My favorite gouache palette setup

Here's my new favorite palette setup for gouache.
I use a Mijello Fusion Palette and Winsor & Newton + Schmincke HKS gouache paints.
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[@CastleMc]

I use this palette for watercolors and instead of washing the insert "in the tap," I clean it with paper towels and discard them to prevent the pigments from washing down the drain and into the water system. I'm just starting gouache, and found that Sarah Burns recently did a couple of videos about dry v. wet gouache, and has essentially converted to letting it dry in the palette unless she is doing large works in the studio. She tested the gouache at 4 intervals of dryness and was able to reconstitute and use it even after 4 months.

[@silkeschumann7261]

Place your gouache palette next to a plant. When you water the plant, spray the palette with a mixture of distilled water, a few drops of glycerin and a little alcohol. Thus, the palette stays moist for years, too.

[@shinyhope2126]

Could you please give a precise amount for your mixture with my thanks?

[@silkeschumann7261]

@@shinyhope2126 Alcohol is a question of your tolerance of the odor. Distilled water should be spores and bacteria free, but the longer the container is open, the more likely it'll be contaminated, hence the alcohol. The more alcohol, the faster it evaporates, so you want to stay conservative with the amount. Or you keep the alcohol entirely separate in a spray bottle to kill any spores or bacteria. Glycerin ... a tablespoon per cup. Experiment. Too much glycerin and your watercolors/gouache stays gooy and dries too slow, too little, and you won't notice a difference.

[@shinyhope2126]

@@silkeschumann7261 Thank you so much for your response and detailed information! I really appreciate that. Have a great time!

[@Tonisfarm2024]

I have been using this palette for my gouache for years and love it! I find as long as I maintain it with weekly spritz or drops of water to help keep the paint moist, I can keep good creamy gouache for months. If I'm going to be gone a bit and not use it, I will put a rather decent amount of water in each well...and when I get back to it, most of the water has either soaked in or evaporated but paint is still usable. If a color had dried out more than I prefer I can bring it back by covering the dried paint with water, closing the lid and letting it set overnight and almost always, I can get the creamy consistency back. When I add a decent amount of water to the wells and decide to use it. I can soak up any standing water with a touch of a dry sponge or paper towel and paint wells are ready to go. Its really a great and versatile palette. I love the mixing space and shape of the wells over square pans. I also keep a folded up paper towel or a sponge covering the divided mixing space in the center to wipe my brush off and have moistened it when leaving the paints for a few days to help keep the humidity up inside the palette for this very thirsty medium. Happy painting! Toni

[@NatureSketchbook]

These are excellent tips, Toni, many thanks!! I will definitely try this when my gouache gets crumbly, it sounds like you can avoid throwing paint away almost completely. 👌💚

[@TRANSSENTIENT]

this is great, i do what you do but i willingly let my gouache palette dry then reconstitute the dry paint before painting again. I sometimes go months without painting with gouache and mold is a problem in the hot and humid climate I live in, so drying the paint prevents that. Reconstituted gouache paint isn't 100% the same as fresh tube gouache but it gets the job done and if one chooses opaque/semiopaque colors, there won't be a problem!

[@hadiboya]

@@TRANSSENTIENT Sarah Burns advises dropping a couple of clove bud oil into a spray bottle to avoid molding. I hope it helps.

[@CastleMc]

I just watched a recent SB video in which she says she has essentially converted to dried gouache. She tested it at 4 intervals of dryness, and contrary to Julia B, she says that dried gouache reconstitutes just fine, although some colors do it better than others. @@hadiboya

[@InkNSap]

Very good idea. I have resorted to an airtight palette as well. Mine have lasted weeks if not months using a drop of Windsor and Newton blending medium and a drop of clove bud oil to prevent mould. ❤ Also shin han pass has a watercolour hybrid paint that I’m currently testing and so far so good even in a non airtight palette with the same blending medium and clove bud oil.

[@philipdown3147]

Thanks Julia for sharing your video on pallete, I've got the 16 well type and it's half the size which is better for plein air painting. Thanks greatly appreciated stay safe and healthy

[@joni1]

Great idea!

[@roksannastephens4375]

Hello, thank you for this fantastic gouache video. I do use gouache watercolors -Winsor Newton. I use it to paint illuminated manuscripts. I use both disposable palette paper and a laminate palette. I put small amounts of colors for only that session and spray with water if need to. Thank you to recommending that Mijello palette tray. I'll look into it.

[@NatureSketchbook]

That also sounds like a good setup!

[@eileenvalachovic9435]

This past week I got a basic set of M Graham Gouache with honey and a Mijello Fusion palette to put the paint in. Hoping I have as much luck with this set up as you have had. Thank you for a very informative video.

[@NatureSketchbook]

I hope it works out! I don't know how M Graham gouache behaves, is it also made with honey like their watercolors? In any case it should be great to paint with, enjoy your new palette!

[@eileenvalachovic9435]

Yes, their gouache has honey.

[@rosemarypetersen143]

I have that same pallet and really like it too

[@NatureSketchbook]

That's great to hear! 💚

[@juliec.]

