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Monsieur Danl

8 Years Ago

Need A Recipe

After 60 years of using oil, acrylic and watercolor, I decided to try my hand at gouache. I followed a offered on the internet. The result (as you can see) was less than I expected. In fact, it looks more like a watercolor. Perhaps not enough gum Arabic or too much wetting agent.

Anyone have a recipe for making a good gouache?

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Val Arie

8 Years Ago

I thought you meant food!

But it is a form of watercolour ...not at all like oil ....more Arabic will make it cracky not less opaque. You were not expecting that?

 

Monsieur Danl

8 Years Ago

Thanks Val.

Went out a got some store bought gouache until I can get the recipe right.

 
 

Terrance DePietro

8 Years Ago

depends on the pigments you use...arabic is fine and can be replaced with many things ( even excess water from making your morning oats, ha)...the 'white' or filler you use to make it opaque makes a difference (some people use clays, barium sulphate, alumina hydrate etc or incorporate pigments that are more opaque) and I rarely need wetting agents...
I use many of the newer pigments (organics: get the names off tube labels or get the artist materials book by Smith it has a chart); would you like the paint to be insoluble? then trow in a little egg yolk with the arabic or get some 'water soluble shellac' from KAMA Pigments in Montreal - they have dispersions of pigment also.
Watercolor and gouache are the same, Except: one is transparent the other opaque...if the pigments are characteristically transparent then you use density to get opaque or add something to get density (clay, calcium etc)...wetting agents (a Drop) only if the pigments look grainy (dish detergent works but the tinyest amount)...most use ox gall
Paint is not really very difficult to make and a good paint is simply good materials, practice, experiment and a touch of alchemy...been doing it for 30 plus years and the recipes change every time just like my Eggplant Parmesan, Escarole Soup and l'amoreeeeeeeeee............


ADDITION: glycerin from the pharmacy in small amount will help keep the paint from cracking...it also gives the paint a smooth stroke but not too much...
White pigments: remember that zinc has less tinting power than titanium and makes the colors more vibrant...titanium knocks the chroma out of paints but is the most opaque(use sparingly)...That is another reason I do not like tube paint because many of the colors made today are blended with TiO2 and once it is in the tube you live with it...mixing your colors with different whites can be very enjoyable...read the labels to find the paints that are one pure color without white, then you can add white when you need it....have fun

 

Cynthia Decker

8 Years Ago

M. Danl, can you post a close up picture? I would love to see the texture of the gouache you made!

 

Fine art Gallery

8 Years Ago

Terrance said, throw some egg yolk in there, that will help.
Make some Tempura with it :)

 

Richard Reeve

8 Years Ago

Why not start here for some ideas? http://www.mrfood.com/Editors-Picks/Easy-Goulash-Recipes :D

 

Terrance DePietro

8 Years Ago

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three different 'recipes'...each has its own characteristics

 

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