Thoughts on Gouache

Gouache, which is opaque watercolor, is a traditional, highly versatile medium that’s enjoying a resurgence in popularity of late. There are several reasons for this. Its portability makes it very useful for outdoor painting, and the extremely fast drying rate means instant edits, even more so than acrylics. It can be reactivated once dry, so a passage can be wiped off completely at any point in the future if needed. It’s highly pigmented, in fact it is said to have the highest pigment load of all the mediums, so rich, saturated colors are possible. Made with the same gum Arabic binders as transparent watercolors, no solvents are needed, but it’s possible to use acrylic mediums for effect.

On the other hand, fast drying also means that the workable window for blending colors while wet is short and working outside in breezy or windy conditions is tricky and, like acrylic, requires a spray bottle or other means to keep the palette wet. Once dry, the new applications of paint layers can become stiff and “grabby.” (Although that makes dry brushing easy). Like acrylics, the values shift when dry, so subtle value changes made while painting can disappear after the paint dries. Gouache asks that you be decisive, more so than with oils or even acrylics. But the high opacity means that editing is a breeze, so recovering from a mistake is easier, planning is easier and if the right substrate is used, the paint can be wiped down to the board easily.

I first tried gouache ten years ago and quit in frustration a few times. I was trying to paint as I did in oils, blending and layering subtly. Gouache was a real disappointment. But I had bought enough of them to make giving them up difficult, so every couple of years I tried again, until I learned to meet them on their own terms and exploit their strengths. Now I find them a joy to use. Their speed has helped me to approach art more directly and it has benefited my oil painting. I hope that after the demo, some of you may also come to like them.

– Charles Thomas

Biography

Charles Thomas, b1960, began his art career in graphic design and then spent 12 years as an illustrator before delving into fine art in 1998. As a fine artist, Thomas’ work has been recognized by the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society, where he has been a finalist in their national exhibitions. Charles makes his home in rural Southern Arizona, where he can often be found exploring trails, backroads and byways, in search of the next painting.

Selected Awards
2022 American Impressionist Society Finalist, National Juried Exhibition
2020 American Impressionist Society Finalist, National Juried Exhibition
2019 American Impressionist Society Finalist, National Juried Exhibition
2019 Sedona Plein Air Judge’s Choice Award
2019 Oil Painters of America, Finalist, National Juried Exhibition
2019 Oil Painters of America, Finalist, Western Regional Juried Exhibition
2018 American Impressionist Society, Finalist, National Juried Exhibition
2017 Southwest Art Magazine Award of Excellence, Phippen Museum Western Art Show St 2017 St. George Art Museum, Purchase Award
2016 American Impressionist Society, Finalist, National Juried Exhibition
2016 Bisbee Plein Air First Place

Gallery representation
Tucson Desert Art Museum and Four Corners Gallery