Leo

 

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I've been asked quite a few times lately to make a gouache tutorial. But I've only been using this medium now for a few months. And I have just as many paintings that work out as don't. As soon as I start seeing some patterns of things that lead to success, you can bet I'll start writing them down. And when I have enough of those things, and I'm sure they might actually be helpful, I will share. Until then, here's another experiment that I like. : ) Thank you for your patience.

Big Bear Yawn

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I used to be absolutely terrified of bears. Whenever I camped, I was awake half the night, paralyzed with fear. The only way I ever fell asleep was out of pure exhaustion. I think it took actually encountering a few bears out in the wild, and watching them turn tail and run away - more scared of me than I was of them - to lessen my fear. I still carry bear spray on hikes, (just in case) and am careful to make noise and be "bear aware," (especially now that I live in an area with grizzlies), but I am no longer up half the night when I camp. And I can see them as cute now instead of vicious. : )

Sad Eyes

 

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When humans feel love, our bodies produce the hormone oxytocin. When dogs see their "peeps," scientists have found that they are also flooded with oxytocin. So it makes sense that they'd be sad when we're gone. : (

Cat Lookout

 

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One thing I have found about gouache is that it's really easy to over-work. For me each painting is like a little dance. You've got one chance at it, and if it doesn't work, you just try again. I have a pretty big pile of the ones that didn't work out - maybe even a little bigger than the pile of ones I like.

Now What?

 

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Here's another little doggie gouache. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and didn't eat too much. I always do, and I always mean not to. It hurts. But I sure enjoy it while the eating is happening.

Leafs Three

 

sold. (5x4in. - GOUACHE on 24-ply illustration board - starts at $75)

Before the snow started to fall around here, I went around and collected a bunch of leaves. I took tons of pictures, but for some reason just wasn't getting any traction with the idea of painting them large in oil as I have before. So I tried them in gouache, and I love how simplified they are, and yet they still read as leaves! Like magic.

A Friendly Face

 

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I thought this was an otter, but I just googled them and they all have black noses. Got any idea?

Update, this is an American River Otter! Thank you, Posh, for figuring it out. Here's a photo:

Passing By

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I end up using some artistic license with these fish, but mostly with the space around them. The photos are almost never perfect, and often I end up changing the background in order to help keep the fish as the center of attention. Also, if you squint at this particular reference photo, you'll see that the values (and colors) at the bottom of the photo are very similar to those of the fish. Your eye can separate these in the photo, but it's harder to make that clear in paint. So I left out the sea floor. That's easy with water - tougher when the background needs to make sense, and you've got to make it up. That's where choosing the photo carefully is important.