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Friday, January 18, 2019

Impressionist Gouache Background Tutorial

Do you follow Debby Hughes? One of my favorite people on earth. She has been doing some beautiful things with gouache on her blog lately, and it's given me the urge to try some things with it.

Gouache is a hybrid paint - it a mix between watercolor and acrylic. If you have some brittle and thin skinned artist friends, just bring up the question of whether or not gouache is a watercolor medium and then just walk away while they all fight.

The truth is a) who cares? and b) it has some of the properties of watercolor and some of the properties of acrylic, so it's truly a hybrid. The imaginary rules people like to put on art products aren't as important as what the products actually DO for you, which I'll show you today.

Unlike watercolor, you can't let it dry in your palette and use it again - that's because of its acrylic component. But, in some ways it behaves like watercolor and you can paint beautiful things with it. I like to watercolor with transparent color, but I love creating techniques and background with gouache precisely because it's a more opaque medium, but still has the fun of watercolor.

One of the things I love about gouache is how it lets you layer color, so I decided to create a Monet feeling background with some of my favorite colors.

After that was done (video below), I stamped the sentiment from this sweet set, and I used my embossing mat to impress this beautiful heart die into the watercolor paper. (If you want to do this, the sandwich is: Big Shot express platform open to the setting for embossing folders, grungy cutting pad (doesn't matter if it's warped or scratched), embossing mat, paper (painted side up), die with blades down, clean cutting pad. (I always have one cutting pad that has never been cut into that I use for my foolproof die cutting method).




Isn't that beautiful and subtle? I love it so much. And it's SO subtle, in fact, that the camera completely obliterated the texture in the overhead view. But you can still see that beautiful background I made with the gouache.
The sentiment is from this beautiful set - big enough to let the background be the star.

So here is the video, and I'll have a coupon code for the gouache below.




If you want to try the gouache, you can see their various sized sets here. Use coupon code  


for 10% off your entire purchase - gouache or anything else. Here are all the supplies I used for this project.


Gouache Paints - 60 Colors (60 x...
[ ARTZ ]
Die-namics Hearts Entwined
[ MFT ]
Sweet Nothings
[ MFT ]
VersaFine Clair Ink Pad, Nocturne -...
[ ELH | SSS ]
Cotton Candy Card Stock
[ MFT ]
Fabriano Extra White Cold Press...
[ BLIC ]
Couture Creations UNIVERSAL 5 x 7...
[ SSS ]
Sizzix BIG SHOT EXPRESS Gray and...
[ SSS ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSW | MFT ]
Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045
[ SSS | ELH | CST | ART ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art...
[ BLIC ]
LightView 2in1 LED Magnifier for...
[ BRG ]
Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding...
[ AMZUS ]
Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675
[ SSS | ART | AMZUS ]
XL Stamp Storage Pockets
[ ELH ]
Essentials by Ellen Storage...
[ ELH ]
Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets...
[ CHC ]
Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC
[ ELH | SSS ]
Card Making Supplies - Brand New | My...
[ MFT ]

Now today the MISTI team is collaborating with some of the people most beloved to me in the whole world - the team at My Favorite Things. Kim and her teams kindness and generosity to me in this difficult time really brings a little lump to my throat. Kim is one of those people who instinctively knows how to help you without taking any of your depleted energy reserves from you, and that's truly a gift. Jody is one of the funniest, sweetest people I've ever met, and she loves a prank POSSIBLY even more than I do. Julie Dinn is who I want to be if I ever grow up - smart, sweet, and incredibly talented and organized. Kim's family is a treasure to me, and the world had better look out for her girls. They were born on a mission.  Just so you know who your are supporting if you shop at MFT



I can't wait to see what their team has done with the MISTI - you can see all the MFT projects here:

Amy Yang
http://sharingnewlove.blogspot.com
Barbara Anders
https://barspaperpursuits.blogspot.com
Jodi Collins
https://stampingalatte.blogspot.com
Julie Dinn
http://www.kreativejewels2.com
Karolyn Loncon
https://karolyns-paperkraft.blogspot.com
Laurie Willison
https://soapboxcreations.blogspot.com
Rachel Alvarado
https://theunpamperedstamper.blogspot.com
Stephanie Klauck
https://sklauck.blogspot.com

So comment on my blog with your favorite MFT product from the release here for your chance to win one of THREE $50 gift certificate from us and and one of THREE $50 gift certificates from MFT.

Loveyameanitbye.

38 comments:

  1. Wow, such a beautiful card. I love the soft colors. I love my 4 Misti's and I absolutely love My Favorite Things Stamps. These are truly my favorite things. Thank you Lydia.

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  2. I love your gorgeous background. I can’t wait to try to make something similar. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Good morning Lydia, you card is beautiful. I love the soft colors. Hmmm, my favorite thing on for the post would be the Misti, and MFT Stamps. I love everything Birdie Brown, and the Sweet Innocence girls. So super sweet. Thank you.

