#30x30DirectWatercolor 2025: Getting Prepped for 2025!
Hey everyone!
So: #30×30 begins in two weeks! 30 paintings in 30 days in the month of June!
I’ve been setting up a new plein-air kit, in anticipation for the spring weather in Montreal. We’ve already had our first great days of the season.
This is my first crack at *home made gouache!*
Apologies to everyone who will ask, but these colors here are somewhat random:) I don’t expect to stick with this palette. Right now, it’s just whatever pigments I had in stock.
Two years back, I first tried making my own watercolor, and I’ve been meaning to try the opaque variation for a while now.
I start with my own hand-mixed watercolor; made with powdered pigment, water, some glycerin, and gum arabic as the binder. [ Recipe Here ] The new step is cutting the finished honey-like watercolor between 1:1 and 1:2 with Kaolin (or aluminum silicate) Powder. You are aiming for a final mix somewhat like cake icing or toothpaste. Kaolin is the ‘colorless’ additive that makes the watercolor opaque. It’s somewhat amazing that it doesn’t change the color of the pigments, only the opacity, and giving it a noticeable matte finish.
Now you have gouache!
It’s worth noting: gouache is somewhat fragile, much like a pastel painting. Many people will spray a varnish, or even use cold wax as a final finish.
This stuff can be used just like watercolor (diluted in washes), or picked up like an impasto and painted directly, or blended on the palette into new colors. You can work over top immediately, and alter what has gone down already. It dries fast, like an acrylic, but unlike acrylic is NOT waterproof – so it can be blended with water (or more paint) later, which can make a soft edge; or a mess! Depending!
So many new possibilities for trial by error :) My favorite way to learn!
Anyway what I’m really saying is; I hope some of you will be coming back for the eight year of #30x30DirectWatercolor!
Here’s the rest of my ‘warmup’ day in Parc LaFontaine :)
This one was ‘normal’ watercolor. My first outdoor sketch of the season – I’m very rusty! I don’t know why but I give up on watercolor over the winter. This upcoming year I’m going to do something different so this doesn’t keep happening :)
Obliterating some pretty washes with some ugly gouache :) I hope I get the hang of this soon :) :) A little embarrassing! I wish I could be at Pozan to take Uma’s watercolor class :)
The best I can say is: I’m trying to be fearless :)
At the bottom there, by the way, is the kind of ‘drawing’ I’m doing lately – if you can call that a drawing. I feel some what of a faker every time I say Direct Watercolor because I’ve slid back from the bleeding edge of brush-on-pure-white-paper.
I’m hoping that by learning to effectively blend Gouache and Watercolor I can get back to the purity of complete directness.
Ok, – that’s it for tonight – see you soon!
Citizen Sketcher 
I forgot how good you are at this stuff. Fresh and alive, love them all.
Awww, Susan, how nice of you to say :) It was a lovely day and that’s what counts :) On such a great day I ask myself why I’m not doing this full time – and then I remember there simply aren’t that many days this perfect. I know at least one artist who moved to California for the sake of their painting. He said; You just don’t get enough good days to be a painter anywhere else!
What do you mean “rusty”…theyre gorgeous and they all have lovely light in them…… Lots of love from Queensland Australia
Thanks for the recipes Marc! Plus, I am so happy that you are back creating your art using both watercolor and gouache. In my opinion, you are one of the best ‘urban sketchers’ in the world. I know it’s difficult to sketch when the weather is too cold, too much snow, etc. – but some of those days can also make the most beautiful paintings “out there.” The shadows, the clouds, snow – mother nature – always beautiful to me.
Great art. I always enjoy your “work” and skill. Bruce M
Great art. I always enjoy your “work” and skill. Bruce M
How I wish I could just go sketch plein air but I get caught up in details maybe I should just try using a spray bottle on my wet watercolor painting and just let it go wild :)
For me, whatever it takes to have fun with it :) I sometimes like to do a really fast one to get it out of my system, then a second try can be more calm and collected :) If you find the details are overwhelming, try drawing something from much further away. Like – paint the big church from all the way across the park – so it’s almost the same height on your paper as it is in your view. If you can’t even see unnecessary details you won’t feel pressed to put them in :) :) Hah!
Great idea Marc, thanks so much if I can do this then use watercolors I will be so happy.