Hi. I have that palette and it’s empty so I’m going to try this setup. Thank you.

[@sabinelloyd8532]

Thank you very helpful

[@tericarter2886]

I use a lipstick carrier that snaps on 4 sides It is pretty much air tight I spritz the paints once a week if i am not using them and spray lid with hydrogen peroxide to keep the paints from molding You do need to take a mixing plate with you

[@NatureSketchbook]

Very clever solution, I like it! Does hydrogen peroxide affect the paints or the paper surface in any way?

[@tericarter2886]

@@NatureSketchbook I got the idea from another gouache painter No it has not caused any issues at all I do stir my gouache with a toothpick when i add water to it I use distilled water for this but you know you are going to get regular tap water in there at some point so thus the peroxide

[@kathyoh9713]

Is the glycerin a special artist grade and where do you suggest buying it? Thank you for all of your tips and videos. Love your work.😊

[@NatureSketchbook]

I got my glycerin from the pharmacy because it's one of the things that's inexpensive there. You can also get it from the art supply store, it's exactly the same substance. And thank you very much, I really appreciate it!!

[@adk9215]

If you put ypur gouache palette in ziplock bag it will stay moist. Weekly check and spray works awesome

[@NatureSketchbook]

Thanks for the great tip!

[@laurelsundbergstudio]

Thank you for this palette setup video. I'm using gouache, reactivating it, and finding it frustrating. This will be helpful going forward for how to set up and save fresh paint when I'm in the studio and maybe even plein air.

[@NatureSketchbook]

Yes, it can be frustrating when the paint gets too dry. Hope you'll enjoy painting with this palette! 😊

[@elllena22]

Hi, Julia! What are the 6 colours you recommend to start with? And from what brands? Thank you

[@NatureSketchbook]

You can see a few combinations that work well together in my existing gouache tutorials. I usually use Schmincke HKS or Winsor & Newton. 😊

[@bastian6173]

I am new to gouache painting (never did water color too) and I was wondering how long my paint would remain workable using an air tight palette. I don't want to add too much water generally. Except if it's maybe a base layer or underpainting or some lose sky where I want the watery effect. But generally I want to keep the opaque effect. Thanks to your video .. .now I KNOW! :-)

[@NatureSketchbook]

I've heard back from other gouache painters that you can even reactivate dried out gouache by adding lots of water to the dried paint, then wait over night, and the paint will be workable again. Maybe worth a try. There's also a drying retarder medium by (I think) Winsor.

[@keepyourshoesathedoor]

Since I live in a very humid climate, my gouaches typically rewet pretty well. I don’t like how gouache feels while wet. It’s thick and goopy and I like letting it dry in my palette. It still comes out pretty opaque without having the layer crack.

[@NatureSketchbook]

Ah, that's totally different from what my gouache does, it just dries bone-hard and never really recovers, even with lots of water. ;-) Good to hear you've found an approach that is working well in your climate!

[@francinetjones1814]

light spray of rubbing alcohol prevents mold

[@NatureSketchbook]

Thank you, I'll have to try that!

[@Manara111111]

I tried only W&N gouache and I love them, still lerning how to use them and blend the colors! but I don't know if they are different from schmincke and if it is worth to buy schmincke or holbine gouache! what do you think?

[@NatureSketchbook]

All of these are great paints with good quality, there's not much difference. I also use some W&N. I'd simply use the ones that are easiest to buy in your area. :-)

[@Manara111111]

@@NatureSketchbook thank you very much for your advice.. W&N is really more accesable for me and a lot cheaper than schmincke

[@marsbeads]

Palettes that are used every few days can be spritz with water before you close it. Mold shouldn't be a problem if you use it more often that not.

[@philipdown3147]

I have not tried gouache paints are they more flexible to use? Thanks

[@NatureSketchbook]

If anything, a bit less flexible than watercolors because of the drying issue I described in the video. But still a lot of fun to paint with!

[@actuallyfrankie]

Hi Julia! Wanted to ask if you travel with this palette?

[@NatureSketchbook]

Hi Frankie, currently I don't use gouache in the field, but if I would take this with me I'd put it in a ziplock bag and add glycerin or drying retardant before I go painting.

[@Anastasiabruno]

Can I ask you do you prefer Windsor and newton gouache or schmincke designer gouache

[@NatureSketchbook]

I find them both very similar, I would opt for the one you can get at a better price, or choose based on the colors.

[@Anastasiabruno]

@@NatureSketchbook thank you so much it's because I'm a beginner in gouache and i almost finished the primary colors. But the store that sells them told me that the Winsors and newton haven't arrived yet (i only use winsor and newton) So i called another art store and the owner told me that he didn't have Winsor and newton but only schmincke, which "are better than Winsor and newton "(yes he told me that) So i was pretty confused 😂

[@NatureSketchbook]

They're both good paints, and I combine them all the time. :-) Enjoy your painting practice!

[@kelliborges712]

Your airtight pallet should be stored in the refrigerator.

[@NatureSketchbook]

Ah, interesting. Do you mean because of mold or drying paints?