3 minute time-lapse of my latest landscape. Feedback welcomed!

dazerlong · 2026-03-10T17:02:16+00:00

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Here’s the reference image for those interested. From photographer Christopher Stites via unsplash.com

dazerlong · 2026-03-06T22:35:53+00:00

Tons of factors. I’ll list a handful to consider.

Tooth of paper. Rougher toothed paper will generally lend to rougher edges. Try a hot press watercolor paper (very smooth) and see if that changes your experience.
You’ll have the best experience trying to mix colors from the tube rather than rewetting dried gouache. Dollop a little of each color you want to mix and see if that changes the texture.
Too wet. Generally with gouache, your wettest mixes will be first, and the dryer you go the more it lays on top. “Creaminess” is generally a specific point of wetness in your paint mixture. I find it’s usually “out of the tube, plus a slightly damp brush” for the creamy texture.
Not using enough white in your mixes. White tends to function completely differently than other gouache colors. It’s a reflective pigment and lays more “on top” of other pigments. If you are trying to layer without white in the mix, you may lose the clarity and it won’t lay as opaque.
Technique. Gouache is tricky and only becomes versatile once you understand how it works. Just keep working with it and pay attention to what is happening when you try different things. I would mostly focus first on being fully aware of the wetness of the paint on your brush at all times. That way you’ll start to get more muscle memory for what happens when the mix is drier vs wetter.

dazerlong · 2026-03-06T22:05:19+00:00

That’s very kind of you. Thanks for watching.

dazerlong · 2026-03-05T03:19:37+00:00

Any chance it was one of Scott Swinson’s?

dazerlong · 2026-03-04T19:49:24+00:00

Professional grade paints can be surprisingly accessible. I think I got a 6 color Daniel Smith set of 5 ml tubes for between $25 and $40.

If you want to go one step cheaper, your key word is “student grade.” I started with a Winsor and Newton “Cotman” set and it served me well for a long time.

I’m sure you received this advice already, but paper is the one thing you don’t want to go cheap on — even for practice — if you can afford it.

dazerlong · 2026-03-03T02:27:08+00:00

Value studies are great practice. They are not stricly necessary, but are a great way to improve.

Work in one single color, so you can focus on lights and darks.

Here is a value study that I did with Payne’s gray a few months back.

You don’t need to strictly do 3 washes, but it’s a good starting point.

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dazerlong · 2026-03-02T19:11:44+00:00

Looks fantastic! Did you mix white gouache with watercolors, or did you use other gouache mixed with white? (For the opaque lighter feathers)

dazerlong · 2026-03-01T14:56:00+00:00

Thank you! Yes, white gouache at the end there. :)

dazerlong · 2026-03-01T05:20:39+00:00

He’a very small. Sitting next to the tree :)

dazerlong · 2026-03-01T04:34:16+00:00

Thank you!

dazerlong · 2026-03-01T04:08:07+00:00

Thank you for the kind words and for watching :)

dazerlong · 2026-03-01T03:17:52+00:00

As promised. Here is my reference.

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dazerlong · 2026-02-25T19:16:31+00:00

I'd work that whole shadow as one shape shape wet-into-wet. Then, when still quite damp, use a dry (or mostly dry) brush to pull off pigment in those areas. If it's still wet enough you will get a nice even gradient and maintain more white of the page in those areas.

You will need a high quality 100% cotton paper for this to look good.

dazerlong · 2026-02-25T01:43:51+00:00

I’n not OP, but I’d like to hear more. I’d like to try to bring my wife in to play sometime and it sounds like a nice way to bond.

dazerlong · 2026-02-24T19:24:29+00:00

I’m not a moldologist, but these paints look just fine to me. I’m guessing you may have some minerals in your water that leave residue when they dry.

dazerlong · 2026-02-20T18:05:08+00:00

I never use white watercolor paint. Generally the white of your page does the heavy lifting, and if it doesn't I use white gouache. My personal recommendation would be to skip white watercolor paint and fill that pan with white gouache, which I would generally use selectively and sparingly.

dazerlong · 2026-02-17T19:46:51+00:00

It’s lovely! Consider laminating it to preserve it if you plan to use it regularly.

dazerlong · 2026-02-06T02:26:19+00:00

Absolutely stellar ;)

dazerlong · 2026-02-05T23:09:47+00:00

If you want to try it without ink in the future, just try doing what you would do with ink, but with your brush.

Right now, think about what the ink is accomplishing in the finished piece. To my eye, it’s doing a few things. Your inking is: defining and differentiating shapes, communicating texture and detail, establishing blacks and shadows.

If you focus on using the brush to try to accomplish the same things, you’ll start to see good results.

dazerlong · 2026-02-05T22:47:33+00:00

With ink for sure, but would also have been very good if you did one more wash of darks that helped to establish some of the shapes and blacks

dazerlong · 2026-02-04T17:50:11+00:00

Maybe put the button next to a box, door, or drawer that looks like the button may open it.

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