Gouache vs Watercolours – Which Paint is Best for Your Creative Projects?

When it comes to selecting the perfect paint for your artistic endeavors, gouache and watercolours often come to mind. Both are beloved by artists, teachers, and young creators for their unique properties and versatility. But how do they really compare? In this post, we’ll dive into the differences between gouache and watercolours, exploring their effects, advantages, and best use cases.

1. Opacity and Transparency

The most striking difference between gouache and watercolours lies in their opacity:

• Gouache is an opaque paint, meaning it covers underlying layers completely. It’s perfect for achieving bold, solid colors and for projects where you need to create defined areas of color. For example, gouache is ideal for double-page prints on paper, as its thicker consistency helps colors stay vibrant across folds or creases.

• Watercolours, on the other hand, are transparent. The paint allows the underlying paper or other colors to show through, which creates a delicate, luminous effect. This transparency makes watercolours a go-to for backgrounds or washes over a waxed drawing, where you want the paint to flow and layer lightly.

2. Layering and Blending

Layering with gouache and watercolours produces very different results:

• Gouache layers well, allowing you to paint light over dark, something watercolours struggle with. This quality makes gouache excellent for adding highlights or making corrections. Since it dries with a matte finish, it can also be reworked easily by applying more water, giving you more control in fine-tuning details or adjusting mistakes.

• Watercolours, by contrast, rely on subtle, gradual blending. Artists working with watercolours typically build up depth by adding thin, transparent layers. Once the paint is dry, it’s more difficult to alter. However, this makes watercolours great for creating smooth transitions of color, such as the soft gradients in a sunset or the changing hues of a natural landscape.

3. Drying Time and Reworkability

• Gouache dries relatively quickly to a matte finish, but it remains reworkable even after drying. You can add water to previously dried gouache to reactivate it, making it easy to adjust your artwork after some time. This is a bonus for artists who want more control over their painting’s final look.

• Watercolours also dry fast, but once dry, it’s difficult to change them without disturbing the entire layer. This permanence means precision is key when working with watercolours, but it also allows for beautiful, spontaneous creations.

4. Effects on Paper

• Gouache sits on the surface of the paper due to its thick consistency. It is less likely to warp the paper, making it the preferred choice for double-page projects where the artwork might need to withstand folding, or for printing illustrations with crisp, solid lines. Gouache works well on a variety of papers and even on dark backgrounds.

• Watercolours are absorbed into the paper fibers, making them more likely to cause slight warping, especially if you're working with a lot of water or on thinner paper. However, for delicate effects like watercolour washes over waxed drawings, this absorption can create a beautiful interplay between the wax’s resistive surface and the soft flow of the paint.

5. Best Uses for Kids and Classroom Projects

For younger artists or school projects, the choice between gouache and watercolours often depends on the goals:

• Gouache is better for bold projects where kids can work with vibrant, easy-to-control colors. The opacity also helps with making corrections and encourages confidence in experimenting.

• Watercolours are fantastic for encouraging creativity and helping children understand color mixing, layering, and patience. It’s particularly enjoyable for projects that involve large washes or creating delicate, free-flowing designs, making it perfect for younger children learning to explore their creativity.

Conclusion: Gouache or Watercolours?

Ultimately, the choice between gouache and watercolours depends on your project’s needs:

• Use gouache for bold, vibrant, and detailed artwork where control and opacity are important, like illustrations, posters, or printing projects.

• Choose watercolours for delicate, flowing designs where transparency, blending, and subtlety are key, like landscapes, backgrounds, or washes over textures like wax.

At AdriArt Ltd., we offer both gouache and watercolour sets designed with safety, non-toxicity, and vibrant colors in mind—perfect for your little artists or your own creative projects. Ready to explore the unique qualities of each? Check out our range of art supplies, and remember: free delivery on orders over £30 and 15% off for first-time buyers!Gouache vs Watercolours – Which Paint is Best for Your Creative Projects?