Gouache Course for beginners

1. Introduction to Gouache: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Guha journey. My name is Maheg and I'm thrilled to have you all here. Before we dive into the world of Gosh, I want to share a bit about myself and how I got here. It's a story that I feel some of you might relate to. Like many of you, I didn't grow up thinking that art could be more than just a hobby. I love painting and drawing as a kid, but life, school, and expectations of what a real career should look like kept me from exploring it seriously. But that all changed during the lockdown when world slowed down and I finally had the chance to pick up my brushes. Art became my creative escape, my therapy, and a way to break some beauty to an otherwise chaotic time. Realize that art could be more than just a hobby. Fast forward to today. Here I am sharing my journey and everything I've learned with you all. So whether you're picking the gauche for the first time or you've been painting for years, this course is designed to help you explore, experiment, and fall in love with this amazing medium. I used to be the one watching videos and be amazed at how others painted with such ease. Now, I want to be that person for you, helping you discover your creative potential, one breaststroket at a time. Before we begin, let me show you a few of my favorite coach paintings. I love experimenting with luring and textures to create depth. This one is a dreamy nature scene where I played with tending to soften the edges and create that hazy magical vibe. And here's another one, a bold and colorful landscape where I led the shapes and colors to all the storytelling. This something about simplifying shapes, using soft colors, and adding those tiny details that makes a painting come to life. Don't worry. We'll dive into all these techniques later in the course. Most of my work is inspired by nature and anime movies, particularly studio Gibli. Alright. Let's talk about gauche. It's one of the most versatile and big enough friendly mediums out there. If you're wondering what guh actually is, think of it as a perfect mix between watercolors and acrylics. It's water based, like watercolors, so you can dilute it with water to create soft translucent effects. But it's also opaque like acrylics, which means you can layer light colors over dark ones. Something watercolors can't do easily. So why should you learn guh? First of all, it's incredibly forgiving. Made a mistake? No problem. You can wait for it to dry and paint over it. It's also incredibly versatile. You can create bold graphic illustrations or soft dreamy landscapes, all with the same medium. Whether you're new to painting or you've tried other mediums before, wash is a fantastic choice to grow your skills. Plus, you don't need a ton of supplies to get started. A small set of paints, a few brushes, and some decent paper are all you need. I'll walk you through everything in the next video, so don't worry if you're not sure where to begin. Did you know that quash has been around for centuries? It was a popular medium used by illustrators and designers long before digital art came along. Even famous artists like Henry Mattis and Mark Chugle used quash in their works. But what makes quash so special? In my opinion, is it mad finish. Once it dries, it has the smooth, velvety look that's perfect for scanning or photographing your work. No glare, no reflections. That's why so many illustrators love quash, especially for creating book covers or prints. I hope you're as excited as I am to start this journey. By the end of this course, you'll have a solid understanding of how to use quash, creative, and texture, and bring your own ideas to life on paper. Let's get started. 2. Getting Started with Gouache - Tools and Materials: Welcome back, everyone. In this video, we are going to talk about the tools and materials you'll need to get started with Goh. The best part, you do not need a huge collection of supplies to create beautiful art. I'll show you exactly what I use, and so you can start painting with confidence. Let's start with paints. I personally use gouache jelly cups. These are perfect for beginners because they're affordable, vibrant and come in these fun jelly like cups that make mixing super easy. They last a long time if you take care of them. If you're not using these paints, don't worry. There are plenty of great gouache brands out there. You can use the tube ones or the cup ones. It depends all on your budget and how comfortable you are with the medium. Just make sure the label says guache and not acrylic or watercolor. The difference is that gouache is re wettable. You can let it dry on your palette and reactivate it with water. Acrylics, on the other hand, they dry permanently. Next up, brushes. I like to use brushes with soft bristles. My go to sizes are round brushes in sizes six, four, and zero, one for details. Round brushes are super versatile. You can use the tip for fine lines or press down for broader strokes. If you're experimenting with textures, an old tampered brush works wonders, too. For paper, go for something thick 180-250 GSM. Wash works best on thicker paper because it absorbs the water without warping. I personally love cold press paper for its subtle texture, but hot press paper is great if you prefer a smooth surface. Lastly, a few extra tools, a mixing palette or even a ceramic plate or a steel plate for blending colors. A jar of clean water for rinsing brushes. Keep two jars if you want to keep your light and dark colors separate. Paper towels or maybe a rough cloth for dabbing excess water and cleaning brushes. It is also helpful to have a scrap piece of paper nearby for testing colors before you paint, and that's it. With just a few tools, you're ready to dive into the world of gosh. In the next video, we'll start exploring basic techniques like getting the right paint, consistency, blending and layering. Let's get started. 