gouache

Imagine watercolor, but with more body. That's gouache (pronounced "gwash"). Unlike traditional watercolor, which is transparent, gouache is usually opaque, so you can paint light colors over dark ones. It has a soft matte finish and is often used by illustrators, designers, and artists who want rich, flat color. Think of vintage posters or detailed illustrations: there's a good chance this paint was part of the process.

This paint is useful in more than one way. You can mix it with water and use it almost like watercolor, or apply it more thickly for strong coverage. It's often easier to correct than watercolor because its opacity helps cover mistakes. If you see an artist making smooth, flat illustrations with strong color, they might be working with gouache.

Gouache (pronounced "gwash" and sometimes called opaque watercolor) is a water-based paint known for its strong color and matte finish. It is closely related to watercolor, but it is made to give more solid coverage. Because of that, artists can often paint light colors over dark ones more easily than they can with traditional transparent watercolor.

Historically, gouache dates back centuries, with examples found in illuminated manuscripts and decorative paintings. It gained popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries for creating detailed illustrations, particularly fashion plates and botanical studies. Today, it remains a favorite among illustrators, designers, and fine artists.

Gouache is very flexible. Artists can dilute it with water to create soft washes, or use it thickly for bold, solid areas of color. It usually dries quickly and can often be re-wet and adjusted, which makes it helpful for both beginners and experienced painters. You'll often see gouache used in commercial illustration, animation backgrounds, design work, and fine art paintings where a flat, graphic look is wanted.

So, if you come across artwork with rich, solid color and a velvety matte finish, there's a good chance the artist used gouache: a paint that combines some of watercolor's flow with fuller, more even coverage.