All levels | 2 hours 22 min
Working from real flowers, learn how to paint single stems using gouache and watercolor. Once you’ve learned how to paint individual flowers, you’re ready to combine stems into a bouquet and arrange a still life. Jennifer shows her process for painting vases and tablescapes with elements from real life and from imagination. 
Learn how to:
  • Observe and paint from life
  • Paint using your imagination
  • Paint patterns
  • Work with color
  • Handle brushes

Chapters
00:36
Painting Florals
17:43
10:10
Materials
Here’s what you’ll need:
  • 500 Series Strathmore mixed media sketchbook
  • Winsor & Newton gouache
  • Sakura Koi travel watercolor kit
  • Size 1 liner brush
  • Size 2, 4, 6, 8 round brushes
  • Bleed proof white
  • Palette
  • Small jars with lid 
  • Discussion
    Notes
    Your timecode tags and notes for this section
    Transcript
    Illustrative Painting with Gouache
    Part 1:
    Illustrative Painting with Gouache: Getting Started with Gouache
    Jennifer Orkin Lewis
    Before you start painting illustrations with gouache, it’s important to understand how to work with the medium. Jennifer begins by showing you how to set up your palette and mix custom colors. She also teaches how to work “thick” or “thin” with dry and wet gouache in order to achieve different effects. Once you’ve got the hang of working with gouache, Jennifer shows you how to approach painting fanciful everyday objects, like teapots and mugs. 
    Now Playing
    Part 2:
    Illustrative Painting with Gouache: Painting Florals
    Jennifer Orkin Lewis
    Working from real flowers, learn how to paint single stems using gouache and watercolor. Once you’ve learned how to paint individual flowers, you’re ready to combine stems into a bouquet and arrange a still life. Jennifer shows her process for painting vases and tablescapes with elements from real life and from imagination. 
    Part 3:
    Illustrative Painting with Gouache: Lettering with Gouache
    Jennifer Orkin Lewis
    Use your own handwriting to cultivate a lettering style that is all you. Jen Orkin Lewis shows you how to create a lowercase and uppercase alphabet using paintbrushes and gouache paint. She then shows you how to build forms and add color to create vibrant block lettering. As a final project, you’ll paint a favorite quote and add embellishments to make a frame-worthy finished piece.
    Part 4:
    Illustrative Painting with Gouache: Painting Stylized Faces
    Jennifer Orkin Lewis
    It can be intimidating to sit down and paint a portrait. Jennifer Orkin Lewis makes it easy by simplifying facial features into basic forms and using photo references. As an exercise for getting started, Jennifer suggests you use vintage black and white photos and add color to loosen up. From there, you’ll move on to working from a color photo reference and add even more depth in a second portrait.
     
    Class Discussion
    Questions or comments about this class? Join the conversation here.
    60 Comments
    View More Comments