3. Gouache Basic Techniques: Welcome back, everyone. Now that you've got your tools and materials ready, it's time to dive into the basics of gouache. In this lesson, we will cover three fundamental techniques, understanding paint consistency, blending colors, and layering. These are the building blocks of working with gouache, and once you master them, you'll have the confidence to create pretty much anything. When I first started using wash, I struggled with the consistency. Sometimes it's too watery, other times it was too thick and blending felt impossible. But trust me, with a little practice, it all starts to click. So let's break it down step by step. The first thing you need to master when working with Guash is getting the right consistency. Gach is super versatile, but its magic lies in how you control the water to paint ratio. Let me show you three examples to help you get a feel for it. If you don't add any water, the paint straight out of the tube or jelly cup can be thick and hard to spread. It might even crack when it dries. While this can be useful for textures or a dry brush technique which we are going to use in the later modules, it's not ideal for smooth coverage. If you add too much water, your gouache will behave like watercolor. It becomes transparent and loses its vibrancy. This can be great for washes or light backgrounds, but it won't give you that bold opaque look gouache is known for. The ideal consistency is creamy, like melted ice cream. Add a few drops of water and mix your paint until it glides on the paper easily, but still gives you that solid opaque look. A little water goes a long way. So start small and it just as needed. Always always test your paint on scrap paper before applying it to your artwork. This helps you check the consistency and avoid any surprises. This is similar to watercolor blending. Start with one color, add a little water, and pull the edges to soften them out. You can also blend two colors by overlapping them and adding water to the middle for a smooth transition. Soft transitions between colors, try blending with water. Apply one color, then gently add water to the edges to create a gradient effect. This technique is especially useful for creating atmospheric elements like skies and misty landscapes. Using white quash is a game changer. If you want pastel tones or soft highlights, mix your color with white and blend it in. Second technique is to blend with white paint. Instead of using water, you can blend using white paint. Mixing your colors with white as you transition from dark to light creates smooth gradients while maintaining the opacity of quash. Two 4. Blending, Layering: Dry brush technique. If you want to texture, rough look, try the drybush technique. Load just a little bit of paint on a dry brush and lightly drag it across the paper. This is great for creating grass, fur or even clouds. One of the best things about gouache is that it's an opaque medium, which means you can layer light colours over dark ones, something you cannot do with watercolors. Let's talk about how to layer effectively. If you apply paint while the bottom layer is still wet, the colors will blend together. This can create a soft creamy effect, but it's harder to control the edges. For example, if I paint this black base and immediately add white, see how they flow into each other. For crisp, clean layers, wait for the bottom layer to dry completely before adding the next one. This is ideal for details like painting leaves or flowers or any highlights over a base layer. Watch as I paint this black base, let it dry and then add white details on top. When layering, always start from brought to detail. 5. Painting Foliage: For example, when painting a bush, I start with a light green base, then add darker details for depth, and finish with highlights for definition. This gives the illusion of tip and texture. And that's it for the basics. Consistency, blending and layering are the foundation of gouache painting. I encourage you to spend some more time practicing these techniques, make watches, try gradients, and play around with layering. Do not rush the process. It's all about experimenting and having fun. In the next video, we will take these skills further and explore how to build dab and texture in your artwork. See you there. So 6. How to Paint Trees: Welcome back. In this session, I'll be sharing some tips and tricks on how to paint some common elements using wash. For example, trees. Trees are not just a staple in landscapes, but they're also a great way to practice layering, blending, and adding details. I will guide you step by step as we create three different types and shapes of trees using simple techniques and a limited color palette. For this exercise, I will be using the following shades of green. Dark green, olive green, grass green, light green, and a touch of yellow for highlights. These are the same shades that are used for the bush in our last section. You can adjust these colors as needed, but make sure to start with a darker tone for the base and gradually work your way to lighter tones for dip and highlights. A few tips to keep in mind while painting trees or any other elements with gouache, patience is key. Always let your base layers dry completely before adding any details. This prevents smudging and keeps your colors vibrant. A tampered brush is great for creating loose textured leaves, but smaller round brushes work perfectly for more defined details. And lastly, don't overthink it. Trees are naturally imperfect, so embrace their irregularities. They are what make your painting look organic and unique. So be it any shape or sizes, we will start with dark green as a base color. Once the base layer is dry, we will repeat the layering process just like we did for the bushes. Once the base is dry, we will start adding