Mastering Value: B/W Portrait Painting in Gouache
Class | This program is completed
Focusing on value relationships and material handling, learn to paint a portrait using gouache. You will move from limited values and a simplified planar conception of the head in the first weeks and to working with a full value range by the final weeks.
Gouache
For brands I recommend Holbein water-based gouache or Windsor and Newton gouache.
(All colors 15 ml tubes, except white 40ml)
Paper
9x12 OR 14x17 vellum or smooth bristol
Hot press water color paper also works well, as does any smooth lightly sized paper. Canson’s XL Mixed Media paper is another good alternative. I also like using the thick, moleskine sketch notebooks.
Some light weight sketch paper for loosening up similar size as above. Printer paper would be fine.
Paint
You can buy Windsor and Newton’s 6 tube primary color set or Holbeins 5 tube primary set to start
Recommended colors (minimum palette marked with asterisk):
Permanent White 40-60ml*
Ivory Black*
For brushes I prefer synthetic bristles ranging in size from 0-6
2 round ?” or size 1 or 0 brushes
2 round ¼”-?” size 4-6 brushes
2 flat ½” brushes
1 small spray bottle like for travel/face spray (fine mist)
1 pack of 9x12 palette paper
Paper towels
A few graphite pencils, a sharpener and an eraser for sketching
Cup for water
Ruler
Scissors