“No Experiment is ever a complete failure. It can always be used as a bad example”. Paul Dickson.
watercolour/gouache – view from the Rhiwiau in the Brecon Beacons Wales 
I am always asked what is the difference between watercolour and gouache.
Watercolour is a transparent medium. Gouache is Opaque. Watercolour and Gouache are intermixable….
In this post, I will show examples of pure watercolour as well as the mix of watercolour with gouache.
Pure watercolour – Brecon Beacons Wales 
About eighteen years ago – I was in my studio in Wales going through a period of feeling blocked. Always a difficult time for a creative!
Over the years I have learned that the best thing to do when this happens is PLAY. I put out big sheets of inexpensive paper on long trestle tables. Using large brushes and anything else at hand I began to throw paint around. I found some gouache, something I had not used before and began mixing it with watercolour and voila……..I loved the results and have been playing with the mix ever since.
I noticed that the gouache was bleeding into the transparent watercolour producing some very interesting marks.
The top swatch of colour is Winsor Violet watercolour mixed with Permanent White gouache on an orange background. (more about colour grounds in a minute)
The second swatch is pure watercolour. 
The following portrait sequence of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.….shows in the first example, pure watercolour – where all the white you see is dry white paper.
The second example shows pure watercolour on an orange ground.
The third example shows a mix of watercolour and gouache. When painting this way, permanent white gouache needs to be applied for highlights because all the white paper has been covered. 
It’s important to note, that no one way is the right way. The whole point of being a creative is to experiment….as my opening quote points out.
When I am going outside to paint I will prepare some of the pages in my sketchbooks with a ground so that if I wish to use a watercolour/gouache mix, I am ready to do so….which was the case here. Ground colour naples yellow with a little burnt sienna. 
So what is a colour ground?
It is when we cover our paper or canvas with a colour. When using watercolour/gouache it’s important to remember that paper must be grounded at least 24 hours before using so that it is totally dry.
I often use paint left on my palette for grounding. If at the beginning of the work day I am struggling to warm up…grounding paper will often do the trick.
As you can see from this example, the paint does not have to be uniform or all one colour. I am known for my orange grounds, but often use naples yellow, burnt sienna or anything else left on the palette. You can use both watercolour and gouache separately or mixed together to make a ground. 
I hope this helps those who are interested. The key is to allow yourself to EXPERIMENT and PLAY, Remember it is only paper……
I leave you with a magical hummingbird drinking from the sweet nectar of life.…paiinted on an orange ground using a watercolour/gouache mix. 
A Bientôt.
During the thirty years I have known Bonnie we have shared many experiences and on occasion have worked together. Extremely talented and organised she always does what she says she will do – something I really appreciate. Next year she will be running a workshop in the Black Hills of S. Dakota. I will write more about this at a later date.
Together with Bonnie in Deadwood, S. Dakota – 1998. Just about to hold up the local bank! 
A lovely place to stay…..right in the midst of Mother Nature’s bounty. 
The light was so lovely. 
After a morning of sketching, the following afternoon we drove to the Marina de Lagos Art Academy for an exhibition.
The work on display was by photographer, Jacek Ulinski (to the right of the picture). The Marina is in the background….All in all a very smart space, a very different vibe from the the School in Olhao. 
Sunday we drove back to Olhao just in time to join Bonnie and her group for the jazz session at Cafe Cantaloupe where we enjoyed Miguelo Delgado Motu Cordis. What a great jazz venue this is. 
In my first ‘overview’ blog about the trip, I showed my group in front of a black and white mural which is on the side of the local super market. It depicts the hard working fishermen and women who inhabit Olhao – a working fishing town.
This picture of my group in front of one of the panels, gives a better idea of the scale.
After another day of relaxation and sketching, it was time to return to London.
A Bientôt
My workshops are all about loosening up, letting go and getting into a flow and rhythm of work and most importantly enjoying the process.
Jazz evening – and loosening up
Peppers from the Saturday market integrated with hummingbirds. 
Boats – Fuseta
Peppers from Saturday market. 
Armona beach umbrellas
Fishy business….
Woman with dog in Olhao 
red onions from market
jazz – sketching
From Armona looking towards Olhao
The Saturday market. 
Pink umbrellas next to Art School
more jazz
landscape
warming up on newspaper
My workshops are all about loosening up, letting go and getting into a flow and rhythm of work and most importantly enjoying the process.
On Friday we spent the day on Armona Island. Nuno, a scientist and environmentalist takes us on his boat (approx 15 minutes). He is extremely knowledgeable about the Lagoon and the Ria Formosa National Park. From Nuno we also learn about the history of the fishing industry and folklore in and around the Algarve. 
There was much sketching on the Island and at one point in the beach Cafe at the end of the Island, we sketched and sang along to sixties music. Unfortunately I don’t seem to have pics or a sound track of that moment…….
After sketching, Joan and Dorothy take reference photographs.
Maria from Iceland, sitting in the shade at the A-3 restaurant. Maria filled her sketchbook and made many other watercolour studies…. She and her husband John were lovely additions to the group. 
Lunch at the A-3 wine bar and beach restaurant. A place I definitely look forward to returning to. 
One of the delicious dishes at the A-3 wine Bar and Restaurant. 
Saturday is market Day in Olhao. Positioned in front of the two permanent market places, it runs along the water’s edge. Filled with colour and energy, it is a place to ignite all the senses. 
I took some of these peppers back to the school. You will see in my next post that they were used creatively by members of the group.
Sunday is a studio day….where we begin to see the coming together of our observations, sketches and studies.
The pianist/singer from Bali was sublime, as was the rest of the group. There are different groups every Sunday. 
Monday we spent the day at Fuseta. Some of the group thoroughly enjoyed this and others would have preferred to stay in Olhao to work. I will be talking with Camilla and Margarida about the possibility of a Free day for Mondays. Those who wish to visit elsewhere could, others can stay in Olhao. I think many feel that the getting to a from a place disrupts the flow of work.
Along with daily demonstrations to get everyone’s juices flowing (this one focusing on shadow play) – I emphasis the need to warm up before each and every session.
Given that the School is set in the middle of the old town of Olhao…everything, including the fish/vegetable markets, water, marinas, shops, cafes, etc are within minutes walking distance. This allows for people to have a sense of independence. Should they need a break they can sketch in the surrounding alleyways or by the water….or sit in one of the numerous local cafes sketching the interesting faces of the local people.
Some of us even got to do a little dancing……my oh my what fun…….:)
And last but definitely not least…none of this could happen without the hard work and humour of dear Margarida, Joanna and Camilla…..thank you all very much. 
My next post will feature more photographs and some of the work accomplished by the group. I will post this tomorrow.
