My Little Octopus

11×14″ gouache on board

SOLD

This was a super fun commission and I have no regrets. Using gouache on flat areas of color, the way it was designed to be used, is both satisfying and frustrating. You had better mix enough of that color to get coverage and not have too much water mixed in, or you’re screwed.

Also, painting tiny outlines is oddly theraputic.

Anna and Elsa by Meg Lyman

3.5 x 4.5 inches each

Gouache on matboard

One of the joys of being a gouache painter is the toned background. There are plenty of ways to get this effect in various media, but it’s fun and handy to paint right on whatever background you find. Some of the toned/colored supports I’ve used with gouache include matboard, Canson Mi-Teintes Board, Pastelbord, Colourfix board, Canson pastel paper, colored ACEOs, notecards, and various other colored papers. Some are more archival than others, some are rougher, some smoother; some are flimsy and some sturdy. Matboard is probably my favorite, for several reasons:

1. It’s cheap – often art stores will have scrap bins and you can get pieces for $0.50
2. You can get archival material if you want it (Canson Mi-Teintes Board is a good one, already cut to size)
3. It has a nice texture – not too smooth or rough
4. The surface can usually take a bit of abuse
5. It’s sturdy – it won’t buckle and you can wave it around all crazy-like
6. It comes in lots of pretty colors

Little left-over scraps are great for quick studies or plein air paintings. I also use them sometimes as backing when framing up ACEOs. In conclusion: matboard is great for gouache people!