Paint vibrant, believable landscape paintings in gouache
The 8-session program that takes you from muddy, chalky color to confident, expressive work by mastering how gouache actually handles light and color.
You feel stuck in an endless cycle of frustration.
You want gouache paintings that match your vision. To step back and think, “I can’t believe I made this.”
But technical struggles with consistency, blending, and opacity stand in your way.
5 telltale signs you need a structured approach to learning gouache rather than more trial and error
1. You mix your colors only to watch them turn muddy and dull when applied to paper
2. You feel a knot in your stomach when your brush touches the paper, knowing it probably won’t look like you imagined
3. You’re eager to paint fine details and crisp lines — but your brushstrokes look chunky and uneven
4. You spend hours watching tutorials but still can’t figure out why your paintings still don’t improve
5. You know deep down that you could create beautiful gouache art — but you can’t quite bring yourself to confidently approach a blank page without trepidation
If any of that’s true for you…
You don’t need to extend your paint collection or watch more random YouTube tutorials.
What you need is to focus on the skills and techniques that matter — so that you can control this wildly versatile medium with confidence and
create the vibrant, dimensional artwork you’ve been dreaming of.
Introducing
The Gouache Course
Most gouache frustration isn’t a talent problem. It’s a knowledge gap: specifically, not knowing how the medium actually handles light, water, and colour. Once you understand that, everything changes.
This course closes that gap in 8 structured sessions. By the end, you’ll paint with the confidence and joy that made you want to pick up gouache in the first place.
I built this course from the inside out — studying what was actually holding my students back, and building the curriculum around those exact problems.
Every session targets a real sticking point: muddy colour, unpredictable drying, edges that won’t behave, paint that reactivates the moment you layer over it. No filler. No generic painting theory. Just the specific knowledge that makes gouache click.
So you can stop fighting your medium and start making the work you’ve been imagining.
Get confident controlling water-to-paint ratios and creating consistent marks
No more guessing how much water to use. Now you can feel confident applying gouache exactly where and how you want it, because you’ll learn the exact techniques for different effects.
Create vibrant paintings without everything turning to mud
I’ll show you how. And you’ll be amazed how forgiving gouache becomes when you know the right approach.
Paint with joy instead of frustration
Imagine sitting down to paint without that knot of anxiety in your stomach. Instead, you confidently mix your colors, knowing exactly how they’ll behave on paper and what value they’ll dry to. You finish your session feeling energized rather than defeated.
Fed up with paintings that look nothing like your vision?
Let’s turn that disappointing experience into paintings with form, character, and professional-looking results that make you proud to call yourself an artist.
“The lessons were engaging, well structured, humorous and entertaining.”
“As a digital artist, I’ve always been extremely intimidated but also intrigued by traditional painting. Turns out all my worries were unfounded because the course made the medium of gouache easily accessible, and introduced all the required techniques step by step. The lessons were engaging, well structured, humorous and entertaining. Justin is a great teacher, and his enthusiasm for painting is infectious! He has managed to create such a positive learning environment for his students, and I loved being part of the community on Discord. Even as someone who has been working as a professional artist for years, I learned many new things, and I can only recommend the course.”
Djamila Knopf — now a full-time gouache artist
The Gouache Course is taught by
Justin Donaldson
Plein Air Magazine’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year — Full-time painter & educator
I know what it feels like to have a clear vision in your head and watch it fall apart the moment paint meets paper. For years I was too busy fighting the medium to actually enjoy painting.
I spent a long time figuring out why gouache behaves the way it does: how it dries, how it layers, how to predict it. Once I understood the cause and effect behind the medium, everything became easier. I stopped feeling stuck and started painting with the fluency I’d always wanted.
This course is everything I wish I’d had when I was starting out. I travel full-time with my family, painting landscapes across the US — and gouache is what makes that possible.
Plein Air Magazine’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year
“Discovering the versatility of the medium was a lot of fun and a wee bit mindblowing at times”
“I really enjoyed this course! The videos were very clear and it felt like Justin was very open to answer any questions. Discovering the versatility of the medium was a lot of fun and a wee bit mindblowing at times, haha.
On a personal note: I’ve mostly been painting digitally for the last few years. After taking this course, I think I may have found a new favourite traditional medium. Gouache can get messy too, but it is also pretty forgiving! Doing the assignments really did give me more confidence as a traditional painter.”
Jenny Luco — artist
Let’s see what’s inside…
Session 1: Painting with Consistency
Get the paint to come off the brush exactly how you want it to. It can be hard to know how the paint will turn out, but learning to paint with consistency will allow you to create paintings that pop off the page. This is the single skill that will unlock the rest of gouache for you.
Session 2: Controlling Edges
Master the secret behind edge control in gouache. Gouache can often feel like a blunt hammer if you haven’t learned how to use it, but we’re going to dive into how you can create soft edges and subtle transitions with the wet-to-dry technique.
Session 3: Gradients
Gradients are an amazing way to communicate form and movement. There is always more to learn and master when it comes to gradients — this is an open invitation, no matter where you are in your journey, to sit down and learn how to improve.
