - this guy is fantastic and very prolific. FYI, if your browser asks if you want the "HTML Version", it's a good thing, do it. The site is in German, so translate it if you can.

Oct 01

Artist Hours at Conservatory Of Flowers
Three dedicated artists' days
"We are responding with a trial run of special artist hours this fall that also allows for tripods and easels, which are never permitted during open hours."

 The artists' days—September 27th, October 11th, and October 25th—will mean the conservatory is open for one hour before and one hour after 10am-6pm, the Conservatory's typical hours of operation.

 Entry to glasshouse hours is $30, which includes same-day admission during regular hours, as well as artist-only slots from 9-10 am and 6:30-7:30 pm.
Thank you, Darlene

 Look What I Found!
CCSF > Student work > Watercolor
Totally by accident. The fuzzy berry thing is a painting by Joanie. So is the rosehip beside it!

Sep 24

Warm and Cool Colors
This is to follow-up on a discussion started on Tuesday:

Handprint Excerpt:
• warm colors "advance" in an image — that is, they seem to stand out or attract attention, or seem spatially closer to the viewer, while cool colors "recede" or seem to melt into the background: they have a depth effect.
• warm colors are active, arousing or cheerful, while cool colors are passive, restful or subdued: they have a mood effect.
More information from Handprint: Color Temperature

Secrets of Colour Temperature: A very basic but comprehensive video 
Color Temperature List from Gamblin

 Magazine
You might not know about: Watercolor Artist
Here is a link to their October 2016 featured artist: Carol Carter

Sep 17

Product Intro





Molotow Grafx Art Masking Liquid Pump Markers are ready-to-use, refillable markers containing a water-repellant masking fluid that applies cleanly and rubs off easily, leaving no residue. Molotow's patented pump delivery system assures precise, mess-free application and sharp edges.
Molotow Grafx Art Masking Liquid Pump Markers
Thank you to Pam

 Arch is Open at the New Location





ARCH Art and Drafting Supply
10 Carolina St.
San Francisco, CA 94107
Directions


 Drawing Trees and Leaves

Book Recommendations

Drawing a Tree by Bruno Munari
"When drawing a tree, always remember that every branch is more slender than the one that came before. Also note that the trunk splits into two branches, then those branches split in two, then those in two, and so on, and so on, until you have a full tree, be it straight, squiggly, curved up, curved down, or bent sideways by the wind."
Of course I like it, it's for kids!

 The Big Book of Painting Nature in Watercolor by Petrie and Shaw
135 stimulating demonstrations in painting trees, skies, and water from beautiful photographs by one of the world's leading nature photographers. 

YouTube

Sep 10

The Mind of Watercolor
I don't remember if I posted about this great YouTube series of tutorials before, but, if I did, it is worth the while to post again.
Steve Mitchell creates clear, concise little lessons for all levels of watercolorists.
The Mind of Watercolor

 This is the one I found recently that drew my attention:
My Favorite 8 Colors for Watercolor
And he has a great blog. Check out "Gear Obsession Intervention"

 Quote of the Week
“If you have a great idea, it will tell you how to execute it.”
Jack H. Summerford

Sep 03

Rita Sklar
An interesting watercolorist painting in Oakland
Rita Sklar






Quote of the Week
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
Albert Einstein

Watercolor Building Lessons
by Bob Davies (Art Tutor)



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