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  4. Such a lovely card! That background is outstanding! Thank you for the inspiration!

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  5. Oh wow! Love your gorgeous card and your fabulous colouring technique!!! My favourite product from the new release is BB Cute Chemists!!!

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  6. I have some gouache I've never used, so I think it's time to pull those suckers out and give this technique a try. As for the MFT release, I love the Sassy Pants Love stamps. Too funny!

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  7. This is awesome, love all the gorgeous colors.

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  8. Oh my goodness! What a glorious card. My favorite thing from the release has to be the hearts entwined die!!! So sweet.

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  9. I love to make cards that do something.
    My favorites from the new release are
    the "spin and slide channel die" and
    the "interActive pull tab dies".
    I hope MFT keeps coming up with new
    interactive dies - they are fun and
    make fascinating cards. thanks
    for sharing txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  10. Such a beautiful card, lovely background technique ♥️
    My favorite in the new mft release is The Wonderful Woodland Friends. Too cute!

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  11. I always hate having to pick a favorite from a new release...it's like picking which pet is my favorite. I love them all! But if I have to, I guess I will go with the Cute Chemists. It's the geek in me :)

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  12. My favorite is the Nugget Label Window & Frame die, you can use this for all kinds of occasions, you can give me chocolate anytime! Such a beautiful card, I have many Arteza products, they are affordable for me, and good quality.

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  13. I love it all of course but if I had to choose just one or two (wink wink) it would be the BB Cute Chemists and the Treat Tag Die-namics. Your gouache card is fabulous! I haven't used gouache since college but I like how it has it's own properties when it comes to painting.

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  14. I love the colors and look that you created with your gouache, plus the embossed impression. And I've also gotta say I love your thoughts describing Kim and her family.... you nailed it!

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  15. Another new medium to try?! Lydia - you're such an enabler (I love that in a person ;) ) I also love the new Friendly Fox Die-namics from MFT - that, and the large Cheers die. MFT is one of my favourite places to shop :)

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  16. lovely work!!!!
    so many great product in the MFT release - love the heart entwined dies, lots of love stencil and BB cute Chemists

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  17. This is beautiful! The soft colors remind me of a Maui sunset. I'll have to try this. Thank you for sharing your talents😊

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  18. Beautiful background and informative video! :-)

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  19. Thank you for the tutorial! Such a cool technique!!!! I have to try this weekend!

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  20. Favorite MFT item...hard to select just one....I love the entwined hearts that you used on your oh-so-soft-and-dreamy card, but I have to have the new PI, too!!!

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  21. My favorite MFT item from the new release is the Nugget label and die set--it's already living in my craft room!

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  22. I love this pretty blend of color! It so romantic and sweet, and it looks amazing!

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  23. Gorgeous card! Amazing background, thanks for the tutorial on gouache. Love the subtle impression from the die, perfect accent without distracting from the background and sentiment.

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  24. Yes, both subtle and beautiful. I love it!

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  25. This is so pretty! And I AM a fan of MFT!

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  26. Such a pretty effect you created with the gouache.

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  27. Gorgeous card! Love the background. Love MFT's cute chemists set.

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  28. Your card is so pretty!! I love your use of gouache. I discovered it through Lindsey Weirich. It is so nice to work with (not that I am so experienced! Lol!). My favorite product from MFT is the Tweethearts. The little birds tickle my heart!!

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  29. Your card is so pretty. Watched the video, when I saw the blue used, I tho't it was much too stark, but your use of the white toned it down so well. Just beautiful. Thx for sharing!

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  30. I have several MFT favorites...the Cutieasaurus, the Die-namic Fox, the cute Scientists and I love anything with hearts! I enjoyed your video and your card is stunning! Thanks for the extra explaination in your blog also! I'm new to card making! truthinlove2001@gmail.com

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  31. The colors look wonderful. I am trying to branch out, too.

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  32. My favorite product from the new release is the Sassy Pants Love stamp set.....I can't get enough of those! All the sassy pants sayings make me giggle!!!

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  33. I love your card - that background is so pretty! Maybe gouache will become the next crafty trend.
    My fav from the latest MFT release is that Friendly Fox die - OMG he is TOO CUTE!

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  34. I just recently bought some gouache paints but have not used them yet. I can't wait to watch your video and try mine out. My favorite from this MFT release is the Hearts Entwined Stamp and Die-namics, both have so many possibilities beyond Valentine's Day, I love that!(mardy14@bellsouth.net)

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  35. Beautiful background. My favorite new product is the Friendly Fox dies.

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  36. My faves are the spin & slide channels & accessories. I've always thought those kinds of cards were clever but never have made one.

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  37. I've never used gouache and love the pretty mix of colors on your card. Thanks for sharing this inspiration with these fun products. My fave is the Wonderful Woodland Friends.

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