In anticipation of Charity Dakin’s Gouache Workshop, let’s explore what gouache really is.
Although, gouache and watercolour paints contain similar contents i.e. pigment, a binder within a water soluble gum Arabic, there are a few differences.
While watercolour is a naturally transparent medium, gouache is opaque and has a higher
viscosity. There is a flexibility with gouache to paint dark to light, the opposite of the water
colour technique because the paints are opaque, allowing an artist to paint mid-tone colours.
Gouache is a versatile paint, which can be thinned with the addition of more water to achieve
semi transparent washes, or alternatively less water to give a creamy finish to colours. Gouache
paints are bright and matte in appearance and lend themselves to similar methods and
techniques to watercolours. With ease of brush and palette cleaning this allows quick set up
and clean down times. In addition gouache painting does not require extensive or specialized
materials and equipment, thus giving an artist an easily portable and cheap option. It is often
applied with an airbrush and can be used on unusual surfaces from Braille paper to cardboard.
Another bonus for gouache paint is it is a forgiving medium, which can be quickly corrected by
painting over with an opaque colour, or alternatively lifting off the colour with water and once
dry paint over.
FUN FACT: A form of gouache combined with honey, or tragacanth gum was used in ancient
Egyptian painting and European illuminated manuscripts. The term gouache is derived from the
Italian guazzo.
If you would enjoy exploring this medium please sign up for the workshop here: