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Manda Comisari

Fine Artist specializing in gouache

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Gouache has long been overlooked in fine art. Here’s why this bold, honest medium deserves gallery space—and why I’ve chosen it for 14+ years.

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tags: gouache, fine art mediums, artist life, painting techniques, contemporary art, material honesty, why use gouache, creative defiance
Thursday 05.29.25
Posted by Manda Comisari
 

Take a peek inside my favorite tiny travel art kit—complete with a miniature sketchbook, a paint flask, and the quirky history involving the Whiskey Painters of America. Plus, easy steps to build your own DIY kit.

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tags: travel watercolor palette, whiskey painters, portable art supplies, mini art kit, painting while traveling, art on the go, gouache travel kit, sketchbook inspiration, miniature art supplies, tiny sketchbook
Wednesday 05.07.25
Posted by Manda Comisari
 

From experimenting with plaid patterns to embracing bold new colors, my creative process has taken an exciting turn. In this post, I dive into how houseplants and personal experiences inspired a new collection of works., and how rediscovering fun in the process led to my biggest artistic shift.

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tags: gouache painting techniques, mini sketchbook paintings, watercolor travel palette, houseplant art, pattern painting with gouache, experimental painting techniques, overcoming creative blocks, art blog creative journey, artist journey after vision loss
Tuesday 04.29.25
Posted by Manda Comisari
 

From creative block to breakthrough—how vision loss, healing, and repotting houseplants led me back to art and a brand-new body of work.

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tags: Vision loss and creativity, Finding inspiration, Houseplants and healing, Art after illness, Overcoming creative block, Gouache painting process, Emotional healing through art, Creative recovery story
Wednesday 04.23.25
Posted by Manda Comisari
Comments: 1
 

In 2023, an eye exam turned into a life-altering experience when I suddenly lost my eyesight. What followed was my strangest year yet—full of acupuncture, carrot juice, community, and a whole lot of self-trust. This is the story of how losing my vision helped me see everything more clearly.

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tags: vision loss, optic neuritis, healing journey, prism lens complications, artist life, burnout recovery, personal growth, creative process, self trust, rediscovering joy, painting after burnout, creative healing
Tuesday 04.15.25
Posted by Manda Comisari
Comments: 2
 

Go behind the scenes of the Unusual Animal Messages oracle deck—from planning and painting to unexpected challenges and brilliant breakthroughs.

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tags: unusual animal messages, unusual animal messages oracle deck, how to make an oracle deck, oracle deck creation process, painting oracle cards, gouache animal illustration, animal spirit cards, behind the scenes oracle deck, gouache textures, intuitive animal messages, writing an oracle deck
Monday 12.12.22
Posted by Manda Comisari
 

Every creative project has an origin story—and mine starts with severe childhood anxiety, an introduction to energy work, and an early love for the world’s weirdest animals. In this post, I’m sharing how Unusual Animal Messages came to life, from the initial concept to a finished product sitting on shelves.

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tags: animal oracle deck, oracle deck creation story, unusual animal messages, publishing journey, oracle deck publishing, how to publish an oracle deck, gouache oracle cards, illustrated oracle deck
Thursday 12.01.22
Posted by Manda Comisari
 

Studio update: Eeek! I did a thing!

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tags: oracle deck, unusual animal messages, gouache illustration, intuitive card deck, animal symbolism, animal spirit guides, illustrated oracle deck, self-love, personal growth tools, psychology and art, creative healing
Tuesday 11.01.22
Posted by Manda Comisari
 

TALES FROM THE PALETTE

A series of ghoulish gouache horror stories, sure to both delight and terrify. Join me this Halloween for some illustration studio fun, inspired by the classic Tales From the Crypt series. Written in collaboration with Simon Nagel.

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tags: gouache, gouache painting, gouache paint, gouache tips, gouache paint beginners
Sunday 10.31.21
Posted by Manda Comisari
 
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I’m sharing some of the best gouache practices I’ve found after years of using the medium. If you are beginning with gouache, these tips and tricks will help ensure you can start painting easily and effortlessly.

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tags: gouache, gouache painting, gouache how to, gouache paint for beginners, gouache tips, learning how to paint with gouache, painting with gouache, gouache paint beginners
Sunday 07.25.21
Posted by Manda Comisari
 
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In order to get the most out of your gouache paints you’ll have to understand how to use them. A lot of this comes with practice and play but to help you get started, here are a few ideas for gouache techniques you can experiment with to see what you like and what works for you.

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tags: gouache, gouache tutorial, gouache paint for beginners, learning how to gouache, starting with gouache, gouache paint, tutorial, intro to gouache, gouache techniques, gouache painting, experimenting with gouache, painting techniques, painting tutorial
Sunday 07.18.21
Posted by Manda Comisari
Comments: 2
 
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Learn how to get started painting with gouache using this simple starter toolkit. We’ll cover how to mix your gouache and the ideal consistency for best results, two things I get a lot of questions about.

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tags: gouache, gouache paint for beginners, starting with gouache, intro to gouache, learning how to gouache, gouache tutorial, illustration, mixing paint
Wednesday 06.16.21
Posted by Manda Comisari
 
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If you're still unsure what gouache is or which paints to invest in, I'm here to give you a rundown so you can get started with confidence and ease. I'll begin with some frequently asked questions about gouache, followed by my paint recommendations.

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tags: gouache, gouache paint for beginners, recommended paints, holbein, winsor & newton, schmincke, Horadam, starting with gouache
Wednesday 06.09.21
Posted by Manda Comisari
Comments: 1
 

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I’m always looking for ways to share what I love about gouache and encourage others to give it a go. It’s for this reason that I’ve made this blog post: To explain why gouache is my preferred paint to work with and why I’m recommending you try it ASAP!

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tags: gouache, intro to gouache, top 10 list, illustration
Wednesday 06.09.21
Posted by Manda Comisari
Comments: 6
 
Blog: Allow Me to Illustrate