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Friday 27 November 2015

Painting the Mama Africa Trio in Gouache step by step

In today's blog I will be using Gouache paint to paint some African ladies. The designs used in this project are available from APrettyTalent.com. Go to Digital Downloads and select Mama Africa Trio. Add it your cart and proceed to checkout. The link to your downloads will appear in your inbox as soon as the transaction has cleared. Gouache is a water-soluble medium and is very similar to watercolors with the difference being that watercolors are transparent while gouache is opaque. This is why the two mediums work so well together. I walk you step by step through the painting process in today's blog so that you can try it yourself if you like it. This is fun and simple way to create decorative art for your home in no time.


Gouache comes in small tubes, similar to watercolors.


I will be working on Daler Rowney's Watercolour paper, which weighs 190 gsm. Most artists would insist on a minimum of 300 gsm, but I find this paper quite strong enough to handle some wet work and to withstand some scrubbing.


I use masking tape to secure the paper to a masonite board backing. This will keep the paper flat while I'm painting. Once dry, the paper will stay flat on its own.


Design 1:
I will start with this design from the Mama Africa Trio.


I do not want such dark and prominent lines and therefore I refrain from printing onto the paper. Instead I redraw the design freehand. You can also use a light table to trace the design, or project the image onto your paper with a projector and then trace it with a pencil.


I will only use four colors in today's painting session and start off with the three warm colors; Sepia, Orange Lake Deep, and Primary Yellow. I squeeze only a little bit into the wells of a palette. This will be more than what I need to finish all three paintings.


I use a medium sized angle brush throughout these paintings and only switch brushes to sign my name. Some side swoops with the brush creates the head gear in Sepia.


I bring some warmth into the head gear by sweeping some orange in there.


Lastly I add light wih the addition of yellow.


I dilute the sepia substantially with water to create a much lighter shade to paint the skin.


The blouse is painted in a diluted yellow.


I now add Winsor Green to my palette.


The 'robe' is painted in this new addition to the palette. This will create cooler shaded areas.


I immediately come back to my neutral sepia again and add orange to the blouse.


The donkey is treated to same treatments of green and sepia.


Continue working on the donkey.


Now add the warmth to the bundles on the donkey's back by adding orange and yellow. Paint the detail on the face with the tip of the brush.


Lastly, switch to a round brush with a tapered point and sign your name.


Put the first painting aside and tape a second sheet of paper down.


Design 2:
I once again redraw the design onto the Daler Rowney paper.


I start the head gear in the same way as before with sweeps of sepia, orange and yellow. The earrings are done with the point of the brush.


Diluted sepia gives me the desired skin tone.


I start with green in the folds and shadow areas of the robes.


This time I use a bright yellow on the blouses.


I add some orange highlights to the blouses.


Sepia is added to the robes.


I keep developing the folds of the robes.


I add some orange highlights to the robes and paint the facial detail with the point of the brush.


My name is once again signed with the tapered round brush.


Design 3:
Once more the design is redrawn by hand.


This time I do the sepia in the robes and on the headgear at the same time.


I finish the head gear with orange and yellow. The blouse is painted bright yellow.


Diluted sepia is used to paint the skin tone.


The robes are developed with layers of green and sepia.


I add some orange highlights to the robes.


I use the point of the angle brush to paint the detail and facial features.


All that remains is to sign my name and for the painting to dry.


This trio will form a decorative triptych when double-matted and framed.


The designs used in this project are available from APrettyTalent.com. Go to Digital Downloads and select Mama Africa Trio. Add it your cart and proceed to checkout. The link to your downloads will appear in your inbox as soon as the transaction has cleared.
For more crafty ideas and great products, visit APrettyTalent.com.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things.
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