details. I will be using olive green first to build up the mid tones. If you have a tamper 7. Building Shapes : Brush. This is where it really shins. Lightly tap the brush onto the tree shape to create an undefined leafy texture. If you do not have a tampered brush, don't worry. You can use a smaller round brush to paint individual leaf shapes or even tiny clusters of leaves. The key here is to let some of the darker green show underneath. This creates depth and gives the illusion of layers of foliage. Now for the highlights, switch to light green and add small dabs near the top or outer edges of the tree where the light would naturally hit. Finally, take some yellow paint and lightly mix it with the light green for the brightest highlights. Use this sparingly. It's great for adding a final touch of realism or stylization to your tree. 8. Adding Textures: So as we painted the bush in the last video, we'll be following the same technique for adding highlights to the trees. Start by selecting four colors light yellow, light green, sage green, and dark green. Use a dry round brush and gently stiple light yellow as the base layer to establish highlights. Next, we'll use light green, applying it in a dabbing motion over the yellow. This will help create volume and a natural gradient. You can start by dark colors or light colors that depends on your choice. Now we'll add sage green to the middle areas, focusing on softening the transition between the lighter and the darker tones. Finally, we'll use darker green to deepen the shaded areas, especially near the bottom and inside edges to enhance the contrast. To add warmth and texture, lightly applied touches of yellow ochre. This will simulate the effect of dry leaves catching sunlight. And finally, you can add some details to the branches and the bark of the tree using brown and yellow ochre. To give the highlights, use yellow ochre. Starting with the shaded areas first, start with burnt umber and brown and then lightly add yellow ocher to give the highlights. You can also add some branches in between the trees to make it look more realistic. And there you have it, trees of all shapes and sizes with depth, texture, and highlights. In the next section, we will be working on a full composition together where we will combine all the techniques we have learned so far. I cannot wait to see how you bring everything together. 9. Creating Your First Gouache Landscape: This final section, we will bring everything together and create a beautiful forest path illustration using the techniques we have learned so far. You will get to practice layering, blending, and adding details in a full composition. I cannot wait to see how your artwork turns out. First, let's start with the paint colors, dark green, olive green, grass green, light green, yellow, yellow Ochel, brown, light blue and white. The name of the shades might differ from brand to brand. So notice carefully the shades in this tutorial, so you'll get an idea what shades to exactly use. Start by painting the sky at the top of your paper. In light blue with white to create a soft gradient that fades towards the horizon. Paint the path using yellow ochre for the bees, add a mix of brown and yellow ochre to create shadows and texture along the edges of the path. The path should narrow as it moves into the distance for a sense of perspective. Blend a small amount of white into the middle of the park to give it a soft sunlit effect. 10. Sketching Your Landscape: Once the sky is dry, add faint, desaturated tree elutes in the background. You can use a mix of dark green and a little white to create muted greens. Keep these trees small and loosely defined to give the impression of distance. Start with dark green for the base, then layer olive green and 11. Building Depth with Layers: Green for depth, finishing with yellow highlights. You can use downward strokes to create the foliage texture, layering from dark green to light green. Use irregular shapes for the canopy and lay the greens carefully to maintain the depth. Oh Along the edges of the path, paint small bushes using the bush technique that we learned in the earlier lesson. Start with grass green and lay lighter greens on top. You can use a tampered brush to dab textures for an undefined look. 12. Final Touches & Detailing: For some final touches, now, this is completely optional, add tiny pops of color by painting small flowers or mushrooms along the path or near the trees. Use a small brush to add details like tree trunks, branches, and shadows under the tree or bushes. I hope this introductory module has helped you get a solid understanding of quash, what this versatile medium is, how to use it effectively, and, of course, what to do and what not to do. From mastering consistency to blending, layering and adding details, you have now built the foundation for creating beautiful wash artwork. In the upcoming modules, we will take things to the next level as we paint five complete illustrations together. Each module will feature a unique reference with varying levels of complexity, new elements, creative challenges, and most importantly, lots of fun. Whether it's a dreamy landscape or a vibrant still life, there is so much to explore and learn. So are you excited to paint? Because I sure am. Let's grab our brushes, mix our colors, and get started on this creative adventure. 