Casein Paint
Casein paint is a water-based paint that uses casein, a milk protein, as its binder. It dries quickly to a matte film and becomes increasingly water-resistant as it cures.
Painter
James Gurney
James Gurney is an American painter, illustrator, and author known for imaginative realism, outdoor sketching, and work in casein, gouache, watercolor, oil, and acrylic.
James Gurney quick facts
Review key details about James Gurney's career, imaginative realism, illustration, outdoor sketching, and the traditional media that shape his painting practice.
| Born | 1958 |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Paint media | Casein · Gouache · Watercolor · Oil paint · Acrylic paint |
| Documented supports | Paper · Painting board · Canvas · Cardboard · Foam board |
| Common subjects | Plein-air scenes, dinosaurs, imagined worlds, landscapes, architecture, and observational studies |
| Known for | Dinotopia, imaginative realism, painting instruction, and demonstrating traditional and portable painting media. |
Sources: James Gurney official website, About James Gurney, Casein Painting in the Wild, Gurney Journey: Architectural Maquettes, Gurney Journey: How Should You Paint a Maquette?, Gurney Journey: Impromptu Oil Portrait, and Gurney Journey: Painting Clouds Over a Sky Gradation.
Paint types used
See the paint types documented in Gurney's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining each medium's properties, uses, and working characteristics.
Gouache
Gouache paint is an opaque, water-based art medium made with pigment and a water-soluble binder. Traditional formulas dry to a matte finish and can be reactivated with water.
Watercolor
Watercolor paint is a water-based art medium made with pigment and a water-soluble binder. It is known for transparent color that settles into absorbent paper.
Oil Paint
Oil paint is a slow-drying paint made with pigment and a drying oil binder. It is widely used for artwork because it blends smoothly and develops rich color.
Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint is a fast-drying, water-based paint made with pigment and an acrylic polymer binder. It is widely used in art and decorative projects because it is versatile and durable.
Surface types used
See the surface types documented in Gurney's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining how each support behaves and is prepared for painting.
Paper
Paper is an absorbent sheet material made primarily from cellulose fibers. Its weight, sizing, surface texture, and wet strength determine how much paint it can accept before buckling, pilling, bleeding, or warping.
Painting Board
Painting board is a rigid artist support made from hardboard, wood, or another stable panel material. It may be sold raw or prepared with a medium-specific ground layer.
Canvas
Canvas is a woven fabric support used for paintings, banners, bags, décor, and other projects. Artist canvas may be raw, sized, acrylic-primed, oil-primed, or factory-coated, and each condition changes how paint absorbs and bonds.
Cardboard
Cardboard is a paper-based sheet material made from compressed fibers, often with corrugated fluting between liner sheets. It is lightweight and absorbent, so heavy wet coats can soften or warp it.
Foam Board
Foam board is a lightweight panel with a foam core between paper facings, and the paper surface and exposed foam edges can respond differently to paint.
Painters similar to James Gurney
Explore painters similar to James Gurney through observational realism, outdoor painting, watercolor and traditional media, and close attention to practical technique.
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Koo Schadler
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