Creative Gouache

A Step-by-Step Guide to Exploring Opaque Watercolor - Build Your Skills with Layering, Blending, Mixed Media, and More!

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Pub Date 30 Nov 2021 | Archive Date 19 Nov 2021

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Description

Take your art in a bold new direction—go gouache! In Creative Gouache, artist Ruth Wilshaw shares her step-by-step techniques for creating brilliantly vibrant effects with this easy-to-master medium, a perfect companion for transparent watercolor.

In this comprehensive guide to gouache, you’ll:
  • Get an overview of essential materials and surfaces.
  • Learn basic handling and coloring-mixing techniques, including layering, creating blends, and adjusting opacity, plus troubleshooting tips for common challenges, such as dealing with shifts in color and value from wet to dry.
  • Explore how to paint fun, simple motifs, flowers, butterflies, landscapes, and lettering.
  • Discover fun gouache techniques, such as adding texture and painting gradients and blends.
  • Learn how to incorporate other mediums with gouache, including paint pens, colored pencil, and watercolor.
  • Use what you learn to create inspiring projects such as dimensional artwork, clay décor pieces, and cheerful banners.
See what you can create with gorgeous, wall-to-wall color with Creative Gouache

Perfect for creative beginners, the books in the Art for Modern Makers series take a fun, practical approach to learning about and working with paints and other art mediums to create beautiful DIY projects and crafts.
 
Take your art in a bold new direction—go gouache! In Creative Gouache, artist Ruth Wilshaw shares her step-by-step techniques for creating brilliantly vibrant effects with this easy-to-master medium...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781631599378
PRICE $22.99 (USD)
PAGES 144

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)

Average rating from 29 members


Featured Reviews

This is an excellent guide to painting with gouache! I've used gouache before, but I learned so many techniques and tips here that I am now itching to put to use. The innovative projects have easy step-by-step tutorials and the end results are gorgeous. I had no idea you could do so many things with gouache. I haven't used mine in years, but now I have to pull them out and try some of these techniques.

I must order a physical copy of this book to use as a reference while painting because there's no way I can absorb and remember everything laid out so deceptively simply here in one reading.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Quarry Books for providing an e-arc for review.

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Creative Gouache is an inspiring book for creative beginners looking to try painting with Gouache. It provides information on materials. techniques and details a wide range of uses for the medium. The projects are step by step and easily manageable by a beginner already interested in art. The author is very good at highlighting the flexibility of gouache and is enthusiastic in convincing her readers to give it a go. The illustrations are excellent and you will definitely be itching to get started. Overall a lovely book that would make a great gift with a set of gouache paints.

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I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful book!

The book is a guide to using gouache and other media. There is information on materials, tips on painting, and information on projects. Some of the instructions could have been a bit more detailed for beginners. The pictures are beautiful and there are some nice projects to try.

Overall a nice find!

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This is a beautifully illustrated book packed with information. It starts from the basics of what gouache paint is, how to use it, what brushes to use and how to look after them, what surfaces to paint on, how much water to use to get what effects and much more. From there it then gives you exercises to follow to get you used to using gouache paint., these are well explained and have step-by-step photos to guide you.
Finally, there are 9 projects covering all the skills you've learnt in the exercises including lettering, layering, painting on wood and air drying clay. Most of the exercises and projects are based around nature, but there are also some for hand lettering too.
I really enjoyed this book and it has given me lots of ideas of things to do beyond the projects inside. It definitely makes me want to dig out my paints and give gouache another go!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this ARC in return for an unbiased review.

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Creative Gouache is a beautiful guide for those new to the medium. It is filled with colorful photos that present and break down techniques to employ when working with gouache. As an artist myself, the information in this book is given in a way that simplifies things and makes gouache seem very approachable. Basic techniques, illustrations, lettering, & mixed media are all covered in book sections, and then a project section follows to give a chance to explore what you've learned!

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Copy provided through netgalley in exchange for a review.
I'll admit I was selfish in picking this title. I recently got a huge box of gouache paint and had never used them before. I wanted to learn how to use them properly past what I originally bought them for.
This book is excellent for beginners like me and really goes in depth covering all you need to know like brush handling and color theory.

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This book was beautiful. The art used to demonstrate gouache and generally to decorate the book was stunning. There were plenty of instructions, unlike some how to art books that are pretty much just like "Paint object" and leave it at that. We explored techniques with the medium and had plenty of images to further the explanations

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Beautiful book for beginner gouache painters. In kids tips and tricks to getting started followed by tons of inspiration for paintings, mostly nature based flowers, moths etc. And some unique projects are included. Very beautiful paintings, great for beginners!

