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 none of them felt like 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 felt weirdly plasticky. Watercolor? Completely unpredictable and there was no way to control it. I was convinced that I wasn’t much of a painter, so when an assignment came in to use gouache I was skeptical at best.

To my surprise though, Gouache had everything I liked the other mediums and none of the parts I hated. It’s mostly opaque (but can be made transparent), it dries fast (but reconstitutes with water), is easy to clean up (chemical free), and you can (mostly) control it. That isn’t to say that it doesn't have its difficulties, but once you understand how gouache behaves it’s easy to adapt to it.

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, which is why I’ve wrote this 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. It works on almost any painting surface.

Paper, wood, cardboard, illustration board, canvas—you name it! It doesn’t work well on glossy or oily surfaces, but anything else is fair game. Gouache dries matte (unlike acrylic), which makes it an ideal medium for sketchbooks and work on the go.

2. It’s reworkable.

Unlike acrylic or oil, gouache doesn’t set when it dries. You can always add some water and use a wet brush to soften its edges, blend, etc. And if you make a mistake? No problem. Add water and use a paper towel to dab the area and try again. Remember to dab though, not rub!

3. A little goes a long way.

You only need a few colors to start, and the color you end up using the most is white. It’s the foundation for all color mixing. Gouache lasts a long time too— 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. It’s easy to clean up.

You don’t need harsh chemicals or fancy equipment, just some good old fashioned water. If you happen to accidentally get gouache on your skin, clothes, or furniture, no big deal. It’ll wash off easily. And, if you accidentally leave paint on your brushes after a long night of painting? No harm, no foul. Just give them a thorough rinse when you remember. A big bonus for late night painters like myself!

5. The color range is delightful.

Looking for a bright neon color? Gotcha covered. Pastels? No problem. You can even find gouache in metallic colors like gold, silver, and bronze. I keep the basics on hand to mix up my own foundation colors, but I’m guilty of playing with speciality hues straight from the tube. It’s a great way to add a fun pop of color when inspiration strikes.

6. You can control the texture.

Paint it on thick for opacity, or add water to make it translucent like watercolor. It’s up to you.

7. It plays well with others.

Gouache’s wonderful ‘toothy’ texture pairs well with mixed media. I usually layer gouache on top of itself, but you can also pair it with things like pencil, pastel, or ink to create awesome mixed media pieces. I even erase on top of gouache, and 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. 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. Leave it alone for a few hours— Boom. Revived. It’s the ultimate low-waste paint.

9. Your paper will stay flat (mostly).

Confession (and I'm sure every traditional art teacher out there will grimace at this one): I never tape my paper down for gouache. I might use blue tape to make a crisp border edge, but I’ve never found that I needed tape 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 on thin(er) paper, I’ve found that gouache doesn't affect it too much. On the rare occasion it does buckle, I just put it under a heavy book for a few hours. Problem solved.

10. It photographs/scans like a dream.

There’s a reason that it was used in traditional advertising and magazine illustration. Gouache dries matte and feels 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 bright spots 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, check out my other ones for gouache tips, tricks, and start up ideas.

x

Manda