For the first page shown here I used Caran D'Ache studio gouache cakes, These give similar coverage to normal tube based gouache but are in a convenient ready to use cake format so I could certainly use them on holiday.
For the second page, I used thinned oils at the top and normal Winsor & Newton designers' tube gouache at the bottom. I did a couple more samples with oils and they look really good, applied thicker than I did here, but unfortunately I cannot show those for reasons of plagiarism! If I do decide to use oils in this sketchbook, then I really ought to use a primer to stop the oil sinking but still keep the nice mid tone of the card and not loose the texture too much either.
I'm just trying to minimise what I take since boot space and weight is at a premium. I suppose I could take fewer clothes - I always take far more than I need!
PS Ralph Parker has some excellent tips and general thoughts on using gouache as an alternative to oils and acrylics and even advice on varnishing gouache paintings to give the effect of oils! But please leave me a comment before you zip off to Ralph's blog!
What a well thought out sketchbook!
ReplyDeleteLove the ones you have managed to show us :) xx
Good morning Pat and thank you. Once I've done a few more of my own pieces I'll post them up here. It's lovely paper for the media I'm planning to use and I can always tear out the uglies (as Judy calls them)!
ReplyDeleteThese are all alien materials to me but they look promising, looking at the sketches you've shown us! Hope to see more of them! And you're right about tearing out the uglies! ;-)
ReplyDeleteGood morning Judy and thank you. They're pretty well alien to me too especially after 20 years of watercolour :) Have a look at the link I've added to Ralph Parker's site to see what he does with gouache.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you experiment with new stuff Michael. You always have something interesting to tell us. Inspiring. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much John, that's a really nice comment. I occasionally even inspire myself LOL!
ReplyDeleteI have the very same sketch-book, only smaller - but I will be picking up an A4 once I have finished it.
ReplyDeleteI did my recent mice sketches in mine. I find black pen with a white gel-pen to be an excellent way to sketch on this toned paper if you want to keep your kit reeeeeally simple. The white shows up so well as lovely highlights!
Hi Sandra, thanks for the advice. I'm going to try black and white media in it too.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that the sketchbook you used for the mouse is the same as mine. This is mine:
Seawhite Kraft sketchbook
Michael, I agree with Judy above, they are alien to me as well my friend. Both brilliant paintings, well done. All the best Michael.
ReplyDeleteVic.
It's interesting and inspiring what you've shown here. Looking forward what will be your next blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Vic, thank you very much for your lovely comments :) Best wishes Vic.
ReplyDeleteHi Cora - thank you very much. I'm glad you found this post interesting and inspiring :)
Dear Michael, this post has made me curious... I had never heard about gouache cakes before, but seeing the beautiful result you have accomplished, they must be a great medium! I also like your second painting: the depth of the sky and the violet hills in the distance are very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments Lucia. I came across the gouache cakes purely by accident. They only make a very limited set of colours but they are so convenient and the colours match other Caran d'Ache products. I'm sure you can find them in Italy or perhaps order them online:)
ReplyDeleteNice test pictures. The bottom one looks like pastel ;) I bet the book would be good with coloured pencil too.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue. Yes, it does have a pastel-like appearance. Perfect, no more dust-covered hands ... just oily, smelly ones instead ;) Not tried coloured pencils yet. I'll let you know when I do :)
ReplyDeleteGreat tip Michael, thank you for sharing. I didn't realize the craft paper could handle so many mediums. Love the colors, they are quite vivid. I will certainly start using mine more often. Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteThank you Joan, pleased you found it useful! I suggest you just experiment with yours. Dry media is fine, oils on top of some sort of primer or acrylics/gouache are fine. Not sure about long term stability of the paper/card though.
ReplyDeleteGouache, it's a unknow material for me. Nice bright colors and are very different from watercolor or oil paint. Your sketchbook fits well with the bright colors of gouache.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about your experiences and results.
Renske, thank you for your comment. Gouache is basically opaque watercolour so you can apply light over dark just as you can with oils and acrylics. It's used by designers and illustrators since it dries to a matt finish which makes it easy to reproduce. Unfortunately, because of its primary use, some of the colours are not lightfast, but I use only colours that are lightfast:)
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