Page 16 - The Lotus (Nov-Dec 2020)

GUEST COLUMN

by Synnove Grao (12 A)

Gouache Painting

Come hither all young artistic lads, I have a question for you, have you ever tried watercolour

painting? I’m pretty sure you’ll have. Some of your curious minds might have even

encountered the word gouache (gwash) at some point. For those who haven’t, worry not, I

shall educate you on this. Gouache paint is a water media where a pigment is mixed with

water in order to be able to work with it, and is opaque rather than transparent, and hence is

often described as an “opaque watercolour”. But don’t be fooled! Gouache painting has been

around for more than a thousand years.

HOW TO MAKE GOUACHE AT HOME.

Ingredients:

1. 100g Gum Arabic

2. 333g boiled, distilled water

3. 130g Glycerine (optional)

4. Pigments (premixed into a paste with

water)

5. Honey as per the need

The Festival of the White Rose 1829, Adolph Menzel
Method:

Boil water and pour over the powdered gum, stir to ensure there are no lumps. Add the

Glycerine if desired. Strain the mixture through a cloth when pouring it into a storage jar.

Allow the mixture to rest for 24-48 hours. Make small batches of the mixture and refrigerate

it immediately so as to avoid mold growth. Honey helps the pigments mix smoothly. The

amount of pigment to use depends upon the colour you want to achieve. Start with a ratio of 1

part Gum/Honey to 1-part pigment paste and adjust as necessary. You need to obtain a paste

with a thick, creamy consistency. You shouldn’t see any clumps of unincorporated pigment.

Enjoy!

Amazon Link for Arabic Gum:

https://www.amazon.in/dp/B074XBT9XK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_btf_t1_8ptPFbKN5NBQY

Photograph: Meera Patel