WORKSHOP: Capturing Color & Confidence: Fall Landscapes in Gouache
In this workshop, Ellen will guide students through the fundamentals of working with gouache—a vibrant and versatile medium ideal for both studio and plein air painting. Her instruction emphasizes simplifying shapes, capturing the effects of light, and building strong, expressive compositions.
Ellen will demonstrate key gouache techniques, including layering, managing water control, and effective color mixing. Through step-by-step demos and group discussion, she’ll share practical strategies for using gouache’s unique opacity and fast drying time to your advantage.
Students will work from photo references inspired by the brilliant fall colors of the Eastern Sierra, including golden aspens and dramatic mountain backdrops. Whether you’re new to gouache or looking to refine your skills, Ellen creates a supportive and encouraging environment where painters of all levels can grow in confidence and creativity.
About Ellen
Ellen Howard is an accomplished landscape painter and seasoned instructor known for her luminous, nature-inspired work in gouache and oil. With over a decade of teaching experience, Ellen brings clarity, warmth, and a deep passion for helping others express themselves through paint. Her workshops emphasize capturing light, atmosphere, and emotion, particularly in gouache, a versatile medium ideal for both studio and plein air work.
She has taught weekly painting classes and plein air workshops across the West Coast and beyond, and was most recently on the faculty of the 2025 Plein Air Convention, demoing how to create “Radiant Sunsets” with gouache and serving on the pre-convention Basics Team. Ellen’s work has appeared in Fine Art Connoisseur, Plein Air Magazine, American Art Collector, and other national publications. She currently serves as Vice President of Programming for the California Art Club.