March 5, 2026 - Deborah Roskopf | south-hill-artists

Our Next Workshop Will Be With Artist

Deborah Roskopf!

Thursday, February 5th, 2026

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

"Painting Florals in Watercolor Gouache"

Deborah Roskopf has been painting, drawing, and creating since childhood. Born and raised in southern Indiana and inspired and mentored by family and teachers, there was never a question that she would become absorbed into the art world.

After graduating from Ball State University, she found success as a graphic designer, an advertising illustrator, trompe l’oeil artist/muralist.

These experiences led to her establishment of a well-respected design consultancy in the northwest and beyond for over 30 years.

With a lifelong passion for drawing, Deborah gravitates toward media that allows her to draw as she works, favoring watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oil, and the explorative and noncommittal nature of mixed media. She is drawn to portraiture, quiet people in

personal moments, landscapes, as well as the strong graphic and architectural lines of unexpected subject matter, sometimes nonobjective.

Deborah’s work has won several awards and is frequently accepted into juried exhibitions.

Education-

B.A., Fine Art w/Advertising Specialization –

Ball State University / Muncie, IN

Memberships-

Portrait Society of America, Associate Member.

Northwest Watercolor Society, Signature Member.

- Acting President, 2022 - 2026

- President, 2019 - 2021

- Vice-President, 2018

Examples of Deborah's Work

WHAT TO KNOW- DEBORAH ROSKOPF -DEMO / MARCH 2026

Choose and Prepare Your Substrate:

Many surfaces are appropriate for gouache. Because gouache can crack if applied thickly, a rigid surfacesuch as mat board or watercolor paper affixed to mat board works well. A paper not primed with gesso willbe more absorbent, so consider a layer of gesso.

The image size is a 2 to 3 ratio, but you can adjust it per your wishes. These sizes are a 2 to 3 ratio:

- 4 x 6

- 5 x 7.5

- 6 x 9

Add the reference image to your phone/I-pad or bring a good quality print out.

Paints

You’ll use more white than any other color. Tube watercolors mix with gouache, so if you don’t want to purchase gouache, you might find the sleeping tubes of watercolor that are in the back of a drawer and bring them before they dry up.

Here is the layout of my current palette. Yours will look different, but this can be a guide.

This demo will be watercolor gouache.

Acrylic gouache is different and behaves

much like typical acrylic. It is inert when dry,

unlike watercolor gouache. The two can be

intermixed.

Brushes

Gouache has more body than watercolor, so bring brushes similar to what you would use for acrylic. I use primarily flats, angles, and sometimes a bright shape. And a cheap 1” “chip” brush. Some of my brushes are in great shape, some are old and I like their “oldness”. Make sure you have a 1” flat and whatever you prefer in a variety of sizes and shapes below 1” so you can find what works best for you.

Here Is My Studio Setup

- iPad & stand

- Angled board

- Water jug

- Rags or paper towels

- Scrap paper for testing

- White gouache in separate small container.

- Colors in storage container.

- Enameled butcher pan for mixing surface

-Spray water bottle & small squeeze bottle