13. Enchanted Forest – Spirits of the Woodland: Welcome to this magical journey into the enchanted forest. In this module, we will be painting a bread taking scene, a mystical stack spirit glowing in the heart of a lush forest. Before we dive into colors and brush strokes, let's prepare our canvas and stretch the foundation for this dreaml masterpiece. For this painting, I am using a 300 GSM mixed media sheet. You can either use a sketchbook or a separate sheet, whatever you prefer. If you're working on a loose sheet, I highly recommend using masking tape to create clean, sharp borders. This gives a professional finish to the painting. If you find masking tape too strong and worry about tearing your paper, simply stick it onto a tabletop first, then peel it off and apply it to your paper. You can even repeat this step a couple of times. This reduces the adhesive strength while still keeping your edges intact. Notice how the tape will come into play at the very end when we reveal those crisp perfect edges. Now, let's lightly sketch our composition. You can use a Edge B or a two edge pencil for this. We don't want dark pencil marks, as squash can pick up graphite and create unwanted smudges. Sketch out the basic shape of the civ entrance and, of course, our mystical stag. Keep the lines simple and light. 14. Sketch & Palette: Let's begin by lightly sketching the basic layout of our forest scene. At this stage, keep your hands relaxed and your pencil strokes gentle. I'm using a light hand here intentionally because when we sketch softly, it allows us the freedom to make changes, erase mistakes, and adjust proportions without leaving any harsh marks or smudges on the paper. The first thing I do is map out the horizon line and the space where the forest will set. I loosely indicate where the trees will rise and how they'll frame the stag in the center. Think of this like setting up a stage before placing the lead character. Notice how I start with faint vertical lines. These will eventually become the tree trunks. No detailing yet, just a structure to work on. As we move further, I start defining the background caves. These will be nestled in between trees on one side of the sketch, adding a sense of mystery to the setting. When sketching caves, use irregular jagged lines rather than smooth curves. Nature rarely follows symmetry. I use overlapping lines to indicate depth and darken some areas to hint at shadowy openings. Be mindful of where your light source is coming from. I imagine the light filtering in from the left side, so I keep the right edges of the canvas slightly darker. Before finishing, I softly go over some lines to increase the contrast only when necessary. Along the cave shadows, the base of the tree trunks and the contours of the stag's body. These brings a bit of dimension without overworking the sketch. Remember, we are painting an enchanted scene, so perfection isn't the goal, flow and movement are. And 15. Base Layers: Now that our sketch is ready, it's time to lay the foundation of our enchanted forest. In this step, we will focus on creating a dreamier atmosphere using smooth gradients and warm undertones. Before we dive into the details, we will begin with a warm base layer. I'm mixing burnt amber and yellow auger with plenty of water to create a light wash. This technique is called an underpainting, which helps unify the colors and prevent patchy white spots on the paper. Applying a warm tone first also makes the final layers more vibrant and cohesive, a technique which is often used by classical painters. So for this painting, I'm using Himema jelly cup quash set. Accordingly, I'll tell you the name of the shades that I'm going to be using. So I'll be using a mix of deep earthy tones and flowing ehrl highlights. So here are the name of the shades, burnt umber, yellow auger, earth yellow, light tan, spemenGreen, light green, naples yellow, black, and, of course, white. Before we start painting, I always recommend squeezing out your colors onto the palette beforehand. This makes the painting process smoother and more enjoyable rather than constantly reaching for colours and breaking the flow. Did you know that in many cultures, forests are considered sacred gateways to other reals. They represent mystery, wisdom 16. Setting the Mystical Mood: And transformation. Keeping this in mind, let's step into the world of magical realism with our first layers. Now let's build the cave structure. Start by applying a dark layer of black and burnt umber, using loose wavy strokes to mimic natural cave texture. Think about how caves look in real life. They are uneven, rugged, and mysterious. If your paint dries too quickly on the palette, just sprinkle some water to reactivate it. Guash is wonderful because of its reworkable nature. To make our painting look three d, we need depth. We do this by blending from dark to lighter tones. Lay burnt amber over the black, then lighten it by gradually mixing in light tan and earth yellow as we move towards the cave center. This technique creates an illusion of distance, making the cave entrance clue from within. 17. Preparing Your Forest Gateway: If you've painted landscapes before, you might notice that the base layer is often the unsung hero. It's like the secret ingredient in a recipe. Without it, the flavors wouldn't come together as perfectly. So in the next video, we will start bringing life to the forest by adding textures and layering. Get ready to make the forest feel real. H. 18. Bringing the Forest to Life: To life. Here, we will use layering techniques to create dense, rich foliage. Let's start by focusing on the cave and the surrounding trees. This is where the texture comes in, and we are going to build up the layer slowly to give depth and dimension. Instead of flat fills, I'm using loose peVy strokes with a round rush to suggest the uneven surfaces of natural rock. No blending here. I want those labs to sit on top of each other like geological formations over time. This technique helps bring out the natural textures you'd find in a real cave. Now notice how I don't try to smoothen these strokes. I let each layer speak for itself. Some strokes are lighter, some more opaque. Gosh lets me play with this beautifully. You just have to control the water to paint ratio. For textured layers like these, go a bit drier with your brush. Think of it like sketching with paint rather than coloring in. If you accidentally overworked the surface or it feels patchy, don't worry. Let it dry completely before layering again. Bush is wonderfully forgiving. You can always come back with another layer. Also, if your paint is drying too quickly on the palette, just sprinkle a little water. You will see it come back to life instantly. One of many reasons squash is a dream to work with. Once we have that rich earthy base in place, it's time to introduce gradients to add dipped. But without traditional blending, instead of smoothing one shade into the next, I'm building it up in patches. 