Painting with Gouache, Delaware Art Museum, 4/7 – 5/26, 2026

Tuesdays, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Gouache (opaque watercolor) is a fun and versatile water – based medium that combines the convenience of watercolor with the ability to paint light colors over dark, like oil or acrylic, making it easy to layer, change and correct. The class will explore using gouache with a variety of subjects, including landscape, still life and architectural subjects. Beginners are welcome, and experienced gouache painters will be introduced to an extended range of techniques. Gouache will also be explored as an excellent medium for sketchbooks and journaling. Students will learn how to mix a wide range of beautiful colors from a simple palette of only 5 colors plus white. The class will include demonstrations by the instructor as well as individual instruction at each student’s level of experience.

Suggested Supplies
Materials to bring to class:

Gouache paint (Winsor & Newton, Holbein and M. Graham are a few good brands, NOT Himi or “acrylic gouache”),
Colors: Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow Pale or Light (not “Hue”), Perelyne Maroon (W&N) or Alizarin Crimson, Winsor Red (W&N), or Pyrrol Red (M. Graham) or Pure Red (Holbein), Burnt Sienna, Permanent White (you may want a large tube of white)

Short handled synthetic brushes labeled for mixed media or acrylic
1/2 inch flat wash (or shader)
1/4 inch flat wash (or #6 or #8 flat shader) – ideally, 2 of these
4 or #6 round
1/2 inch angle Small fan (1 inch or similar)

Heavy (140lb / 300gsm) watercolor or mixed media paper or sketchbook — hot press, vellum or cold press surface, 9×12” or 8×10”

Watercolor palette with reasonably generous mixing area, or “Masterson Sta-Wet Handy Palette”

Spray Mister bottle, for keeping palette wet

Water container – cup or jar