Answering the MOST asked questions about GOUACHE

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Switching to a new painting medium can be difficult and confusing. And, with the gouache becoming more and more popular, many people are beginning to switch to it. Because of its unique qualities Gouache can sometimes be a polarizing medium. In this article, I will answer some of the most asked questions about this mystifying type of paint.


1. Can Gouache be Used Like Watercolor?
For people coming from the world of watercolor over to gouache this is the million-dollar question. Can gouache be used like watercolor? Both gouache and watercolor are water-based paints with similar ingredients. They are both made up of : pigment, gum arabic, and other preservatives. So because both are essentially made of the same thing; they're the exact same right? Well kind of. Gouache when used with enough water can be used exactly like watercolor. The only real difference is that gouache dries to a matte finish while watercolor by varying brands can have different finishes (matte, glossy, satin). So the short answer is, Yes!



2. Gouache vs. Acryla-Gouache
If you've dove a little bit deeper into gouache, you've more than likely heard of acryla-goauche. And you may be asking yourself; What is acryla-gouache? Acryla-gouache is essentially combination of acrylic paint and gouache paint. It is water-soluble like traditional designer's gouache, but dries to a waterproof finish like acrylic paint. It also maintains the matte finish like traditional gouache. 



3. How do you say 'Gouache'?
Gouache is pronounced like 'G-wash' with a soft g sound. Although this is a bit of a silly question, It is something that I have seen asked quite a bit.

4. Is Gouache Lightfast?
Many gouache manufactures will make up their own lightfast charts and rankings, but can gouache ever really be lightfast? Unlike Oil or acrylic; gouache depends a lot of the addition of water to be effective. The addition of water to gouache adds another variable to the archival ability of this paint. So while some gouache brands will advertise their excellent lightfastness, depending on what water and how much of it you use, your lightfastness will vary. So the answer is, Kinda.



5. Why Does Gouache Crack?
So you've taken the leap, you went out of your comfort-zone and finally tried gouache. You Painted a masterpiece, you set it aside to dry for a bit, you come back, and all of a sudden there's cracks all along the painting. While learning to use gouache, cracking can be one of the most annoying hiccups you can experience. The good news is, there's an easy way to avoid gouache cracking. The cracking in gouache is caused by layering the paint too thickly. So to avoid this issue, try working with thinner layers to build up rather than starting off with a thick layer of paint. If you want to fix a painting that's already been cracked, you can try applying a varnish, this can mitigate some of the cracking.



6. Is Jelly Gouache Any Good?
As someone whose first introduction to gouache was Himi jelly gouache and has now moved onto more professional brands, I believe my opinion could be of worth to you. Jelly Gouache, from what I understand, is really no different from normal gouache except that it comes in cup shaped containers. For beginners, the cup form-factor can actually be quite effective in suppressing the fear of wasting paint. As opposed to using tubed paint, with jelly gouache you don't have to worry about squeezing out more paint than you can use before it dries out. In my opinion, many of these jelly gouache brands are perfect for beginners you aren't yet ready to invest in a set of tube goauche. Just search 'Himi Gouache' on YouTube and you'll have loads of proof that great art can be made with these affordable paints. 

Photo Credits (Unsplash)



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