Plein Air Gouache at the Montreal Botanical Garden
First, if you came here because of my YouTube video: THANK YOU!
If you’ve watched that video, you know how tired I am and how I started my day. If you’re in Montreal, you know how warm and muggy this past September weekend was. All of this to say, that I took advantage of a sunny day to go do some en plein air sketching at the Montreal Botanical Garden, where I’ve spent many weekends this past summer.
Lately, I’ve discovered that gouache may be my favourite sketching/loose painting medium. All summer, having taken a sketching class and a watercolour class at the botanical garden, I’ve struggled with my style. When painting flowers and details, I have a marked preference for watercolour. However, I kept struggling with landscapes. I would use ink in several shades and sizes, overlay watercolour pencils and watercolour paint. I would use watercolour paint and overlay with ink. I’d try only watercolours, only ink. Nothing ever quite felt right.
The course instructor who was very encouraging and knowledgeable would sometimes ask me which method I preferred, and I honestly answered each time “I don’t know! Maybe a mix of both? I’m not sure.” When it came to landscapes, I am now forced to admit, I sorta, kinda, REALLY didn’t love many of the drawings. Though some of them showed potential, they did not ‘feel’ like what I had wanted to convey.
Then, I tried gouache. The first landscape gouache I did was while at a cafe, facing a large open window where both me and my niece were drawing. When I got home, I put gouache to the drawing and HATED IT! See below.
M. Graham gouache, Faber Castel watercolour pencil, Prismacolor Premier Brush Pen in Sepia, Arches Cold Press 90lbs
Now, in and of itself, it’s not the most awful thing ever, but it felt heavy, forced, static, clunky, insert other adjectives here. I didn’t give up. I was certain I could make gouache work, somehow. So I did a second painting. This one, a gouache version of an ink sketch I did.
Top: Prismacolor Premier Brush Pen in Sepia
Bottom: M. Graham gouache, Arches Cold Press 90lbs
I never completely finished it because, well, I’m not sure why I never completed this painting. I should really go back to my sketchbook and just get it done!
In any case, I liked where the painting was heading (though I admit it was a tad overworked and had too many layers of stiff paint) and so about three weeks ago, I tried gouache again. However, my gouache palette is huge. My first time en plein air, I brought a white tube of gouache and a set of watercolours and finagled a “Gouache” painting that way.
Watercolours: M. Graham, Daniel Smith, Sennelier, Mijello Mission Gold, Qor and Holbein
+ White Titanium gouache by M. Graham
Watercolours: M. Graham, Daniel Smith, Sennelier, Mijello Mission Gold, Qor and Holbein
+ White Titanium gouache by M. Graham
I enjoyed the results and when I got home I painted more small landscapes using only gouache by M. Graham. I was hooked!
Done at home from picture reference. M. Graham gouache and Arches Cold Press 90lbs
Done at home from picture reference. M. Graham gouache and Arches Cold Press 90lbs
When it comes to urban and botanical landscape paintings, I think gouache may be my first choice. So below, you will see an additional “secret” gouache en plein air video I did this weekend at the Montreal Botanical Garden.
Do you gouache? Do you plein air? Share below!
Ciao!
Bonus Secret Video!
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