8 Online Gouache Painting Courses for Expressive Illustration

Discover the tools and techniques of renowned illustrators for creating captivating artwork with gouache

When it comes to materials for painting, there are few more versatile than gouache. From vibrant colors to smooth, subtle washes, the water-soluble paint can be customized to achieve a huge range of effects, making it a staple among beginner and experienced artists alike. Gouache can also be combined with other mediums like pencil, ink, and even digital tools for extra depth and dimension.

These popular 8 online gouache painting courses are all taught by leading experts who work with gouache as part of their creative process. Hear their professional advice for using it to illustrate vibrant characters, magical scenes, and more.

1. Landscape Painting with Gouache for Beginners, a course by Madeleine Bellwoar

This gouache course for beginners is a great place to start if you’re new to the material. Taught by Madeleine Bellwoar (@maddybellwoar), an independent artist based in the Netherlands, Landscape Painting with Gouache for Beginners takes you step by step through the process of illustrating a colorful, natural environment from a photo reference. Madeleine is both a traditional and digital painter who explores a variety of materials from gouache to ink, and she’s collaborated with brands including Wacom, Adobe, Behance, ArtStation, and Amazon Games.

Join her and learn how to make expressive brushstrokes that fill blank pages with the essence of nature.

2. Character Painting with Gouache and Colored Pencils, a course by Sarah Walsh

Sarah Walsh (@sarahwalsh) is another artist who embraces the versatility of gouache. With over 20 years of experience in her field, she has worked with brands like PBS, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Penguin Random House. In this course, Character Painting with Gouache and Colored Pencils, she teaches you how to bring imaginary characters to life from scratch.

Discover visual tools and techniques for exploring your inner magic, and learn how to use these materials to create from the heart.

3. Floral Illustration with Gouache Paint, a course by Malin Gyllensvaan

When it comes to illustration, nature can be a great source of inspiration. From wildlife to greenery, it’s filled with ever-changing details that make it the perfect subject for pattern designer and illustrator Malin Gyllensvaan (@malingyllensvaan). Her artwork has been featured on stationery, puzzles, packaging, and home textiles, and she shares her creations with over 90K followers on Instagram.

In Floral Illustrations with Gouache Paint, she teaches you how to draw and paint flowers, leaves, and animals to create bold illustrations inspired by the world around you.

4. Fantasy Landscapes with Watercolor & Gouache, a course by Ruth Wilshaw

Ruth Wilshaw's (@ruthwilshaw) illustrations are also hugely influenced by nature, but with a dream-like twist. She specializes in painting landscapes with a touch of magic, and is passionate about sharing her approach both through her book Creative Gouache and via social media.

Explore a variety of watercolor and gouache techniques to create enchanting illustrations of your own in her course, Fantasy Landscapes with Watercolor & Gouache. Uncover her intuitive approach to painting and bring to life an imaginary oasis.

5. Exploratory Sketchbook: Find Your Drawing Style, a course by Sarah van Dongen

A sketchbook can be a great tool for all kinds of artistic experimentation. It’s a safe place for playing with different textures and colors to develop your own style and grow as a creative. Through a combination of gouache, watercolor, and colored pencils, illustrator Sarah van Dongen (@sarahvandongenillustration) shows you how as part of her online sketchbooking course: Exploratory Sketchbook: Find Your Drawing Style. Her clients include Flow Magazine, Adobe, and Tiny Owl Publishing.

Use color, composition, texture, and anatomy to draw from observation and tell the stories you want to tell.

6. Gouache Techniques for Sketchbook Illustration, a course by Emma Block

Another illustrator who knows the value of a sketchbook is Emma Block (@emma_block). She uses hers to capture scenes inspired by everyday life using gouache and watercolor.

In this best-selling course, Gouache Techniques for Sketchbook Illustration, she teaches you the tips and techniques that have seen her create artwork for the likes of Penguin Random House, Stylistic Magazine, Airbnb, and Etsy. Emma has also created this step-by-step tutorial for color mixing to help you get started.

7. Sketchbook Techniques for Children’s Illustration, a course by Ema Malyauka

Illustrating children’s stories is an opportunity to engage young minds and inspire the next generation, something illustrator Ema Malyauka (@emamalyauka) knows all too well, having fallen in love with books at a young age. She later studied at art school and turned her childhood passion into a career designing illustrations for encyclopedias, postcards, and book covers, among other products.

In Sketchbook Techniques for Children’s Illustrations, you can find out more about her professional career, and learn how to illustrate your own picturebook using gouache as a tool for visual storytelling.

8. Contemporary Print Design: Scale, Color, and Composition, a course by Anna Glover

If you’re interested in turning your illustrations into commercial works of art, Anna Glover’s (@funkydalek) course, Contemporary Print Design: Scale, Color, and Composition, is filled with inspiration. She is the founder of an award-winning design studio that produces luxury wall coverings and surface designs for clients around the world. Anna has also received multiple awards, including a British Elle Decoration Award, and launched a global collection with H&M.

Follow her steps and learn how to use gouache along with digital tools and techniques to create printable designs for products.

Develop your knowledge of gouache, along with a huge variety of other tools and techniques, by exploring all of Domestika’s illustration courses. Learn to design portrait art, fine line tattoos, video game characters, and more!

Discover more resources for gouache illustration

1. Paint a Wildlife Scene with Gouache alongside prolific illustrator and director Roxane Campoy.

2. Elevate your artwork by exploring Essential Materials for Painting in Watercolor and Gouache.

3. Learn how to create texture with a range of brushstrokes in this free tutorial: Illustration Tutorial: How to Create Texture With Gouache.