A signature style
Modern Gouache
Opaque, matte, and confidently flat.
Opaque body colour in flat, deliberate shapes — matte surfaces, clean edges, and a mid-century palette. For contemporary stories, board books, and anything that should look designed rather than painted.
Visual characteristics
What defines the look.
- 01Opaque body colour — matte, never transparent
- 02Flat deliberate shapes with clean edges
- 03Mid-century palette: warm neutrals against one loud accent
- 04Design-led compositions built from blocks, not brushstrokes
More in this style
A small gallery.
A few more covers made in this style. Each one is a different story and a different scene, held together by the same visual hand.
The Lantern Hedgehog
A shy hedgehog carries a paper lantern through a dusk clearing. Flat dark shapes, one warm glow.
Milo Reads Everything
A very round cat on a very tall stack of library books. Blocks of colour, no brushwork.
Two Good Friends
A bear, a blue bird and one slice of cake. Matte surfaces, hard edges, generous shapes.
The Apple Thief
A fox caught mid-crime in an autumn orchard. Warm neutrals against a single loud red.
Rain Day
A yellow raincoat, a puddle, a small frog. The clearest test of flat opaque colour there is.
Best for
When this style works best.
Every style has a home. Here's where modern gouache sits most naturally — the kinds of stories, audiences, and moods it was made for.
- Board books and first concept books
- Familiar animal and everyday subjects given a modern treatment
- Publishers who want a contemporary shelf presence
Styles to consider
You might also like.
Bold & Playful
Energetic, expressive, made to be read aloud.
Chalky textures, confident brushwork, and primary colors that leap off the page. For stories that are loud, warm, and full of character.
Soft Pastel Storybook
Gentle, glowing, and tender.
Painterly pastel washes, glowing light, and softly rounded characters. For quiet, tender stories that feel like being tucked in.
Start your book
Commission a book in Modern Gouache.
Tell us about your manuscript. We'll send a short proposal with a concept sketch within two working days.