Tutorial: Gouache and India Ink – Step One

Posted on Jun 6, 2010

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INTRO

I love to mix up media, it’s just fun.  And I find that after I finish a batch of paintings and find myself in a bit of limbo while incubating the next painting inspirations, I love to play around with my various art supplies.  I’m guessing that you may have a veritable art store of supplies like I do. Sand gouache is something I always go back to…so, here’s how I decided to play this time around.  I tried this technique in the past, sometimes referred to as Gouache and India Ink Relief, with wonderful results and a few discoveries…..so here’s my take on it.

STEP ONE – The Painting

I spent the afternoon painting in gouache.  I use a gold metallic pen (Pilot Gold Marker – oil based) because I’ve noticed with past attempts that it absorbs the black ink really nicely.  I used layers and layers of gouache, since i kept adjusting the colors. It is important to have some pretty thick layers before proceeding with the ink.  I went over my gold lines again at the end.  Now it’s drying.

Honestly, it’s always a bit scary to cover some piece of art I’ve spent so much time on with blackest of blacks india ink, but……you’ve just got to take some risks in art.

Here’s my stuff:

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FOLLOW ALL THE STEPS OF THIS ART TUTORIAL

• Step One: The Set up and the Painting
• Step Two: The Risky Part
• Step Three: The Adventurous Part
• FINAL: The Big Reveal

***FREE DOWNLOAD of the Entire Gouache and India Ink Relief Tutorial***

SOME OTHER GOUACHE AND INDIA INK PAINTINGS:

• Elphaba
• No Words Necessary
• Dragonflies in the Dark
• Life in Three Acts