Artist and educator Valerie Kent, BFA, MFA, BEd., OTC, is facilitating an energetic, hands-on summer Gouache (gwash) workshop from July 27th to July 31st at Loyalist College’s Port Hope campus.
What exactly is Gouache? It is a matte, opaque watercolour paint that has vibrant colour like acrylic. Its texture is buttery-velvet, like oil, but itcan be rewetted like watercolour. It can be used on multimedia artworks.
There are so many techniques and properties of Gouache that will be shared during the workshop.
Five days of painting. For an artist, this may be the best news ever. Gouache is old. Old, like at least 1500 years old. Yet oddly enough, it has become new. It is hot, hot, hot worldwide and paint companies are rushing gouache sets to market as fast as they can. Artists have been embracing it with renewed vigour.
Artists love a creative challenge. For those new to painting, this medium is a joy to work with, offering a playful and forgiving nature that allows the artist to correct passages; for seasoned artists, always up for a creative challenge, it becomes deeply satisfying and useful. It is a boon to plein-air painters. It is portable and offers a wide colour range.
Historic masters, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall and J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) painted in Gouache.
Turner also mixed gouache with watercolour, painting brilliant highlights, soft, cloudy skies, mists, the glow of light and textured layers in landscapes.
Before computers and digital software were used in commercial art studios, gouache was used for posters, comics, and advertisements.
Its flawless matte finish did not reflect light, and it photographed like a dream for print.
Because of Gouache’s water-soluble nature, it dries quickly, cleans up with water, and delivers an image that pops off the page. It can be rewet and reworked. This is true even after the Gouache has dried. It can deliver crisp, opaque details over transparent washes and on heavier dark passages. In fact, it can be painted over the darkest colours.
Valerie Kent will guide the artists through the ultimate gouache experience.
She has confessed to being totally mesmerized by this medium and loves using it.
Valerie said, “Artists will explore fascinating colour-mixing techniques, and learn how to build gorgeous layers. There will be one-on-one guidance to help artists develop their personal styles at their own pace, and view demonstrations.”
Not only will Loyalist College offer the Gouache program, but there is also a Mixed Media Workshop in Port Hope on July 13-15, and Acrylic Florals on July 16 – 17. These will all be held at the Port Hope Loyalist campus. This facility is beautifully clean and roomy, and the classrooms are comfortable.
There is handy no-charge parking right beside the building. Registration is open.
http://artsatloyalist.corsizio.com/portal/artsatloyalist?category=693700d573b18ffe414377a8
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
