I tried gouache for the first time in college and fell in love. 

Before gouache, I experimented with a lot of different paint types but they weren’t the right fit. I tried working in oil paint, but the smell of turpentine made me sick. I wasn’t keen on acrylic; it dried too fast and was weirdly plasticky. Finally, I found watercolor too unpredictable and I didn’t like that I couldn’t always control the outcome, if ever. I was convinced that I wasn’t much of a painter, so when an assignment came in to use gouache I was highly skeptical that I was going to enjoy it.

Turns out, gouache combined all the things I loved about the other mediums and left out the ones I hated. It’s mostly opaque but you can make it transparent, it dries quickly but reconstitutes with a bit of water, it’s easy to clean up, and you can (mostly) control it. That isn’t to say that it doesn't have its difficulties, but once you understand gouache it’s easy to predict how it will respond and you can adapt accordingly.

I was hooked…and I’ve been using it ever since.

I’m always looking to share what I love about gouache and encourage others to give it a go. This is why I’ve written this blog post: To explain why gouache is my preferred paint to work with and why I recommend you try it ASAP!

I literally live for this Holbien pink and adjacent lime green paint. SO dreamy.

My top 10 reasons to try gouache:

1. Gouache can be used on almost any painting surface, except for glossy or oily ones. You can use it on cardboard, paper, wood, illustration board, canvas—you name it! Unlike acrylic, it’s matte when it dries. This makes it ideal for things like a sketchbook, and since it dries quickly it’s also great for work on the go.

2. Gouache doesn’t chemically change when it dries. This means that even though it’s quick-drying, you can always add a bit of water or use a wet brush to soften its edges, blend, etc. Also, if you make a mistake, you can gently add some water and use a paper towel to lift up the color until you’re happy with the result. If you do this though, remember to dab, not rub!

3. You only need a few colors to get started, and a little paint goes a long way. The color you end up using the most is white, which increases the opacity of your mixed colors. Additionally, gouache paint can last a very long time before drying out! I’ve traveled the world with my paints and I have colors that are still useable and in great condition after 5+ years. Key trick? Spend the extra money and buy quality paints. It makes a difference in terms of color saturation and workability. Not sure what a good brand is? That’s okay, I have you covered here!

4. Water and a bit of soap are all you need for cleanup. You don’t need harsh chemicals or fancy equipment, and there’s no harm if you happen to get gouache on your skin, clothes, or furniture. It washes off pretty easily. Also, If you accidentally leave paint on your brushes you don’t have to worry about permanent damage. Just give them a thorough rinse when you remember. It’s not like oil or acrylic, where if they dry on your brush it renders them useless. I consider this an added bonus, especially for late-night painters like myself who don’t always remember to clean up after a long painting session ending at 2 am.

5. Gouache comes in a wide range of colors and there’s something for everyone. Want bright neon colors? Gotcha covered. Pastels? No problem. You can even find gouache in various metallic colors like gold, silver, and bronze. I often keep the basics on hand to mix up my own foundation colors and then play with some straight from the tube to add a fun pop of color when inspiration strikes.

6. Gouache is versatile. You can play with different levels of thickness to create layers and textures. Paint it on it thicker to achieve the great opacity it’s known for, or thin it out and use it more like a watercolor. It’s up to you.

7. Gouache is hardy. It has a wonderful ‘toothy’ texture that pairs well with mixed media. I normally like to layer gouache on top of itself, but you can also pair it with things like pastel, pencil, or ink to create awesome mixed media pieces. You can even erase on top of gouache, provided you do it gently. It will still be ok!

Mixed media example with layered gouache and colored pencil detail on top. Also, look at how beautifully this photographs! No shine. No glare. It’s literally chef kiss.

8. Reconstitution means nothing goes to waste. I’m all about trying to minimize waste in all aspects of my life and my art practice is no different. If my paint tubes dry out, I simply open them up with an Exacto knife and transfer the dried paint into a small container with some water. Then I just leave it alone for a few hours, and voila! It reconstitutes and is ready to go again. No need to throw anything away.

9. It takes an obscene amount of gouache to wrinkle or buckle paper. Confession (and I'm sure every traditional art teacher out there will grimace at this): I never tape my paper down when using gouache. I might use blue tape to make a crisp border edge, but I’ve never found that I needed it to protect my artwork from buckling. I say this with a few caveats: I use minimal water, heavy paper, and a thick paint consistency. But even when I've used thin(er) paper, I’ve found that gouache really doesn't affect it too much. On the rare occasion it does buckle, I just put my painting to the side, cover it with a protective layer of paper, and place a book on top of it for a few hours. Problem solved.

10. Gouache photographs/scans extremely well. There’s a reason that it has a history of being used in traditional advertising and magazine illustration. Gouache dries matte and feels almost velvety to the touch. Since it’s not glossy, you can take a photo from any angle and it still looks great. You also never have to worry about glare or a bright spot on a scan. This is a godsend when you need to get a good image to send out/post/add to your portfolio!

That’s it! Those are my top ten reasons why you should try gouache and why you should do it soon!

If you decide to give it a go, I would love to hear your thoughts on how you like it. Feel free to leave a comment below. And if you enjoyed this post, look for my other ones with some tips and tricks on how to get started.

x

Manda