WHAT IS TRADITIONAL GOUACHE?

Gouache is a non-permanent, water-based paint that contains large pigment particles. Once it dries, it is easy to reactivate if you want to make little touch-ups, changes etc. Similar to its watercolour, Ideally it should be mixed with water before spreading across a surface or canvas. It also has higher opacity than conventional watercolours, so it makes much denser shades.

WHAT IS ACRYLIC GOUACHE?

Acrylic gouache combines the best of both worlds – the rich, opaque finish of gouache and the durability of acrylic paint. Once dry, unlike watercolour acrylic gouache is water-resistant, which means you can layer colours without disturbing the previous layers with a matte finish, making it an ideal choice for artists seeking versatility and permanence in their artwork.

ACRYLIC GOUACHE V TRADITIONAL GOUACHE

WATERPROOF

What differentiates this range from both watercolour gouache and acrylic is actually the addition of an acrylic binder which as mentioned turns it from water-soluble to waterproof. This is the feature that attracts artists who love to layer and use vivid colours in their artwork.

LAYERING

As acrylic gouache is permanently dry once the paint itself has dried it can’t be reworked but can be painted over. so with acrylic gouache you can work in layers. With traditional gouache this is not the case, because of its nature as a water-soluble medium, traditional gouache is most suited for a colour-blocking way of painting, where you paint areas one colour, rather than layering colours. It is workable again after wetting essentially.

ADHESION

Another characteristic which differentiates the 2 is again due to the binder in acrylic gouache it gives a greater variety of surfaces to choose from. Traditional gouache is generally used on watercolour paper but within acrylic gouache the polymer binder gives this medium the choice of canvas, wood and even metal.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING ACRYLIC GOUACHE?

VIBRANCY

The high pigment concentration in acrylic gouache produces really bold and vibrant colours that truly stand out as opposed to traditional gouache or watercolour.

LAYERING

Since acrylic gouache is water-resistant when dry, you can create quite complex and detailed artwork with ease by layering colours on top of each other without disturbing the underlying layers of colour.

FLEXIBILITY

They can be mixed with various mediums and used on different surfaces, making it a versatile choice for artists to explore different styles.

MATT FINISH

The matte finish of acrylic gouache gives your artwork a clean and contemporary look and feel, perfect for illustrations and graphic designs.

NON-CRACKING

A lasting, crack-free finish. Due to the high level of pigment, most gouaches can crack when drying. Ours sets a new benchmark. The acrylic vehicle brings flexibility to the paint film, giving you a reliable, non-cracking finish. See our gouache on the right, shown against a regular acrylic gouache.

WHO ARE THE BEST ACRYLIC GOUACHE BRANDS

TURNER ACRYLIC GOUACHE

Turner Acrylic Gouache is a professional quality acrylic gouache with a wide range of 219 colours, made in Japan to the highest specifications. The use of ultra-fine pigments means colours spread out smoothly so wide areas can be covered uniformly with a beautiful opaque matt finish. One of the most unique aspects of this brand is their colour range.

Lamé Colours - This series of colours metallic particles suspended in the paint. When painted over dark surfaces the colours stand out and have a beautiful sharp shimmer.

Metallic Colours - A series of metallic shades which are more translucent than the regular colours, giving a sense of luminance and depth to your works.

Lumi Colours -These are wonderful fluorescent colours for bright bold effects, which will illuminate under ultra-violet “black light”. Don’t forget that because of the chemical reaction in all fluorescent colours they will become less bright over time.

LIQUITEX ACRYLIC GOUACHE

Liquitex Acrylic Gouache took around 3 years in the lab to create before it could make its way to artists' studios. To develop their ideal acrylic gouache, the Liquitex team in the lab executed a range of tests that included testing for opacity, permanence, matte effect, viscosity, flexibility, non-cracking and stability. The brand team developed a crucial element of their gouache – the bottle itself.

SEE HOW IT WORKS