Gouache paint

Gouache is usually used on paper and the piece framed behind glass due to the fragility of the paper. A gouache painting then does not need to be varnished.

Gouache is painted in thin layers on absorbent surface, usually paper or cardboard.

Water colour paper is an excellent ground for both acrylic and gouache, and acrylic and gouache can be mixed without any problems. Mixing different types of paint always results in a combination of the various properties. For example, acrylic paint dry water-resistant, gouache does not. The more gouache is added, the less waterproof the mixture will be.

What the different paints have in common is that they are applied in a thin layer and form a matt paint film. As a result, different historical names have started to be used interchangeably for the paint that everyone, for example at school, grows up with: in Dutch plakkaatverf, in German Temperafarbe (with the addition of the darkened ""designer"" as a quality indication), in Spanish colores tempera and in French Gouache. Gouache is the best-known designation internationally, sounding a bit fancier than poster paint and therefore preferred by artists.

This can be prevented by adding an acrylic medium (this does change the appearance of the paint). Basically, gouache is a type of paint that has to be applied in thin layers.

Unlike other paints, in gouache an opaque filler is added to each colour, which means that the opacity or transparency as a property of the pigment used is not visible or much less visible.

Almost all hair types are suitable for gouache, but the choice depends on the technique used. If the paint is thinned (strongly) with water, brushes with softer hairs such as ox and (kolinsky) sable hair can be used. In all cases, polyester brushes (selected filament) are an excellent alternative.

Discover our auxiliaries for gouache, including gum arabic for consistency, ox gall for good adhesion and varnishes.