How I Paint with Gouache in my Brown Paper Sketchbook

A friend asked me to do a step-by-step on my sketchbook painting technique.

The point was made that one rarely sees the underlying drawing or the build up of paint in an artist’s work–just the finished product. I have posted step-by-steps of my niece’s murals and cottage cards, so here goes another.

I drew the pony with a 3H pencil. It is hard and light and good for the underlying sketch.

Using gouache as if it were watercolor, mainly burnt sienna and cobalt blue, I added the 1st set of darks.

I use a smallish palette of colors, mainly primaries. I love gouache because it works well both transparently and opaquely.

Using cobalt blue and yellow ochre I filled in a background.

The pony’s spots seemed kind of flat, so I washed some orange over them and added darkest darks using  a small liner brush with indigo and burnt sienna.

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