19. Tree Textures: A small tip. Don't use too much water or you will end up activating the layer beneath. Instead, load your brush well with pigment and tap gently. Think of this as controlled layering, not mixing. To add dimensions, I alternate between warm browns and greens placing them next to each other rather than over each other. Think of it as a patchwork of shadows and sunlight. The dry brush technique really shines here. With a light hand and minimal water, you can drag pigment across the textured paper to create the illusion of bark, moss or even lichen. This stage is all about restraint. Don't cover everything. Let the parts of your under layer show those accidental gaps add characters. Quash is great for this. It doesn't strain the paper the way watercolor does, so layering doesn't get muddy. Et's talk about cave openings. I darken the cave interior using pure black with a touch of pain screen. I leave uneven patches mimicking how light filters through cracks or bounces of nearby rocks. Even without detail, these irregular shapes and tonal shifts trick the eye into believing the cave has real depth. To art To art highlights on the cave edges, I go with a mix of light tan and naples yellow, try brushing gently along one side of the rock formations. This suggests where the light hits and helps the textures pop. This contrast of light and shadow without blending really brings the cave to life. As we near the end of the forest laying, I use the tip of a small flat brush to add linear strokes, creeping roots, and even subtle plant outlines along the cave walls. These venetian textures anchor the sea. The idea is not to outline everything but to imply it. Sometimes I soften the area with a damp brush to create depth in the background. Other times I use pure pigment to bring a branch or a rock forward. With quash, you're always painting with purpose. 20. Spirit Silhouette: In this video, we will be bringing the spirit of the woodland to life. Our mystical stag is about to step out from the shadows. Let's start by mixing spare mint with a touch of white. You'll want to make sure that the spare mint is the dominant color but softened by the white. Now we're going to apply this to random parts of the center area. Think of it as letting the light flow naturally through the forest. Some areas will have more of this color while others will have less. This randomness is what creates that organic glowing feel. Start applying this mix along the center right between the darker cave and the mystical stag. Let's focus on building up the light in a few random strokes, allowing the green to gently fade into the surrounding dark areas. It's important not to cover everything as we want some of the deeper tones to show through. The beauty of this effect is in the contrast. It's a transition between the dark cave and the glowing center that creates this magical atmosphere. Now that we have applied this payment white mixture in the center, it's time to blend it out. Use a wet brush to gently blend this payment with the surrounding areas, making sure there is no harsh line between the two. You can keep layering this, applying more sparement and white where needed, and blending it out to create smooth transitions. This technique will give us a soft glow that feels almost like light filtering through the forest canopy. Once you've created that first layer of dreamy green, we are going to add another magical touch to the center. We'll be mixing naples yellow with white to create a soft, buttery yellow tone. This color is perfect for creating warmth and enhancing the glow that we want in this magical part of the painting. You will notice that this will add a subtle warm to the painting, and it helps to transition from spemen green to the surrounding darker areas. You can layer the colors until you achieve that soft glowing gradient in the center portion of the painting. This technique is all about subtlety. Each layer should melt into the next, creating a smooth transition from cool to warm tones. Now let's take a moment to step back and look at the center section. Notice how the colors blend into one another and how the brightness in the middle contrast with the darker tones around it. This dreamy magical center is the heart of our forest. It's where all the mystical energy comes from, and it's essential that it does not overpower the surrounding elements. The balance between the light and dark will make the whole scene come alive. 21. The Mystical Stag: I'm starting with an olive green and adding a bit of black to darken it. We want this tag to feel like it's part of the mystical world, so it needs to have an almost ethral presence. For the antlers, use a smaller brush to capture the fine details. The thinner the brush, the more control you'll have for intricate features. We will begin by painting the stags Silhot with darker shades and later, we will add the highlights that will make it appear as if it's glowing in the misty forest. Okay for the glowing effect, I'm mixing yellow ochre with white. Applying this blend on the edges of the antlers, the lighter color gives the stag that magical aura we're aiming for. Notice how the light on the antlers start to transform the stag into a glowing spirit. Now, this technique is called highlighting. It's what turns a flat painting into something alive and vibrant. Next, we will add some finishing touches and minor details including leaves and reflections. These small elements will bring our enchanted forest together. 