illustrating in layers
RUB BACK WHAT IT IS…
A painting technique that involves adding layers of gouache and wiping it back, similar to the reduction method used in relief printmaking.
WHAT YOU NEED… • A stiff painting surface, such as
mount card • A sheet of tracing paper or carbon copy paper • Gesso • A selection of Designers’ gouache • Acrylic gloss medium • A wash brush • A pointed stick • Cotton wool
HOW TO DO IT… • Prepare the painting surface with gesso.
Leave the brushwork visible for texture. • Print your image to the required size and trace it down, paying attention to areas of light and shade, as well as any detailed patterns. Give yourself as much information as possible with which to work. • Choose a nice bright colour of gouache (to keep it as bright as possible, avoid mixing pigments). Lay down the first wash of gouache across the entire surface. • Wet small pieces of cotton wool with clean water and use them to wipe away the gouache from the areas on which it is not required. The longer you leave the gouache to dry, the more likely it is to leave some kind of staining when you wipe it off – therefore if there are areas you want to keep clean, start
wiping them while the paint is still wet. For finer details, try sharpening the end of an old brush and wrapping cotton wool around it. • Once the gouache is dry, apply a coat of acrylic gloss medium to seal it – this can be applied with a brush, as gouache on gesso is fairly stable. • Apply a second layer of gouache. This needs to be applied with some rigour, as the acrylic gloss medium will resist it at first. Persevere and eventually it will stick. In this instance, you can allow the paint to dry without fear of staining as it lifts very easily off the acrylic base. Repeat as required.
PERFECT FOR…
The soft edges you can create lend themselves well to depictions of the human form.
A&I
Artists & Illustrators 59
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