Rabid Sharks
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Prison Blog

In which Possum recounts his experiences as an offender in the system.

Possum Bones is autistic. He has identified as a dirty kid in the past, and he’s attended multiple rainbow gatherings. He has several years left to serve in the Washington Correctional system.

He has been making art since he could sit up. He communicates better in writing than speech. If you are interested in the experience of an autistic person doing prison time, check out his Prison Blog. If you are a fan of comic art, underground/outsider music, Lovecraft, Clarke Ashton Smith, Murakami, Cixui Liu, etc.

Scathing Utrecht gouache review

apologize for shitty punctuation - wrist pain and a heavy jpay tablet

This gouache is cheap, because it sucks. Originally when I began using gouache I thought it was a difficult medium - because this is the gouache I started with. Now that I have become more accustomed to Windsor and newton gouache ( Which is still probably not the best ... probably Holbein or M. Graham is better ) I expect to be able to apply thinner layers and still achieve opacity. This is not possible with the Utrecht gouache, and I suspect it has something to do with it having too much chalk. The flame red is particularly watery, it bubbles and is very hard to get a good solid pastey squeeze until you get past this ucky layer of gum arabic. This gouache requires the utmost control of the amount of water used, requires an excruciatingly light touch to blend without pulling up... leaving you with spots of semitransparent color where you wanted solidity. It is best or maybe only useable in thick, pasty smears. I CAN use this stuff, because of the control I had to develop in order to use it, but I wouldn't choose to. Even the sticky Royal Talens gouache is more useable than this stuff. Get even a drop of water from your brush on your paper and you will be dealing with a very persistent blotch. Having used other brands, I realise this gouache responds to water differently, and not in a good way somehow, its more soluble. Dripping some water on my paper is not nearly such a big deal with a higher quality formula. I only have the 59ml white tube of M. Graham, but I would reccomend that formula for the way it doesn't dry out so quick on the palette - because of the honey in it - and for its lightfast colors. I've had fair results with the Windsor and newton gouache but im sure the M. Graham is superior based on the properties of the one tube of white that I have. I'll be reviewing the Holbein starter set when I get it.
Gouache is not a difficult medium and I'm dumbfounded as to why it doesn't see more widespread use and why it isn't more well known. The worst mistake you can make seems to be using low quality gouache and low quality paper. You will need to develop good control for blending, but the way I see it, this medium is far more forgiving and convenient than acrylic is, and has an incredible ease of use. And its fast, too. The major downside is the impermanence, and I don't see that as enough of a deterrant to justify the underuse of this amazing medium. There are ways around it. And so far I've had an easy time mixing it with watercolors or casein where I need a color that I don't have ( I'm in relative poverty, and prison ).

Upcoming : review of richeson Siva casein paints

Elisa Carlson