22. Finishing Touches: We have reached the most exciting part lighting magic. In this section, we'll work on creating the glowing highlights that make our forest come alive with an ehrl glow. Lighting in a painting is like seasoning in a dish. It can make or break the atmosphere. Here we'll use highlights to create the magic. Start by taking white wash and adding soft dots or strokes to your painting. I'm adding some grass and stones at the bottom, using a mix of greens and browns to make the forest floor feel crowded and real. Small brush strokes of white on the edges of the leaves, stones, and other elements will reflect light and add realism to the scene. These finishing touches will make the painting look more complete like the forest has truly come alive. Less is more when applying highlights. Just a few subtle strokes on the edges or within the forest will add enough magic to make the painting shine. I'm also adding some glowing light to the cave edges where the light from the spirit will reflect and create a soft ethral effect. 23. Lighting Magic & Final Details: As we finish, notice how the last touches make your painting go from good to wow. It's like the forest itself is glowing with life and mystery. Did you know forest cover 31% of Earth's land area, providing oxygen and shelter to countless creatures. Their beauty is a reflection of balance in nature, just like we aim for balance in our composition. Look at the work you have accomplished. From sketching the first rough lines to adding the glowing highlights. Each step has led to this beautiful enchanted forest. The final step is removing the masking tape and seeing the neat, clean edges that add that perfect touch to the painting. With a steady hand and gentle pull, the tape reveals crisp, pristine borders. And there you have it, your very own enchanted forest complete with glowing spirits and mystical depth. This is just the beginning. Keep exploring new techniques and stories through your art. The world is full of magic, and your brush is the key to unlocking it. I hope you all learn something from this module and feel more confident in bringing your own enchanted forest to life. I would totally recommend following along, as I've tried to be as descriptive as possible. If you still have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. I'm always happy to help. If you feel like this was an easy reference, hop on to the next module. Art is all about pushing boundaries and learning something new each time. So get ready for the next adventure. 24. Weathered Temple in the Forest: Welcome to Module two, where we will be bringing a weathered temple in the forest to life. Before we dive into the details, let's take a moment to look at the final painting we'll be creating throughout this module. This will give you a clear picture of where we are headed. Now we'll start with sketching the temple and forest scene. As we learned in the previous module, it is essential not to press too hard with your pencil during this stage. Keeping the sketch light helps prevent any unwanted sponging once we begin painting. This sketch will serve as a roadmap, so take your time to get the key elements in place. As I sketch, I'll focus on the basic shapes, the structure of the temple, the trees, and the surrounding foliage. The temple's roof and walls need to be positioned precisely. Be light handed and make sure everything is in proportion before we move on to the painting. This is the foundation that will guide the rest of the painting. Remember, we are going to be using the underpainting technique here, especially because of the earthy weather feel we want to achieve. The underpainting will help build a solid base and dip for our final layers. So it is crucial we set up well. The 25. Sketching the Scene: I'm starting with a light underpainting using burnt umber, thin down with plenty of water. This helps to tone the paper and gives the painting a warm, earthy base. I spread it across the entire sheet evenly using broad brushstrokes to make sure no spot is left uncovered. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just make sure the paper is fully covered with this light brown wash. Once the underpainting is dry or setting in, I lightly mess my gouache palette with water using a spray bottle. This helps to keep the paints moist and workable, especially since gouache tends to dry quickly on the palette. I recommend taking out all your paints ahead of time to speed up the process later so you won't have to worry about mixing while painting. I like to keep things ready before I start. This includes different shades of brown, greens, and a few lighter tones like acres and tans for highlights. Preparing your palette ahead of time helps you focus on painting without having to pause every few minutes with everything set, let's begin layering the scene. 26. Underpainting the Sky: Now that our sketch is complete, let's dive into the painting. In this section, we will focus more on the temple's textures, adding depth and details. The roof is made of tin, so we will use a mix of gray and black to replicate the metallic texture. When painting tin, you want to use brush strokes that mimic the tin panels, so be sure to pay attention to the direction of your strokes to create a realistic effect. H Use a finer brush to add details to the roof, focusing on the edges and shadows where the light wouldn't reach. This will help give it a sense of dimension. For now, keep the roof a bit muted as we'll refine it more in later steps. When we approach the temple entrance, we will add some burnt umber on the edges to give the entrance a deep, shadowed effect. Then add red to highlight the curves, creating depth around the entrance. This will give the illusion that we are walking into a dark space, enhancing the natural roundness of the doorway. 