Gouache: A Self-Study Guide

Print edition: EKSMO (in Russian), in print. Digital edition: in preparation.

About the book

The second edition of this self-study guide, updated, reworked and expanded, was published by EKSMO in 2010 in the series "Learn to Paint with Olga Shmatova." It has been reprinted ever since.

After the first edition came out in 2004 and the series was launched, the book needed to be updated and expanded. The second edition added new techniques developed by the author: the section on painting techniques grew from ten to sixteen. It also includes new work by students who achieved impressive results with this method, clear proof that it works.

The book is widely recognized both in Russia, where it is recommended for art schools and supplementary art education programs, and abroad. In 2019, a Chinese publisher acquired the rights to the book, which shows how universal and in-demand the author's approach to teaching gouache is.

Why gouache?

Before this book, gouache was often thought of as a paint for children. In fact, it is an underrated painting medium that can capture the subtlest shades of color and create a velvety surface that draws the viewer in.

What makes gouache great:

• Easy to adjust colors and fix details: unlike watercolor, gouache lets you paint over strokes that didn't work
• Convenient: it dries quickly, has no smell, and is ideal for painting at home
• Modern paints are affordable and lightfast
• Finished paintings are easy to frame and display

The author's method

The gouache techniques in this book were developed by Olga Shmatova, an outstanding artist and teacher. These are the very techniques that allowed her to create sought-after paintings and miniatures, recognized by professionals and art lovers alike.

Much of the method was developed and tested while Olga Shmatova taught at her own art studio. Olga Shmatova's Studio specialized in teaching adults from scratch, and that invaluable experience became the foundation of this book.

A unique approach

Before this book appeared, it was widely believed that painting techniques could not be taught through a book, only in person, by a teacher who could demonstrate them and guide the student's hand.

Olga Shmatova proved otherwise. With its carefully planned structure, detailed explanations and clear illustrations, the book lets you master complex techniques on your own, without a teacher at your side. It was a real breakthrough in art education.

Who this book is for

• Beginners who want to learn to paint with gouache
• Anyone who wants to use the full painterly potential of gouache
• Artists who want to raise their technical skills
• Anyone who wants to learn the methods of an experienced professional

What's inside

Contents

Materials, equipment and techniques

• The author's style
• Useful habits
• Materials and equipment for gouache
• Starting and finishing a painting

Painting techniques

1. Even color
2. Opaque layers
3. Washes
4. Fluid gouache
5. Fine lines with a brush
6. Softening edges
7. Blending with water
8. Blending with paint
9. Dry brush
10. Brushstrokes
11. Wet-in-wet gouache
12. Stencils
13. Stamping
14. Reserving the paper
15. Spattering
16. Removing paint

Let's paint together: step-by-step paintings

• A Summer Day
• Rose
• Still Life with Fruit
• Seaside Town
• Fox
• Portrait

Practice

• 16 core gouache techniques
• 3 to 10 exercises in each technique chapter
• 6 complete step-by-step painting demonstrations

Features

• Clear explanations with examples of work by the author and her students
• Detailed step-by-step illustrations of every technique
• Technique diagrams with tips on how much paint and water to use
• Common mistakes and how to fix them
• Practical tips for getting each technique right
• A set of exercises for every technique

What you will learn

• Gouache painting skills and techniques
• Smooth transitions of color and tone
• Painting fine lines
• Applying semi-transparent layers
• Original gouache techniques
• Choosing materials and tools

Student work

The book features work by the author and her students, credited in the book. Their results show how well the method works.

Edition details

• Publisher: EKSMO, series "Learn to Paint with Olga Shmatova" (in Russian)
• ISBN 978-5-699-41935-7
• 80 illustrated pages
• Format: 84×108 1/16
• 2004: first publication of the author's gouache method in Russia (first edition)
• 2010: second, revised and expanded edition, reprinted ever since

Please note: the year printed in your copy may differ from the year of first publication, because the publisher updates it with every reprint. To see which edition you have, check the publication details on the last page of the book. The ISBN may also change with reprints.

The first edition (2004)

The first edition was published by EKSMO in 2004 in the series "The Artist's Classic Library." It was the first Russian book on gouache and the first systematic guide to gouache painting for adult artists in Russia; many techniques first described in it have since become standard practice. The book was recommended for specialized art colleges and universities, art schools and after-school art programs. It covered 10 painting techniques (ISBN 978-5-699-10166-5, 80 pages) and was reprinted regularly due to steady demand until 2010, when the revised and expanded second edition replaced it. The student work in it was so strong that even experienced artists could not always tell it apart from the author's own. The first edition is no longer in print.

Learn more about the author, Olga Shmatova: About the author · All books