When I get new art supplies, I can’t help but turn it into a full-on little exploration session—and that’s exactly what this sketch with me is. I’m testing the Holbein Irodori gouache set and letting myself “play” in the most useful way: swatching, building mixing charts, and seeing what the palette actually wants to do on paper. I start with simple color swatches and then push into moodier, more specific studies inspired by film scenes (hello, Crimson Peak and Interview with the Vampire), because that’s where I really learn what a set can do. From there, I go into color triads, mixing tests, and what happens when you start introducing white—because gouache can shift so much depending on opacity and how you build your layers. I also do a small test painting and a master study, then wrap everything up with a more “nerdy” look at pigments and how I like to build a unique color wheel for a set. If you’re testing any new materials (not just gouache), my biggest takeaway is: make a system for your experimenting—charts, studies, and tiny paintings—so the playtime actually turns into information you can use later.