27. Roof and Walls: To make it even more interesting, I add a bit of spiced apple. It's an orange tone red, slightly warmer and brighter. I layer it on top of the base in light strokes, almost like I'm dusting the wall with color. This creates variation and depth, like the paint on the wall has been faded by sun and time. You don't want solid color here. Let your brush trans a little. A few random streaks and patches actually make it more believable. If you've ever looked at an old building, you'll notice the color isn't uniform. Some parts are brighter, some more faded, and that's what we're going for. Let's move to the entrance of the temple, one of the most important parts for setting the mood. I use burnt umber, a deep earthy brown to darken the edges of the Dry. This helps to create the illusion of tip. It draws the viewer's eye in and makes the doorway look like it's receding into the structure. I then take some of our vermilion red again and gently outline the curves around the Dv. This contrast between light and shadow gives the entrance a more rounded, treedy effect. It's like you're creating a soft frame for the dove, one that tells the viewers, there's more beyond this point. By now, the walls should feel warm and warm and the roof should have a soft metallic tomb. The whole temple is starting to look like it belongs, not just in the painting, but in the forest itself. Every stroke you've added so far is helping tell the story of a place that stood quietly for years, blending into the nature. 28. Adding Depth to Temple Textures: I hope you're able to follow along with the process till now. In this section, we will be focusing around adding shadows, statue, and texture to the forest crown. Use a smaller or a fine detailed brush to add intricate details. Remember, the finer the details, the more realistic the piece will look. With a medium size round brush, I'm now focusing on adding more structure and texture to the tin roof. Using a mix of burnt umber and a little black, I begin drawing diagonal lines across the roof. These lines follow the direction of the tin panels and help mimic that slightly red corrugated surface you often see in the tin sheets. At the bottom edges on the roof, I curve the lines slightly to suggest the natural bend and flow of aged metal, where the panels may have wbed or sagged a bit over time. These lines don't need to be perfect or evenly spaced. In fact, a little bit of variation makes them feel more natural. Just focus on keeping your strokes consistent with the perspective and flow of the roof. This deep really helps the roof feel textured and dimensional, giving it more realism and pulling it forward in the scene. Oh We will mix burnt amber with red and paint random leafy shadows that seem to creep up from the ground onto the walls. This gives us that overgrown look with leaves and vines slowly overtaking the temple. Imagine how shadows from nearby plants and vines would look as they fall across the wall. Some sharp edges, some soft edges like the sunlight is peeking through layers of leaves. This helps create that overgrown feeling. Like nature is slowly creeping up and wrapping itself around the temple. 29. Shadows, Statue: We're almost there. Add the steel window bars next and use a lighter shade to add highlights to the bars. In this part of the painting, I'm focusing on bringing the window to life by adding all the intricate details using a medium sized round Brush. I'm starting by painting the window frame, carefully outlining the outer edges to give it a clean, defined shape. Then I begin adding the window railings using a mix of burnt amber and black to get a rich dark tool that contrasts well with the temple one. Then I layer in the horizontal lines, making sure they intersect cleanly with the verticals. These crossbars help give the window a strong structured field. To add realistic texture, I vary the pressure of my brush strokes, pressing a bit harder for thicker lines where shadows fall and using a lighter hand for the highlights. I also include small elements like window handles or hinges, placing them where the opening edges would be. These tiny touches might seem subtle, but they help crown the window in reality. After defining the structure, I add shadows underneath the railings and along the inner edges of the frame. These are painted with a more dilute mix of burnt umber gently blended to soften the transition and give a sense of depth as if the light is falling unevenly across the window. To make the glass panels feel more realistic, I've added a soft background layer inside the window. This is a gentle mix of light blue green and a hint of white. I apply it in thin smooth strokes using a flat or soft round brush. This subtle tint creates the illusion of light reflecting off the glass as if the outside world is just barely visible behind the reflections. It adds a sense of calm and realism without distracting from the windows details. Keep this layer very soft. No harsh lines here. Think of it like painting light in air, not objects. With all the railings, shadows, textures, and glass stones in place, the window finally starts to feel like it belongs in the scene. These are the little details that really makes a painting stand out. The more attention you give to them, the more depth and emotion your scene will carry. 30. Forest Ground: [No Speech] 31. Finishing Touches: This is the final section of this module where we'll focus around adding greenery highlights, and completing the landscape. So let's start by adding some greenery to this earthy temple. We'll start with olive green and dark green applying the darker tones first. This will represent the moss and vinees growing around the temple. Use a small brush or a tampered brush to create a textured effect for the leaves. The texture of the leaves created using both the brushes are a bit different. If you want the leaves to look more realistic, I would suggest to go with the smaller brush and paint the shape of the leaves as desired. If you want some random strokes, go for the tampered brush. 