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Trying out the Gouache Resist Technique

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Croft Castle drive, Autumn

Hilary Forbes

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I was inspired by Carole Robson's article 'Irresistible Resists' in this month's The Artist magazine. I haven't come across this resist method before, was intrigued, and wanted to give it a go.  I have some gouache - white, brown pink and warm grey- and have Indian ink already, so I could get started right away. I wanted an image to work from and I used a Degas portrait, which was on my desk as I had saved it from last year's calendar. Not wanting to do an exact copy but just to have an image to work from. I painted the gouache onto a rough pencil sketch of the portrait, and left it to dry. Then poured black ink (waterproof) over it and left it to dry. I don't think I left the gouache to dry long enough because it leached into the ink, with rather a strange feline face emerging - I then left this to dry overnight. In the morning I washed the gouache off under the tap with some gentle scrubbing with a thick brush. It now looked like this - I let it dry and then painted in more detail using the black ink, and some gouache very thinly applied. Finished attempt - I really like the grainy effect, a bit like a woodblock print, and now I am very keen to try this technique out on a landscape - which will be my next artwork. I wonder if anyone else has tried this out? and what are your thoughts on this method of resist? ( I think with the female portrait you have to be careful the rough print effect doesn't look like stubble on her chin!) 

Jenny Harris

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I also saw that article, Hilary, and thought I’d have a go.  I like the finish you get with ink resists.  I did try it a while ago with gum arabic instead of gouache (wasn’t keen to waste my gouache!) using various strengths of Indian Ink which worked quite well - haven’t yet tried it with acrylic ink which I think she also used. I like your portrait, it has worked well.

Edited
by Jenny Harris

IMG_8857

Marjorie Firth

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Impressive Hilary, I’ll give that a go.

Denise Cat

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Looks great Hilary.

Tessa Gwynne

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I also saw the article, and am thinking about giving it a go. Need to get some inks.
IMG_0700

Gillian Cooke

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I saw the article and fancy having a go too!!
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Interesting, though I haven't really got the space for this - I get grubby enough already without playing with ink in combination with gouache.  I won't be trying it - I don't really specialize, but I don't try every technique going either: but I would be interested to see the work those of you who are keen to try it produce - there's no end of medium combinations you can try; acrylic/watercolour with ink, carbon ink and conté crayon, powdered charcoal....  breaks off and a thought strikes out of the blue (or black).... Who has tried liquid charcoal?  It does seem a very expensive medium; I haven't used it, though have often used water and Indian ink with charcoal, and carbon pencil - could you not just buy the hard charcoal, and prepare your own?