10 Reasons Why Gouache Is The Medium You’ve Been Waiting For
I tried gouache for the first time in college and fell in love.
Up until then, I had experimented with a lot of different mediums but I couldn’t find the right paint for me. 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 less than enthused and highly skeptical.
I was pleasantly surprised, however, when I found that gouache seemed to combine the best traits of all the other paints I had tried! 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 control it with precision. This isn’t to say that gouache doesn’t have its difficulties, but once you understand the medium it’s easy to predict how it will respond and you can adapt accordingly. But that’s for another post!
It’s safe to say, 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!
My top 10 reasons to try gouache:
1. Gouache can be used on almost any painting surface, except for ones that are glossy or oily. You can use it on cardboard, paper, wood, illustration board, canvas — you name it! Unlike acrylic, it’s not sticky when it dries which makes it ideal for things like a sketchbook. An added benefit: It dries quickly so it’s great for on-the-go work!
2. Gouache does not 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 always gently add some water and lift the color up with a paper towel until you get the desired effect.
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 even today 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 clean up! You don’t need harsh chemicals or fancy equipment, and if you happen to get gouache on your skin, clothes, or furniture, no harm is done. If you accidentally leave paint on your brushes, you can just wash them off when you remember without having to worry about damaging them. 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 others straight from the tube to add a nice little fun pop of color here and there.
6. Gouache is super versatile. You can play with different levels of thickness to create layers and textures. You can leave it thicker to achieve the great opacity it’s known for, or you thin it out and use it more like a watercolor if you’re so inclined!
7. Gouache has grit. And what I mean by that is it dries with what’s called a “tooth.” When it dries, it has a wonderful texture that’s able to hold other mediums on top of it. I usually layer gouache on top of itself, but you can draw on it with things like pastel, pencil, or ink easily and effortlessly. You can even erase, provided you’re careful and gentle. It will still be ok!
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. When and if I find that some of my tubes have dried out, I simply open them up with an Exacto knife and transfer the dried paint into a small container with a little bit of water. It’ll reconstitute and be ready to go again. No need to throw anything out!
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 when using gouache. I might use blue tape to make a crisp border edge, but not because I need it to keep my paper from buckling. I say this with a few caveats: I tend to use a thicker paint consistency when I’m working, use minimal water, and use heavy paper. But even when I’ve used thinner paper, I have found that gouache really doesn’t affect it too much. On the rare occasion it does start to buckle, I just put my painting to the side, cover it with a protective layer of paper, and place a book on it until it dries. 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. The lack of shine makes it so you can take a photo from any angle and it still looks great. You never have to worry about glare or a bright spot on a scan, which is a godsend when you need 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 liked it. For more on gouache including illustration work, visit my website at www.mandacomisari.com. Looking forward to seeing you there!
x
Manda