Session 4: Layering
Layer without reactivating. Layering is a major strength of gouache, and while it can be tricky at first you’ll soon find that you can create layer upon layer of gouache without ever reactivating the paint underneath. This enables a LOT of freedom in how you approach any painting.
Session 5: Working with Water
Gouache is a living, breathing medium — and once we learn to work with the paint instead of fighting against it we’ll have access to a vast array of techniques that allow us to create paintings that feel alive.
Session 6: Handling Value
Your gouache changes as it dries. You can learn to predict this shift — and even use it to your advantage. Keep at it and you’ll be able to get the values you want without even having to think about it.
Session 7: Opaque and Transparent
As a mentor once told me, “If you’re only using gouache for opaque painting you’re only using half of gouache.” Let’s get into the other half — how to use both opaque and transparent painting to make your work even richer.
Session 8: Keeping Gouache Active
Paint with gouache in a way that keeps the paint alive and workable for hours at a time. This will give you time for subtlety and nuance — allowing you to achieve results in gouache you didn’t know were possible.
“One of the best courses I have ever taken.”
“Before this course, gouache was a technique I hated and tried to avoid using, but thanks to Justin’s classes and explanations, I learned how to do things the right way and started to love gouache. Also, classes are easy to understand even if you are not a native English speaker. I’m more than happy with how much I learnt in these weeks. One of the best courses I have ever taken.”
Lunsel — artist
Two things included in every tier that most courses charge extra for
From mixing mud to painting with clarity
Develop this super power as we work through 5 color mixing sessions where we practically, in real time, work through the skill and practice of mixing colour. Mixing colour is the painting superpower — unlock this and everything else becomes easier.
You aren’t alone
We hold weekly live (and recorded) sessions with feedback from me (Justin) and answers to all your gouache questions. I’ll be here with you through the entire process. You’ll also have exclusive access to my students-only community of 500+ others as we work together to find more freedom in gouache.
What’s inside
The Gouache Course
The comprehensive 8-session online course for artists at any level who want to finally make gouache do what they imagine.
- SESSION 1: Consistency. Get the paint off the brush exactly how you want it, so you stop second-guessing every stroke
- SESSION 2: Edge Control. Master hard and soft edges so your paintings have depth and intention, not just accidents
- SESSION 3: Smooth Transitions. Create seamless gradients and blends so skies and forms feel dimensional instead of patchy
- SESSION 4: Layering. Build up colour and tone without lifting the layer beneath, so your paintings gain richness over time
- SESSION 5: Paint Behaviour. Work with gouache’s unique properties instead of against them, so the medium stops feeling unpredictable
- SESSION 6: Value Prediction. Know exactly how light or dark your paint will dry, so what you mix is what you get
- SESSION 7: Versatility. Use the full range of what gouache can do: opaque, transparent and textured — so one medium does everything you need
- SESSION 8: Open Time. Keep paint workable long enough to build subtlety and detail, so you’re never racing the clock
PLUS!
- BONUS #1: 5 Color Mixing Sessions: Build the one skill that makes everything else easier
- BONUS #2: Weekly Live Feedback + Community: Get your work reviewed by Justin and progress alongside 500+ other students
My Guarantee to You
7-day no-questions refund. Take a full week to explore the lessons, bonuses, and community. If it’s not what you were looking for, just let me know and I’ll refund you in full.
6-month results promise. Work through all 8 sessions, submit your artwork for review, and show up to the feedback sessions for 6 months. If you haven’t seen real improvement in your gouache confidence and skill, I’ll refund 100% of your investment. No hoops, no haggling.
I personally review every student’s work. Your improvement isn’t just possible — I’ll make sure it happens.
Here is a video review by Becca Rand.
We no longer do live runs of the course, but instead offer an at-your-own-pace format with weekly feedback sessions for all students.
The Gouache Course is right for you if…
- You have basic art supplies and the willingness to practice
- You’re ready to master the core skills of gouache painting
- You are prepared to end the course ready to create what you have always wanted to create
The Gouache Course may not be right for you if…
- You aren’t willing to pick up basic supplies and commit to regular practice
- You’re looking for quick tips rather than building real, transferable skills
- You’re not ready to put in the effort to paint what you actually imagine
Don’t you think it’s time you enjoyed the versatility of gouache instead of feeling frustrated every time you try to paint?
“I learned more in 8 sessions than I would have in years of figuring things out on my own”
“What a great course this has been! I learned more in 8 sessions than I would have in years of figuring things out on my own. Lots of useful techniques that really expands what you can achieve with gouache. The Discord community really makes it feel like you’re working with a group!”
Joakim — artist
Still on the fence?
Listen, I get it.
Learning a new medium can feel overwhelming, especially when you’ve already experienced disappointment with your results.
But here’s the thing…
Even experienced professional artists have found new techniques and approaches through this course. The lessons are engaging, well-structured, humorous, and entertaining — making the medium of gouache easily accessible with step-by-step instruction.
I can’t promise you overnight mastery without any practice.
But I can promise you this: I’ll provide you with a clear, structured path to understanding gouache that eliminates guesswork and frustration. You’ll gain confidence with each session as you see your skills visibly improve. And you’ll be supported by a community of artists on the same journey.
So what’ve you really got to lose?
