Gouache Paint An Artwork!
Use gouache paints to create a small landscape or still life painting, practice color mixing, layering, brush techniques, and safe cleanup.
Step-by-step guide to create a gouache landscape or still life painting
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Step 1
Place your paper on the table and tape the edges down if you want the paper to stay flat.
Step 2
Put your gouache paints brush palette cup of water paper towels pencil and eraser within easy reach.
Step 3
Lightly sketch a simple landscape or still life on your paper with the pencil.
Step 4
Open your paints and make small swatches of each color on your palette to see how they look.
Step 5
Mix two primary colors on your palette to create a new color and test it on scrap paper.
Step 6
Use a large brush to paint a background wash with thinned gouache.
Step 7
Let the background dry before you add more paint.
Step 8
Use a medium brush to paint midground shapes with thicker paint to build depth.
Step 9
Use a small brush to add details highlights and textures with short strokes and dots.
Step 10
Rinse your brushes in the cup of water until the paint comes out.
Step 11
Blot your brushes on a paper towel and reshape the bristles before they dry.
Step 12
Carefully peel off the tape if you used it and sign your painting with your initials and the date.
Step 13
Share your finished gouache painting on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I can't find gouache, a palette, or tape for the activity?
If you don't have gouache, use heavy-body acrylics thinned with a little water, substitute a paper plate or ceramic dish for a palette, and weigh down the paper with books instead of taping the edges before you sketch and paint.
My background wash looks streaky or the paint lifts when I add midground shapes—what should I do?
Thin the gouache more and apply the background wash with a large brush in even strokes, then let the background dry completely before using a medium brush for midground shapes to prevent lifting and streaks.
How can I adapt this gouache project for younger or older children?
For younger kids, pre-sketch a simple landscape and have them use only the large brush for a thinned background wash, while older children can create detailed pencil sketches, experiment mixing two primary colors on the palette, and add fine textures with the small brush.
How can we extend or personalize the finished painting beyond the basic steps?
Add texture by pressing leaves or tissue into still-wet midground paint, use the small brush to add metallic or white highlights for detail, carefully peel off the tape for crisp borders, sign with your initials and date, and photograph the piece to share on DIY.org.
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Facts about gouache painting techniques
⏱️ Gouache dries relatively quickly, so artists often work in fast layers and use quick brush techniques.
🖌️ Because gouache is opaque, you can paint light colors over dark areas to add bright highlights.
🎨 Gouache is an opaque water-based paint — it dries to a matte finish and can be reactivated with water.
🧽 Rinse brushes and palettes right after painting — dried gouache can be stubborn and rough on brushes.
🌈 With just three primary colors (red, blue, yellow) plus white, you can mix most hues for landscapes and still lifes.
How do you paint a small landscape or still life with gouache?
What materials do I need to paint with gouache?
What ages is gouache painting suitable for?
What are the safety and cleanup tips for gouache painting?
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