Painting Fantasy with Gouache: Tutorials, Tips, and Tricks from Professional Painters

Learn how to bring vibrant magical worlds to life on paper or canvas with Painting Fantasy in Gouache.

Bolder than watercolour, cleaner than acrylics, and quicker than oils, this richly coloured paint is popular among countless artists working today. Gouache has rapidly gained popularity as an accessible, affordable medium for aspiring painters. This renowned paint, used by beloved artists from Henri Matisse to Syd Mead, is a perfect option for artists who want to achieve vibrant results fast.

With this step-by-step tutorial book, beginners can learn the fundamentals of painting with gouache and how to apply those skills to imaginative fantasy scenes inspired by the timeless beauty of nature. Perfect for beginners to traditional painting, and for more experienced fantasy artists who are keen to step away from their devices and learn a more tactile medium, Painting Fantasy with Gouache is packed with tutorials, guides, and professionals’ tips to support your gouache journey.

An in-depth introduction asks ’What is gouache?’ and then covers essential tools, basic and advanced techniques, simple exercises, clean-up tips, and a gallery of example gouache paintings from the author-artist. This is followed by a selection of tutorials from professional painters, taking readers step by step through the creation of brand-new fantasy paintings using the medium. Stunning photography accompanies each stage of the painting process, giving budding artists a visual guide to begin their own journey with gouache.

The contributing artists are: Justin Donaldson from South Carolina, USA (118k Instagram followers), Grace Nicoletti from Los Angeles (11.6K Instagram followers), Kiara Maharaj from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (296k Instagram followers), Maddy Bellwoar from the Netherlands (80k Instagram followers), Fatima Mandouh from Toledo, Ohio, United States (10.8k Instagram followers), Clo Louise from London, UK (67.8k Instagram followers), and Ken Fairclough from Austin, Texas, USA (5.6k Instagram followers).

Edited by 3dtotal Publishing, based in Worcester, England, UK. 3dtotal publish high-quality art books dedicated to bringing invaluable training to beginners, hobbyists, and professionals alike. Their books feature top industry professionals from around the globe who share their experience in skillfully written step-by-step tutorials and guides. Illustrated throughout with stunning artwork, these best-selling publications offer creative insight, expert advice, and essential motivation.

Justin Donaldson (118K Instagram) is a respected painter and educator specializing in gouache landscapes. Based in South Carolina, USA, he travels forests, fields, and rivers to find inspiration for his plein air paintings and fantasy scenes.

Maddy Bellwoar (80K Instagram) is an artist and nature lover based in the Netherlands. Equally skilled with gouache and digital tools, she has released a wealth of popular resources for both aspiring gouache painters and digital landscape artists.

Kiara Maharaj (Kiara in the Forest) (296K Instagram) is a fantasy writer and illustrator from South Africa. Her illustrations are done using gouache on black paper, and are based on tree portals, characters, and creatures from her fantasy short story series: The Polkadot Files. She exhibits at Comic Con Africa to launch her books.