Gouache and India Ink!

A few weeks ago, Linda Kemshall from Design MattersTV, had a video on using Gouache paints.  Well, because we all have those supplies that we purchased eons ago and haven't used them yet....I thought  I'd see what was in my art supply cabinet!  Yep...Gouache paints were there!   And I had black and blue inks! So I played following Linda's video.

First up, I drew some squares on watercolor paper...just playing...nothing in mind.

Next up I painted, using blue and green Gouache paints in the squares and around the edges of the paper.   I used a sponge to stamp paint in the circles and just a paint brush for the squares and edges.

I wanted to see if I could do this technique on fabric (of course!) so I took a small strip of a Inkjet fabric sheet...the type you to run through your printer to print on.   I also cut a small (2"x5") strip of muslin that I covered with white Gesso.   In the next pic you can see the strip is painted and on the right is the muslin painted with the gesso. 

Once the Gesso dried I stenciled the red/dab of white Gouache paint on top of the dried Gesso.  I forgot to take a picture but I'm sure you get the idea.  The hard part is waiting for your paints to dry! 

Next, using a paint brush, I covered the entire painted (& dried) watercolor paper with Dr. Ph. Martin black India ink.  I did the same with the small inkjet fabric and Gesso muslin strip.  You can vaguely see the paint pattern through the black ink.  Again, I didn't take a picture of the strips of fabric painted black. 

Patience again waiting for each of the samples to dry!  Once dry, you rinse off the ink with running water!  Yep, even the watercolor paper.  I did rub gently on the fabric pieces and you can see where the Gouache paints acted like a resist to the ink. And here are my results.

Watercolor Paper all rinsed

Fabric Strip

Yes, I kept the strip on the paper backing during the entire process.

Stenciled muslin strip

I am really happy with how the stenciled fabric piece turned out!  Heck, the paper is cool too but I work in fabric and only use my paper journals/books/papers for drawing my ideas or documenting a process.  

This was a fun technique and just like the string art I think this would be a technique to use on fabric!   Now...what to do for my next project using this technique!  Hmmmmmmm  I just hope it's not another fish!