What You Need for Gouache Painting: Exploring Opaque Watercolors

Looking to add a new layer of depth and texture to your painting repertoire? Gouache, a versatile and fascinating medium, is a perfect choice. This article will guide you through the essentials you need to get started with gouache and help you understand its unique properties and applications.

Understanding Gouache vs. Watercolor

Before we dive into the specifics, it's important to clarify the differences between gouache and traditional watercolor. Gouache is essentially a more opaque version of watercolor. While watercolors are known for their transparency, gouache offers a range of opacity, allowing you to control light and create a variety of effects.

Traditionally, watercolor painters use the white of the paper as the lightest part of the painting. Gouache can be used to achieve this effect directly, providing a more structured and controlled approach. You can also use gouache to create highlights and deepen dark areas, offering more flexibility in your artwork.

Techniques and Variations

To achieve the desired effects with gouache, you can add white to your transparent watercolors. This is a simple and effective way to replicate the properties of gouache. However, it's important to remember that opaque layers of paint will reflect light differently than transparent layers, resulting in a different visual texture.

Acrylics can also be thinned to mimic watercolor effects. However, while both gouache and watercolor dry relatively quickly, acrylics dry faster and are less permanent. Gouache, on the other hand, can be made more permanent using specially formulated mediums. Watercolors can also be mixed with gouache or acrylic, but oil paints don't mix well with either medium.

Application and Mediums

Watercolors and gouache can be made more fluid by adding water, allowing for easy blending and application. Oil-based pigments, on the other hand, are ground in different oils, such as linseed or safflower oil. Opaque mixtures in gouache give a similar effect to opaques in oil paints, but with a matte and non-reflective surface.

Artists using gouache often mix transparent and opaque colors, creating a rich and varied palette. For instance, the renowned artist John Singer Sargent is known for his adept use of both techniques in his watercolor work. Gouache has a wide range of pigment options, with varying degrees of transparency and opacity. This versatility makes gouache a valuable tool for any artist's kit.

Historical and Practical Use

Throughout history, gouache has been favored by top illustrators and artists. Its quick-drying nature makes it ideal for photography without the glare caused by oil paints. The height of watercolor and gouache painting was reached in the British Isles during the 17th to 19th centuries, as evidenced by the stunning works of Victorian watercolor artists. American illustrators in the 19th and early 20th century also frequently used gouache.

Gouache is particularly suitable for artists who are traveling or prefer to avoid the use of solvents and toxic mediums. All you need is a set of gouache paints and some water. If you add enough water, even gouache can become more transparent. Similarly, if you grind up pastels and add water, you will get something similar to gouache. If you add linseed oil, you will end up with oil paint.

Final Thoughts

Gouache offers a unique and versatile approach to painting, combining the clarity and vibrancy of watercolor with the opaqueness and texture of acrylics. With its range of pigments and applications, gouache is a valuable addition to any artist's toolkit. Whether you are a professional illustrator or a beginner, exploring gouache can open up new creative possibilities in your art.