Getting to grips with gouache
New guide by Hampstead Norreys artist Kevin Scully
IF you’ve ever felt frustrated at the unpredictably of painting in watercolour, or find the medium too daunting to take up, here’s a book you might wish to add to your Christmas list. In Painting Still Life in Gouache, Hampstead Norreys artist Kevin Scully puts the case for switching to this medium, through step-by-step demonstrations and examples of his own work, exploring the different techniques and ways it in which it can be used, in both contemporary and traditional ways.
Gouache is most simply described as opaque watercolour which, in Kevin’s view, is an often-overlooked fine art medium. He explains: “It can be used in the same way as watercolour and is often indistinguishable from it when used in thin washes. Its main attribute is that it is more forgiving than watercolour and mistakes can be rectified more easily.“Traditionally, it has been usedby designers and illustrators for its excellent reproduction qualities when artwork needs to be printed.”
Painting Still Life in Gouache will appeal to artists of all levels of experience, even those who have never used the medium before.
The comprehensive guide took a year for Kevin to put together after he was approached by The Crowood Press when he was running workshops on painting in gouache at Marlborough College Summer School, where every year he teaches drawing and painting in a variety of mediums.
A working artist, Kevin exhibits and is well-known locally, not least through the Open Studios Scheme. He studied at Wimbledon School of Art and has worked as an illustrator in advertising and publishing. As well as running painting holidays at home and abroad, we can look forward to him leading workshops in our area next year. With his gouache book now published, he has moved on to the next project Drawing and Painting on Location, a book about the pleasure to be derived from working away from the studio, primarily in the open air. It will be another comprehensive guide that covers tips on choosing locations and equipment, as well as many examples and step-by-step demonstrations in a variety of mediums that will inspire painters to get out and work ‘en plein-air’. It is due to be published next year, again by The Crowood Press.
Painting Still Life in Gouache is published in paperback, price £16.99, and is available from all good bookshops, Amazon, or directly from the publisher www.crowood.com
Alternatively, you can visit Kevin’s website www.kevinscully.co.uk or email kevinscully@btinternet.com
