Last week I ordered some Windsor and Newton designers gouache paints as it’s a medium I have been meaning to try for a while. I was looking for something with more opacity than watercolour, but which could be applied in thin washes when required – gouache ticks both these boxes.

I experimented mixing a few colours and adding different amounts of water until I got a bit more used to how they work.

This is the result of my first whole painting – I love it! Very rarely am I completely satisfied with something I’ve painted (any artist will say the same!) so I’m so pleased that this one has gone so well!

I took some step by step photos while I was doing it. Firstly I planned it out with a rough sketch – I had an idea in my mind so it was just a case of getting it down on paper.

Then I drew it out onto some smooth mounting board, making the lines quite dark so they’d just show through the paint. The first layer is a gradient of colours from dark blue at the top to green at the bottom. I mixed all of the colours prior to painting so I could quickly switch from one to the other without them drying.

I had to pick out some of the outlines again as they didn’t all show through, then I started blocking in colours.

In hindsight I shouldn’t have started with the lamp because I needed to paint the bushes in the background. I built up the scene bit by bit, from background to foreground.

One of my favourite parts was adding the highlights, picking up the light from the lamp.

When everything was painted and dry, I outlined it with a fine, 005 black Pigma Micron pen. Et voilà!

I’ve also been doing some more work on this paper cut commission which I started last week. Every time I have 10 minutes spare I cut a little bit more.

Finally, I thought you might like to see my little work desk as it looked today! Got the essentials there – a cupcake and a cup of tea!

I’m sharing this post on the following blogs: Paint Party Friday, Handmade Harbour and Blue Chair Diary Illustrations!