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I'd say this is one of the best gouache books I've seen so far. The step by step instructions are great, I loved the troubleshooting page (this is usually missing in other books) and the variety of projects is perfect.
I can't wait to try out the butterfly case or the cut out night sky painting.

I can highly recommend this to anybody interested in gouache. A perfect book for beginners.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This is a wonderful book that is simple to follow, perfect for beginners. I love how the projects are set out, with step-by-step instructions and clear photos, with interesting subjects and different uses. The author's enthusiasm and passion shows on every page, and there's plenty of inspiration to create your own projects as well. Highly recommend!

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A help if you want to explore gouache
Self-taught artist Ruth Wilshaw presents her book "Creative Gouache. A Step-by-Step Guide to Exploring Opaque Watercolor - Build Your Skills with Layering, Blending, Mixed Media, and More!" which is one in the series "Art for Modern Makers" published by Quarto Publishing Group – Quarry. The book is divided into seven sections: 1) Essential Supplies, 2) Basic Techniques, 3) Inspired by Nature, 4) Landscapes, 5) Lettering, 6) Gouache and Mixed Media, and 7) Projects (e.g., Notebook Cover, Butterfly Case, ...).
Wilshaw shows her love for gouache in stating: "Gouache does have some quirks that differentiate it from regular watercolors, but its unusual qualities are what make it so special. You'll admire how the little paint tubes are packed with pigment, and how you can create beautiful watercolor-like washes alongside boldly opaque strokes. You'll marvel at the ability to rewet an area to fix a mistake, and you'll love the convenience of how quickly it dries in your sketchbook" (p. 8). She also underlines that there are other approaches for using gouache that hers (p. 8). The book is very thorough: the projects include the list of needed materials; furthermore, there are tips included (e.g., Paintbrush care, Tips for adding water to gouache, Creating symmetry, ...) and additional info (such as "Cotton versus wood pulp paper" or "Using leftover paint") and the book offers also templates for certain paintings and projects and an index which is highly appreciated.
Although the book's description states that it is for beginners I highly recommend it also for artists who don't have a lot of experience with gouache.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#CreativeGouache #NetGalley

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Awesome book. Great for beginners. I am new to painting and this book has immensely helped me to learn and understand about gouache and painting in general. Also the books gives lots of information on how gouache can be used in various medium and not just on paper. Each chapter deals with different projects on how gouache can be used. Also the projects are well explained step by step and doesn't intimidate a newbie like me.

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Nice easy projects and beautiful paintings. This book is perfect for a beginner. I enjoyed reading this one, it's simple but effective. I liked the butterfly project and the ring holder; I may try those on my own one day.

~Free ebook from netgalley for review.~

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Creative Gouache is a tutorial and technique guide to gouache for beginners by Ruth Wilshaw. Due out 30th Nov 2021 from Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a graphically appealing, well written, and attractive technique book for opaque watercolor and gouache with 9 pretty tutorials including bullet journal layout, dimensional painting, notebook cover, and a painted slab clay dish. The author provides a good basic introduction covering tools, supplies, brushes and other tools, paints, papers, and other surfaces. The supplies covered should be readily available from any art supplies and painting crafts retailer. The technique chapters are arranged around specific settings or effects: basic techniques, inspired by nature, landscapes, lettering, gouache and mixed media techniques.

Each of the tutorials includes a bullet list of materials in a highlighted sidebar, pictures of the finished project, and step by step illustrated instructions. The photos are clear and in color. The lessons and tutorials are creative and can be easily adjusted and adapted to suit many other purposes. Full size templates are included in the back of the book.

Five stars. Useful and appealing. This would make a good choice for public or school library acquisition, maker's groups, activity/scouting groups, or the home studio.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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This is the most detailed painting book that I have ever read. I think this book is just perfect for someone that would love to learn a new medium or is a beginner. The photos and instructions are very easy to follow along, the projects are fun and exciting and I think so many people could benefit from this book.

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The book creative gouache by Ruth Wilshaw is a good beginners book on how to learn to paint with gouache. The book has lots of step by step tutorials and designs to practice. It also includes basic techniques and supplies needed to start the projects. It also goes over using gouache on mixed media pieces. I suggest this book for anyone who is interested in learning this medium.

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