Gouache Painting: Create Vibrant Works of Art
A course by Vicki McGrath , Gouache and Acrylic Artist
Learn to create expressive still-life paintings from observation with gouache, exploring hues, values, composition, and light
With rich color combinations and expressive brushstrokes that walk the line between realistic and abstract art, even the most seemingly mundane objects can take on a life of their own on canvas. Applying a style that she calls loose realism, artist Vicki McGrath draws inspiration from the world around her and captures its essence in evocative gouache paintings that embrace vivid hues and artful imperfections. Her bold illustrations have led to collaborations with clients like Trader Joe’s and been featured in magazines such as Cottages & Bungalows.
In this online course, embrace the versatility of gouache to create striking still-life paintings from observation. Explore color theory, composition, and contrast to create lively depictions of your surroundings with a loose, minimalist approach. Turn ordinary objects into extraordinary masterpieces.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 12 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (207)
- 11,451 students
- 17 lessons (2h 42m)
- 12 additional resources (2 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Crearás una pintura con gouache de un bodegón basada en una foto de referencia.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
A cualquier persona que quiera explorar la versatilidad del gouache, desde principiantes hasta artistas con experiencia.
Requirements and materials
No necesitarás conocimientos previos.
En cuanto a los materiales, prepara gouache, pinceles, papel de acuarela, una paleta para mezclar y otros elementos básicos que Vicki especificará en el curso.
Reviews
Vicki McGrath
A course by Vicki McGrath
"Vicki McGrath es una artista autodidacta especializada en acrílicos y gouache. Después de explorar el arte cuando era niña, volvió a conectar con su chispa creativa mientras estaba embarazada de su hija, pintando un mural para el cuarto infantil. Vicki inicialmente se centró en el arte infantil y luego se aventuró en la decoración del hogar hasta que descubrió el gouache en un taller local. Usando colores vivos y pinceladas sueltas, encontró placer en capturar la esencia y la belleza del mundo que la rodeaba en expresivas obras de arte.
Su estilo audaz le valió un sólido seguimiento en las redes sociales, lo que la llevó a colaboraciones con Trader Joe's, Serena and Lily, Winsor & Newton y Michaels. Su trabajo también ha aparecido en revistas como Cottages & Bungalows y ha recibido encargos de clientes de todo el mundo.
Content
-
U1
Introduction
-
About Me
-
Influences
-
-
U2
Preparation
-
Presenting the Materials
-
Color Theory and Value
-
The Properties of Gouache
-
-
U3
Choosing the Subject and Beginning the Painting
-
Choosing the Subject and Composition
-
Taping the Paper and Sketching the Composition
-
Applying the First Wash 1
-
Applying the First Wash 2
-
-
U4
Painting the Still Life
-
Painting Each of the Objects and Shadows 1
-
Painting Each of the Objects and Shadows 2
-
Painting Each of the Objects and Shadows 3
-
The Background
-
The Final Layer 1
-
The Final Layer 2
-
-
U5
Photographing, Printing, and Sharing Your Artwork on Social Media
-
Framing, Protecting, and Photographing Your Artwork for Printing
-
Sharing Your Art on Social Media
-
-
FP
Final project
-
Gouache Painting: Create Vibrant Works of Art
-
What to expect from a Domestika course
-
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
-
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
-
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
-
Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
-
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
-
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
-
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
-
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
What are Domestika's online courses?
Domestika courses are online classes that allow you to learn new skills and create incredible projects. All our courses include the opportunity to share your work with other students and/or teachers, creating an active learning community. We offer different formats:
Original Courses: Complete classes that combine videos, texts, and educational materials to complete a specific project from start to finish.
Basics Courses: Specialized training where you master specific software tools step by step.
Specialization Courses: Learning paths with various expert teachers on the same topic, perfect for becoming a specialist by learning from different approaches.
Guided Courses: Practical experiences ideal for directly acquiring specific skills.
Intensive Courses (Deep Dives): New creative processes based on artificial intelligence tools in an accessible format for in-depth and dynamic understanding.
When do the courses start and when do they finish?
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
What do Domestika's courses include?
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
Have you been given a course?
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
jekitasic
PlusGreat course! I highly recomend
ilona_koulova
This was a good course - I wanted to explore a bit more in depth painting with gouache and it was kind of instructive - I like how the teacher explains functioning light and shadows and also, how to paint transparent materials.
misssorrywinnetou
Great course, very helpful and inspiring. I highly recommend!
annefehlman
I’ve been a fan of Vicki’s for at least a few years. It was great to watch her demo her process. I’m new to gouache medium and this course was very helpful.
psihodadum
I really enjoy working with gouache and with this course I discovered new ways to apply gouache and achieve beautiful effects and textures. Thank you very much!