Expressive Gouache Landscapes: Exploring a Limited Color Palette

This class focuses on how to paint landscapes in gouache using a limited colour palette. I will show you how I choose and mix my colour palette in advance, that way I control my use of colour to achieve a more consistent and harmonious composition.

During the class, we'll paint three different landscapes ― a woodland scene, a coastal scene and a landscape viewed through a foreground of foliage. My landscapes are very stylized, painted in an easy to follow simple manner that I break down into helpful stages. We will start with some brush mark exercises before moving on to finding a scene to paint, choosing and mixing our own colour palette and then sketching and painting the three scenes.

The class covers:

• What materials you need
• Experiments with different brushes to make a library of brush marks
• How to employ those brush marks to create elements in the scene.
• What to look for when choosing a scene
• A guide to making a color plan
• Tips and techniques for mixing colors and achieving the right paint consistency.
• A simple sketch plan of the scene.
• How to paint the large background areas in first followed by the detail.

The class is suitable for anyone with a small amount of painting experience who wants to learn more about painting with gouache and how this great medium works best when used in layers. Along the way, I will be providing lots of helpful tips, recaps and sharing my techniques for making interesting brush marks to keep you involved and on track as you create your class project.

This class is for you if you’ve:

• Always wanted to try gouache but not been brave enough.
• Used gouache before but never really got to grips with it.
• Used gouache many times and are looking for some new tips and techniques.

So, come with me on a journey to paint landscapes in gouache and by the end of the class, you’ll have:

• A much better understanding of how to paint with gouache.
• Confidence to try different types of brushes to make interesting marks.
• A way to create a colour plan and keep to a limited number of colours.
• A scheme to complete your own landscape painting.

See you in the class ― happy painting!

You can check out my other Skillshare classes here:

• Gouache 101: How to produce a Bold and Decorative Design.
• Adventures in Gouache: Painting and Pattern making Techniques.

There are lots of brilliant painting classes on Skillshare, check out the Fine Art pages here for more inspiration.

You can follow me on:

• Instagram
• Etsy
• Pinterest
• Katecookedesign.com

• Introduction
• The Project
• Materials
• Brush Experimentation
• Using Your Brush Marks
• Finding a Scene
• The Colour Plan
• Mixing Your Colours
• Sketching the Scene
• Painting Colour Fields Final
• Painting Detail
• A Coastal Landscape
• Landscape Through a Foreground
• Final Thoughts