Gouache was new to me in 2023. I had painted with watercolor before, and gouache seems like its cousin– it is water-soluble, and when mixed with a low level of pigment, it is basically as transparent as watercolor. The difference is, when gouache dries, especially with more intense levels of pigment, it is totally matte (whereas watercolor dries transparent).

I can see why gouache is a popular medium for illustrators — it has a painterly, cartoony look to it. Each of these images is approximately 4×6 inches, so I was able to capture more detail by drawing in some highlights, shadows, and flowers with watercolor pencil.

With gouache, I found it fun to loosen up my idea of what the final image “should” look like. I painted with quick strokes and more vibrant color. I think this contributed to the fairy-tale, story book character that my paintings have.