As you know, I’m trying to get more comfortable and practice painting with gouache, and this painting felt like a small turning point.

Finished gouache painting of simple green botanical leaves on white paper

At first, I tried rewetting my dried paints, but I was still struggling with the consistency. It felt way too watery, almost like watercolor. I was hoping for something closer to acrylic.

I just could NOT get the consistency I wanted with the dried paints in the pan.

So I switched to tube gouache, and it was immediately so much easier to work with. The paint felt smoother and more consistent, and I was able to focus more on the actual painting instead of fighting with the materials.

Tube gouache paints on palette used to create botanical leaf painting

That alone made the whole experience much more enjoyable.

Okay, so I figured out the paint. I need to use tube gouache for this kind of painting I’m trying to do. Great!

Mid progress gouache painting with layered green leaves and developing details

The next thing I need to figure out is which brushes work best with gouache. I tried using a round brush for the background and leaves (which is funny, because I don’t even use a round brush when I oil paint), but it didn’t feel quite right, especially for the background areas. I think a flat brush would have worked better there.

Close up detail of gouache painted leaves showing texture and brushwork

The liner brush, surprisingly, ended up being my favorite for this painting, especially for the small leaves and details.

Each painting is helping me understand the materials a little better.

Minimal botanical gouache painting featuring green leaves on blue background

It’s slow learning, but it feels good to see progress.

A note about the inspiration for this painting: I used a reference from artist Philip Boelter. His work has such a beautiful balance of simplicity and detail, and studying artists I admire is a great way to learn.

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