Sarah Burns / Artist

Airtight Palettes for Gouache – Setup and Tips I might be one of the few people who need to specify liquid gouache vs. dried gouache palette setups when I talk to others - because I use both regularly! My dried gouache palette is not as common as I thought. When I share videos about my palettes on my YouTube channel I get so many questions about why, how, what - it made me realize that it's been a long time since I shared this type of setup.

Let's talk about using these "palette boxes" for gouache.

30 Consecutive Days of Plein Air Painting – My 3 Biggest Lessons Learned Painting every single day is not easy, and even less so when it's outdoors! You are at the mercy of the weather and light, and if one of those is not playing ball, things can crumble quickly. But the lessons gained from building the discipline of daily painting in challenging conditions are well worth the struggles. Every April I take part in the #PleinAirpril challenge - painting outside every day during April - and I feel myself grow quickly in a short time.

30 Consecutive Days of Plein Air Painting – My 3 Biggest Lessons Learned

Painting every single day is not easy, and even less so when it's outdoors! You are at the mercy of the weather and light, and if one of those is not playing ball, things can crumble quickly. But the lessons gained from…

Albi, France

Sarah Burns teaching painting workshop in France

Exploring medieval city in France

Painting workshop by Sarah Burns

I took a break from posting here because I went to France to teach a painting workshop! It was a life changing and beautiful, soul-filling adventure 🥰 I’ll share more once I process a bit more.

Passing squall in the Sound of Jura - plein air sketches in goretex and fingerless gloves weather

Watercolour on Two Rivers paper
300x200mm

Sarah Burns plein air

Forest painting plein air

Gouache Forest painting

Twisty tree

Day 30 of #pleinairpril Ending on a high note, the best weather and so inspired for my art retreat in France next week!
#gouache #pleinair

That color is nice and sticky

Architecture sketch

Old building

Forest plein air gouache

Plein air kit

Days 28-29 of #pleinairpril this kit has served me well all month (there were some minor tweaks here and there). I feel all warmed up for summer.

#gouache #pleinair

Gouache landscape study

Closeup gouache landscape

Closeup gouache landscape

Plein air gouache inside car

Day 27 of #pleinairpril is a little stormy but a great view for studying greens.
#gouache #pleinair

Gouache forest painting

Gouache Forest plein air

Days 25-26 of #pleinairpril in my happy place 🥰
#gouache #pleinair #forestrherapy

Today painting plein air at Borth y Gest in North Wales. Remembered my phone today but forgot my tripod. Painted on Millford paper with Schmincke watercolours. #pleinair #watercolour #art #schmincke #borthygest

Value study coastal cliffs

Coastal cliffs

Gouache painting of Scotland coastal cliffs

Closeup gouache study of coastal cliffs

Days 23-24 of #pleinairpril on the coast exploring cliffs for days!
Day 23 - value study
Day24 - gouache study

#gouache #pleinair #scotland

Gouache sketch coastal rocks

Gouache sketch coastal rocks

Gouache coastal study

Scotland coast

Day 22 of #pleinairpril Lil gouache sketches #gouache #pleinair

Gouache landscape

Gouache garden sketch

Auchindoun Castle

Painting at Auchindoun Castle

Days 18-21 of #pleinairpril Lots of garden sketching and a castle 😎
#gouache

Plein air coast painting

Plein air gouache landscape

Plein air gouache coast painting

Sarah burns

Days 15-17 of #pleinairpril It’s been a little stormy lately, but today the wind was not as icy and I got a glimpse of that summer feeling 🥰
#gouache #pleinair

Gouache plein air study Scotland

Gouache plein air study Scotland

Gouache plein air study Scotland

Scotland highlands

Day 14 of #pleinairpril the fields are slowly shifting to green. I love this combination of colors! I managed two study’s before rain chased me away. Need to return to this spot. #gouache #pleinair

River painting

Sarah Burns plein air painting

Gouache plein air closeup

Spey River kayaking

Day 13 of #pleinairpril was chilly 🥶 I caught the only bit of sun before the clouds rolled in. As I was packing up these kayakers went by, might need to paint that in the future! Love the pop of red.
#gouache #pleinair #pleinairpril2025

Thank you ☺️

Gouache sketch

Gouache Forest sketch

Forest stream

Quick gouache forest sketch, so tired! #gouache Day 12 of #pleinairpril almost halfway through.

Thanks so much!

Urban sketching watercolor

Urban sketching watercolor

Elgin capital

Any excuse to use turquoise! I’m game 😎 Day 11 of #pleinairpril

Dome = Phthlalo turquoise, white gouache and lots of water.

Stone = Potters pink, buff titanium, water

Details = potters pink, ultramarine

Splashy wave paintings

Gouache wave paintings

Gouache wave splashing

Plein air sketching in Scotland

Day 10 of #pleinairpril The colors of the sea were mental! #pleinair #gouache #pleinairpril2025

Elgin Cathedral

Sketching at Elgin cathedral

Sketching at Elgin cathedral

Elgin cathedral

Day 09 of #pleinairpril Sketched between errands.
Love this combo of water soluble graphite and ink brush pen. #urbansketching #scotland

Thank you!

Just me*
Drat not being able to edit

Gouache Forest plein air

Closeup gouache tree painting

Closeup gouache painting

Plein air in the forest

Day 08 of #pleinairpril just n e and my dead trees 🥰 #gouache #pleinair

Gouache plein air coast of Scotland

Spring Scotland gorse

Gouache plein air on the coast of Scotland

Gorse blooming coast of Scotland

Perfect weather for day 07 of #pleinairpril #gouache #pleinair

Painting castles in Scotland

Closeups of castle painting in Scotland

Brodie Castle

Painting daffodils and trees

Amazing day painting at Brodie Castle. Day 06 of #pleinairpril it was perfect weather for my plein air group.

#gouache #pleinairpril2025

Thank you! I’m really enjoying that size

Coast of Scotland

Gouache plein air coastal scene

Day 05 of #pleinairpril braving the icy coastal wind to catch the dramatic light.
#gouache #pleinair

I haven’t heard of anyone having that problem. They should have offered a full refund. Email me if you want me to speak to them, I don’t always see comments sarahburnsstudio@gmail.com