“In a world of digital art, staying true to the timeless beauty of gouache illustration is a mark of luxury, because it’s a matter of time, emotion and authenticity.”

Hélène & Jeanne KARPOV

Master the art of gouache jewelry design with world-renowned experts

Hello, we are Jeanne and Hélène Karpov, high-end jewelry designers and gouachers.

After spending 20 years working at prestigious and exclusive houses on the Place Vendôme in Paris, we’ve decided to teach YOU everything we know about our professions.

Gouache rendering: the timeless art that brings jewelry to life

Do you know what is gouache? Technically speaking, it is the art of rendering using opaque watercolor.

Mastery of this delicate craft is rare, with only a handful of experts worldwide recognized as true masters of gouache—and we are honored (and happy!) to be among them.

Over the past 20 years, we have honed our skills working with some of the most iconic luxury brands from the LVMH, Richemont, and Kering groups, as well as many others. What we are about to share with you is the culmination of decades of work, passion, and dedication to this ‘savoir-faire’.

Moreover, some of the techniques we teach are entirely unique—self-discovered and refined through years of experimentation and innovation. These are methods you won’t find anywhere else, designed to help you master the art of jewelry gouache with unparalleled efficiency.

Why choose gouache over digital rendering?

High-End Jewelry Design & Gouache - Bejewelled Butterfly Brooch by Hélène & Jeanne Karpov

Gouache is more than a technique—it’s an experience. Whether you practice it for fun, relaxation, or to create stunning illustrations for your home, this art form brings beauty and tranquility to your life.

For aspiring designers, mastering gouache is more than just an asset—it’s a way to stand out. In a world where digital rendering is becoming increasingly dominant, mastering this traditional technique positions you as a designer who is detail-oriented and passionate about high-quality work. It sends a clear message to customers and employers: your creations are not merely sketches—they are true works of art, crafted with care and dedication.

Even without perfect mastery, a gouache rendering captivates clients with its charm and elegance—something a digital or 3D rendering simply cannot replicate. Many customers appreciate the handcrafted, timeless quality that gouache brings to the design process.

Discover the timeless art of gouache and elevate your creativity to the next level.

Our courses

We reveal to you the most efficient techniques to become a master of design and gouache.

Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced painter, you will learn and improve your techniques step by step with our online courses. Gouache is accessible to everyone. It just requires some simple methods to begin and a little practice!

How about trying our FREE course?

In it, you’ll learn how to paint a diamond.

Jewelry gouache - Diamond brilliant cut / Gouaché de joaillerie - diamant taille brillant

Student’s work

What our students say about us

  • I have been wanting to take this gouache course for a long time and I am so glad that I could finally make it happen. I am enjoying it immensely and I am loving all the vivid colors.

    Anna W.

  • I am thoroughly enjoying the course and would love to one day be able to do something like this as a career (after some more practice of course) thank you so much for creating such a wonderful course!

    Louise N.

  • The course is amazing, every video so well done, and very full of content!

    Renata C.

  • I thoroughly enjoyed the Opal course. It was great to deep dive into specifics: colours, opals elements, types of opals. Having the reference really helped and also the close up footage and step by step. With these tools, I am now able to apply them to my own opal collection. Merci!

    Tori P.

  • All your tips and online courses are very good, they helped me a lot to improve my illustration skills, thank you very much!

    Jorge S.

  • Vos cours en ligne sont très bien organisés et complets et votre ouvrage "Gouaches" est d'une finesse remarquable !

    Adeline C.

SEE COURSES

What icons of the industry say about us

  • "I had the opportunity to discover the enchanting world of Jeanne and Hélène’s gouaches. A craftsmanship full of lightness, transparency, and colors. Under the brushstroke, the jewelry transforms into paintings that illuminate our senses."

    — Philippe Delhotal

    Creative Director at La Montre Hermès

  • “Hélène and Jeanne are like shining stars showing us the way: they just lit up the studio with their creativity. Their gouaches were works of art in their own right that in turn inspired these other works of art, the jewels.”

    — Stanislas de Quercize

    Former CEO & President of Van Cleef & Arpels International, Cartier International and Richemont France

  • “I have been following your work very closely and have seen your magnificent book Gouaches. You have elevated jewelry illustration, "le gouaché", to an unprecedented artistic level. ”

    — Corentin Quideau

    Founder and General Manager - Cartier Joaillerie International

  • "Creativity, artistic talents, and technical skills of Hélène & Jeanne are guarantees of successful projects. Working with both of them is a true joy."

    — Francois Delage

    Former Chief Executive Officer - De Beers Jewellers

    Entrepreneur & GIA board member

  • "The online courses I would recommend from my experience about jewelry design are from Karpov sisters."

    — Katerina Perez

    Editor-In-Chief and Founder of Katerinaperez.com

  • "Jeanne & Helene are exceptional at their craft and the best in the business. I learned from them, when first starting out in my career in High Jewelry at Van Cleef & Arpels and I am proud to call them my peers now. You will be lucky to learn from their deep knowledge of Jewelry Design, Gouache painting and the Jewelry industry as a whole. & to top it off, they are wonderful humans and teachers as well!"

    — Kia Schwaninger

     Former Design Director at Harry Winston

    Former Senior Jewelry Designer at Van Cleef & Arpels

    Founder of Kia Schwan Design

We’re on Instagram!

📍 Our best tips for painting amethysts:⁠ ⁠ ▪️ Beginners: Start by painting the simplest one: the cabochon. You'll get familiar with the texture of the paint and how to apply it. Make sure to place the shadows and highlights correctly to build the vo
✍️💍 Here are my top tips:⁠ ⁠ I am Hélène Karpov and I worked as a high jewelry designer for 15 years in the creative studio of the prestigious Maison Van Cleef & Arpels. ⁠ ⁠ When I pursued my studies, I could never have imagined th
🤫Follow these secret rules: Whether you work with gouache like us, or with another technique, there are many ways to improve your renderings. 💪1/ Focus on mastering one technique at a time. We started by learning gouache—only gouache. It&rs
Because emotions originate from human hands 🤲, not an iPad or AI 🖥️.⁠ ⁠ 🎨 For aspiring designers, mastering gouache is more than just an asset—it’s a way to stand out. In a world where digital rendering is becoming increasingly dominan