Watercolor vs. Gouache — Which One is Better?

Photo of art supplies courtesy of Getty Images | | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network
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How does watercolor differ from gouache? What are their individual characteristics, and how might each best be applied to a mixed-media art practice? These very questions got artist Cassia Cogger thinking: “What would happen if you paint the exact same picture with each material? How might they differ?” Below, Cogger sets out to answer her own question, with a quick demo on watercolor and gouache to find out how they compare. Enjoy!

Photo of art supplies courtesy of Getty Images | | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network
Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The Battle of Two Mediums

Mixed-media explorations allow the artist to engage and experiment with materials in many different ways; to find new ways of using materials. Before one can find new ways of working with a material, however, one must first know the material’s basic characteristics.

Watercolor and gouache — two paint types often sharing an aisle in the art supply store and often applied in similar ways. A common answer I hear to the question, “What is gouache?” is “It‘s opaque watercolor.” Is it really though?

Watercolor and gouache are both made of similar materials (pigment, gum Arabic, possible additives), call for similar application and the same cleanup. Watercolor by nature is transparent and often loved for its fluid washes. Gouache, however, has a much higher pigment content and the pigment is ground into larger particles than watercolor. This is what makes gouache opaque and prevents it from granulating, and leads to the finished matte appearance — characteristics very different from watercolor.

The bigger question becomes, why do we care? Because knowing the qualities of each can open up a wide variety of applications in all of your mixed media work.

watercolor vs gouache materials
Watercolor paints and gouache paints

Materials Used

  • Gouache paints, Turner Acryl Gouache: Opera Red, Fresh Green, Chocolate, Japanese Pale Yellow, Aqua Blue
  • Palettes for mixing paints
  • Pencil for sketching
  • Watercolor brushes, Royal Aqualon round 4
  • Watercolor paints, Holbein: Opera, Leaf Green, Cadmium Yellow Pale; Winsor & Newton: Cerulean, Caput Mortem
  • Watercolor paper 90-lb Arches natural cold press and hot press

For this exploration, I used a mix of Holbein and Windsor & Newton Artists’ Watercolors and Turner Acryl Gouache (this paint has an acrylic medium as a binder and dries permanently). I did my best to choose similar palettes in each medium.

To start, I drew two images — a traditional floral study on rough watercolor paper and a bold graphic on smooth watercolor paper. I painted one of each drawing with watercolor and the other with gouache.

Exploring Watercolor and Gouache – Wet on Dry – Hot Press

Example 1 | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network

First I created a bold floral graphic and drew it on two sheets of hot press watercolor paper. For both pieces, I applied the paint using a wet-on-dry approach, hoping for flat washes of bold color. I allowed the first layer of each to dry completely then went back over each section applying additional patterns.

Watercolor on Hot Press | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network

The watercolor went on very fluidly. I allowed each section to dry completely before painting the neighboring section. The watercolor was slow to dry. I was surprised by how well the second layer of pattern held up.

The colors dried with a satin sheen, due to the heavy application. Some brush strokes are visible and the green details over the brown base are not as bold as I would have liked, though they are bolder than I would have expected.

Gouache on Hot Press | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network

The gouache had a very draggy sensation as I applied it. Just as I did with the watercolor, I allowed each section to dry completely before painting neighboring sections and the gouache dried more quickly.

I was amazed by how bold the second layer of pattern appeared with just one layer. Brush strokes are not visible. Even the green details over the brown base are incredibly crisp and opaque.

Exploring Watercolor and Gouache – Wet on Wet – Cold Press

Example 2 | | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network

Next, I created a traditional peony graphic and drew it on two sheets of cold press watercolor paper. I applied the paint using a wet-on-wet approach to explore how the gouache would react. I allowed the first layer to dry completely then went back over each section applying a single contrasting shape to test the translucency of the paint when applied evenly over a clear wash.

Watercolor on Cold Press | | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network

As expected, the watercolor went on very fluidly spreading across each wash area. I allowed each section to dry completely before painting neighboring sections and as with the previous drawing, the watercolor was slower to dry. The Cerulean Blue cloud shape is a strong pigment with a heavy application but given the wet-wash application, it still maintains a lot of transparency.

Gouache on Cold Press | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network

This is where I was perhaps most surprised. The gouache behaved almost identically to the watercolor for most of the wet-on-wet application. It went on very fluidly and spread easily across each wash section onto which it was applied.

I also allowed each section to dry completely before applying a wash to a neighboring section and the gouache washes were faster to dry. Even with the wet-wash application, the Aqua Blue cloud shape is completely opaque as a second layer.

What have I taken away from this and how will I apply it?

Final Results | Exploring Watercolor and Gouache | Cassia Cogger | Artists Network

I believe gouache is better suited for flat, colorful shapes. It also dries more quickly. I can see using this as a first layer on multi-layered works or as my go-to for single-layered, bold, shape-based pieces. Gouache also dries with a very attractive matte finish.

I believe watercolor works for flat, colorful shapes but it requires a stronger skill set to achieve an even application. It is perfect for multiple layers, allowing the story of what came before to show through. When applied heavily it dries with a satin sheen.

Take Gouache to Your Sketchbook

Work with white gouache on the surface of each page of your sketchbook and see how with this demo from Marc Taro Holmes.

About the Artist

R1984_Cogger-headshot_200Artist, teacher and author, Cassia Cogger, is inspired to create artworks, creative courses and experiences that allow individuals to enter into greater relationships with their surroundings, becoming present to that which is essential. As much as she is excited by color, shape, pattern and beauty, she is more enamored by what the creative process reveals.

Her work has been featured at the National Academy Museum of Design in NYC, in Watercolor Artist magazine as a rising star as well as in a host of other galleries and private collections. Learn more about Cassia and her work by visiting her website here.

If You Decide to Explore Watercolor

Pushing the Boundaries of Watercolor is an instant-access video workshop allows you to do just that: push your watercolor skills forward. If you want to commit to painting expressive, vibrant watercolor landscapes, this is the resource that will show you the way.

Showcase Your Watermedia!

Don’t let your watermedia explorations stop here. Be sure to check out the 10th Annual International Watermedia Showcase. Show off your talent by entering this exciting competition, brought to you by Watercolor Artist magazine and juried by esteemed artist, John Salminen.

Accepted submissions must be primarily created with water-based media, such as watercolor, acrylic, gouache, casein or egg tempera. Watermedia Showcase is open to artists anywhere in the world, and the deadline to enter is July 2, 2018. Onward and good luck, artists!

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Join the Conversation!

  1. Agree with anonymous – Not a fair comparison at all. You should do another comparison using regular gouache; you’ll notice the difference.

  2. thanks so much for this post! it made me want to try painting with gouache 🙂 btw i love the paintings you created for this! lovely work <3

  3. How about comparing like with like? acrylic gouache with regular acrylic paint, and traditional gouache with traditional watercolour paints? This article is misleading.

  4. Cassia,
    I am Lou Gerrard, a retired, former Broadcast Designer, who was hired in TV News, back in the late ’70’s, when us artists frantically produced News Article subjects using real paint! Which we rushed to our photographer to make 4x5s and then were rushed up to have them projected behind the News Casters! (TMI) We were then transitioned to paint box “digital” graphics…later I also went onto 3D film graphics.

    I think your article is Right On! As a current “Certified Grumbacher Instructor” for Acrylics, Watercolors & Drawing teaching, my personal passion is acrylics because of it’s speed and over paintability. However, I too am introducing my watercolor students to gouache. I must admit, however, that, Acrylics is my favorite “brush” media. Thanks for your great article!

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