32. Adding Greenery: I'm starting with deeper shades, a mix of olive green and dark green, I use a small round brush for this. You can also use a tampon brush or sponge if you want a more scattered textured look. But I personally prefer the round brush because it gives me more control for leaf shapes and details. Using just the tip of the brush, I start tapping and dragging gently to create small curved shapes that resemble leaves. I focus first on the shaded areas like corners of the walls around the base of the temple or creeping up from the ground where moss, vinees or thick greenery would naturally grow. Once the dark piece is in place and dry, it's time to layer on the lighter sheets. This is where the painting starts to really come alive. I mix sage green and then begin lightening it by gradually adding yellow and a little white. If you want a more vibrant tone, you can also add lemon yellow, but just a small amount goes a long way. With this lighter shade, I go back over some of the darker areas, but only in small patches. The goal is to highlight parts of the leaves, especially where the light would naturally hit, like the top edges or the outermost parts of the vines. I gently dab or pull the brush to shape individual leaves. Think of them as little tear drops or tiny curved strokes. Don't worry about making every leaf perfect. The beauty of greenery lies in its randomness. One important thing to remember here is don't overdo the lighter colors. If you add too much yellow or white, you'll lose the beautiful dipth created by the dark greens underneath. Think of the light tones as a gentle touch just enough to give the impression of sunlight peeking through the trees and bouncing off the leaves. I like to step back every few minutes and look at the whole piece. This helps me see where a little brightness is needed and where it's better to leave it shaded and natural. 33. Adding Highlights & Final Details: All right, we are almost done. Now it's time to add just a final few touches to bring everything together. Using a very soft touch and a tiny bit of white paint, I gently brush a few light strokes on the red walls of the temple. This gives the effect of sunlight gently fading the surface over time, like how real old walls look when they have been exposed to the sun for years. Remember, less is more here. Don't overdo it. Just a few soft highlights are enough to make the walls look aged natural. At this point, I like to step back and look at the full painting from a little distance. This helps me check if everything feels balanced, especially the contrast between the temple and the surrounding forest. Lastly, you can add some highlights to the red walls using a very light touch of fight just to give them that weathered sun faded effect. But remember, don't overdo it. A few subtle strokes will do the job. If something feels too plain or too sharp, you can always go in with a bit of shadow or a gentle highlight to fix it. These little adjustments at the end can make a big difference in how complete your painting feels. That's it. We have finished our weather temple scene surrounded by layers of moss, greenery, and gentle light. I hope you enjoyed painting along and learned more about how to create texture, how to lay your colors, and how to add depth to your artwork. Thank you so much for watching this course and joining me on this creative journey. I really hope you picked up something new and helpful along the way, whether it was a new technique, a better understanding of textures or just a fresh way to look at your art. This was the last video of the course and I'm so proud of everything we have painted together, but we are not done just yet. Once you've finished all the lessons, I have a really exciting and fun project lined up for you. It's designed to help you apply everything you have learned in your own unique. You'll get to experiment, play with colors, and make something that truly reflects your style. Hop on to the final project next. As always, keep painting, keep exploring, and keep growing. Can't wait to see what you create. See you there. 34. Project: Now that you have completed the course, I hope you all have learned something or maybe a lot about painting with Gosh. So here's a fun little project for you all to taste out everything you have learned so far. Our final class project is to paint white daisies on a greenish black background. So this reference will let you practice smooth background blending, laying light over dark, and adding those fine little details with a fine brush. This is the reference that I'm talking about. This is a fairly easier composition to practice when working with Gosh. So I have multiple versions of it, starting from the cover of my sketchbook, then the actual reference. And once you're confident enough that you can paint daisies and blend the background, you can add multiple flowers or maybe in multiple shades. That is totally up to you. And if you feel that you're bored of daisies and you want to paint some new flowers, maybe add a marigold version of it. So all these references have one thing in common, and that is the plain black background. And then you can just layer on top of it using all the techniques that we have learned throughout the course. So feel free to take a screenshot of this reference right here or just pause the video for a second, study the reference, and then start painting. This project is meant to be fun, relaxing and confidence boosting. A perfect way to wrap up our Gach class. And once you're done, don't forget to upload your version on the project gallery. I would love to see your take on it. So happy painting.