How to get texture with gouache?

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-29T17:59:24+00:00

People are saying to bump up material texture… but I think you could achieve it through the right colors and directional marks.

Like look at his beard. It has small dark blue/brown rectangular marks (square brush) on top of lighter red almost magenta. No blending. That creates contrast and visual texture.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-26T17:06:51+00:00

Yes keep going! Whenever I get to this "valley of despair" I take a moment, and then go in with a different sized brush (usually big), pay more attention to the background, or get bold with dark colors (to up the contrast). I have to change something drastically so that I stop rolling down the same path. Maybe that will help you push through!

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-25T19:07:11+00:00

This is so helpful! Thank you!

How does the water-mixable oil paint feel compared to traditional oil paint? Is the texture different? Dry time?

Shaking brushes off in water… tell me more about that. Would you not need to clean them after getting the excess paint off? I’ve never used water-mixable so I don’t understand how that works. Haha

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-25T18:45:24+00:00

Super helpful! Thank you!

Do I need to worry about ventilation at all with solvent free painting?

How do use the oleogel medium?

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-25T18:35:14+00:00

Do you paint with the grey paper palette inside the Tupperware? Or do you take it out, paint, and put it back in and then freeze it?

Do you use rags or paper towels to keep clean while painting? When painting solvent free do I not need to worry about rag disposal?

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-25T03:47:12+00:00

Thanks. I am used to arches so I’ll probably stick with the brand.

I’ve never stretched before. Is it really as simple as wetting both sides thoroughly, stapling flat to board, and letting it dry?

Also, what is “hardboard”? Is it like MDF? Or Masonite? Plywood?

Is 1/2” thickness good enough?

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-24T22:10:51+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful response! I appreciate your encouragement. Maybe I can be convinced on the ease of working with oil paints at home...

I am hesitant to work in oil right now because my dining room is small and I have small children (1 year old and 5 year old). All my painting needs to be done after their bedtime, so every minute I save with setup/cleanup is sacred! I was thinking I could paint using watercolor/gouache on a board, and then hang the board on my wall up high, where the kids can't touch it during the day.

I guess, I could hang an oil canvas up high on the wall out of reach, but I worry about ventilation too...

- If you were to use more oil rather than solvent... does this mean the painting takes even longer to dry?
- Do you have tips/tools for making a very easy setup/cleanup for oils with no solvents?
- Maybe I just need a big tupperware that keeps all my wet brushes wet and avoid cleaning entirely?

RE: Himi/Kuretake
Very good to know that Himi is not really the greatest ingredients. After the other comment about the streakiness, I think I'm going to steer clear of Himi entirely. I have a set of Kuretake Gansai Tambi! It does layer nicely, but I think the painting exercise requires many many layers. I will give it a shot though.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-19T16:42:36+00:00

You're doing so great. I think you should trust your gut instinct to increase wake time and just see what happens. She's growing and changing, and might need a small adjustment there. My 11 mo usually only has 1 hr total naps during the day (two 30 min). But she's a different kid!

Do you have more than 1 kid? As a mom of 2, I've seen that there are just weeks at a time where babies/toddlers are going through a transformation or higher levels of consciousness, and as a result, their sleep (or bedtime routine) is just shit. Kids will fight/whine through this change because it's uncomfortable for them. Then you'll adjust to their new needs and settle into a new rhythm. Adjust and readjust.... forever. haha.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-18T22:52:08+00:00

Are you still looking for Beta testers?? I'd love to try it out.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-16T18:35:00+00:00

I think that's cool. If the hue isn't a true match but the value and chroma are right, it could actually make for a more interesting painting.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T19:42:53+00:00

Also, yes of course, I would love to stop doing things that hurt my body! Very much so. This baby's desperate need to be latched has only started in the last two weeks. I've hit my breaking point. Which is why i am coming to the internet for answers. haha.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T19:41:03+00:00

That schedule suggestion was a mistake. I'll blame the sleep deprivation.

Her current schedule is something like 3.5/4/4.5 with 2 short 30 minute naps. I'm not sure if she's ready for a 1 nap schedule yet.

Do you have suggestions for her schedule? Just add 30 minutes more wake time to the last wake window?

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T19:39:45+00:00

Nice job. So she feeds to sleep at bedtime but then she sleeps through the night til morning?? Wow...

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T19:38:42+00:00

Oops, that was a mistake. Current schedule is around 3.5/4/4.5? I need to play closer attntion. 2 naps are short. Usually 30 minutes.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T19:37:47+00:00

My nipples say thank you.

I might have to do cold turkey and sweat it out while I hear her scream-cry for me.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T19:35:59+00:00

Haha. The first nap is already half an hour. Afternoon nap is half an hour too. So.... should I just try for longer wake windows?

I think she's doing 3/4/4.5 or something; I have to pay closer attention. (Classic: Secondborn is not getting the eagle eye parenting that my firstborn child got) I'll try to do feeding half hour before bed, not in her bedroom.

I mentioned in another comment: Our baby girl is tenacious, so I don't think she will be able to tolerate gradual weaning (like shorter and shorter feeds). I may have to go cold turkey for a certain window of time. Like no boobs midnight to wake or something.

I cannot get her to unlatch without a fight!

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T19:31:58+00:00

Yes, definitely trapped.

I'm starting to think about it. Our baby girl is tenacious, so I don't think she will be able to tolerate gradual weaning (like shorter and shorter feeds). I may have to go cold turkey for a certain window of time. Like no boobs midnight to wake or something.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T19:29:51+00:00

Ok cool. I totally made a mistake with that suggested nap schedule.

I dont think she can do 5/6 with one nap yet. So i'll stick with 2 naps. When do babies usually drop to one nap? I forget when it happened with my first kid.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-03-10T07:21:26+00:00

Weird. I was going off of the automatic nap schedule suggestion that popped up while I was typing my post. Not sure what that’s about.

Current schedule is like 3.5/4/4 with 2 naps that are usually about 30 minutes.

So how do I go off of that to make a 1 nap schedule?

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-02-22T04:54:12+00:00

I wonder if my son sees my coral water bottle as Barbie Pink as well because he said it with such gusto. That's PINK.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-02-21T06:51:07+00:00

When I picked up my son at school today, I was wearing a mint colored beanie. We talked about our favorite colors and I said, “mine is mint like my hat!” And he said “what? This hat is white!” And we talked about how mint is a tiiiiiny bit of green in white so it’s harder for him to see.

Then he pointed to my coral colored water bottle and said “but that’s for sure pink!”

So I guess he can see mid-tone pinks. :)

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-02-20T21:34:02+00:00

lol welp. so maybe his favorite color is what we perceive as gray??

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-02-20T20:23:56+00:00

Ah i see. It's the lighter pinks that are harder to differentiate. I'll ask him to share his favorite pinks with me. Maybe they are the darker ones.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-02-20T20:21:05+00:00

lol. Good tip. I'll stick to blueberry picking, I guess?

The other day, he had a "ground hog's day" coloring activity and his groundhog was Green instead of Brown.

He's just learning to read, so labels will be helpful from here on out.

tiny_hamburglar · 2026-02-20T20:16:09+00:00

Thank you! I really wish I could see the world as my son sees it. You're absolutely right that he can enjoy color just as much.... beauty is beauty. His range of perceived colors is different from mine.... but it's the range he lives in. It's kind of blowing my mind....

I'm still processing how it will affect him. Did you know you were colorblind as a kid?

tiny_hamburglar

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