Watercolor and gouache are two popular types of paint used by artists.
Gouache
Gouache is a type of adhesive water-soluble paints, denser and more matte than watercolor. The term "gouache" originally originated in 18th century France, although the technique for creating this paint is much older - it was used in Europe in the Middle Ages. Some artists do not take gouache "seriously", calling it "childish" or "poster" technique. However, in reality, gouache is independent technique(although quite rare among professional artists) on a par with, for example, watercolor. Gouache paints are made from pigments and glue with the addition of white. The admixture of white gives the gouache a matte velvety, but when it dries, the colors are somewhat whitened (lightened), which the artist must take into account in the process of drawing. With the help of gouache paints, you can cover dark tones with light ones. A dried gouache image is slightly lighter than a wet image, making color matching difficult.

Watercolor
Watercolor is a soft and transparent water-based paint, and watercolor is also called a painting technique that uses special watercolor paints, which, when dissolved in water, form a transparent suspension of fine pigment, and thereby create the effect of lightness, airiness and subtle color transitions. The binder for watercolor paints are easily water-soluble transparent vegetable adhesives - gum arabic and dextrin. As a plasticizer, glycerin and invert sugar are introduced into them, which retain moisture. Without this, the paints would easily dry out and become brittle. Another additive to watercolors that serves as a surfactant is ox bile. It prevents paint from rolling into drops, making it easier to draw. To protect against mold, an antiseptic - phenol is introduced.






The basis in gouache and watercolor is vegetable glue, which is easily soluble in water. But in gouache this adhesive base, as well as coloring pigment, contains much more than in watercolor. Watercolor lays down on paper in watery, almost transparent layers, gives gentle tones. Gouache is such a dense paint that when applying several layers, only one, the top one, will be clearly visible.
Drawings made with gouache are clearer, the paint does not spread over the surface, but watercolor drawings more blurry

Both gouache and watercolor are very popular species paints that are used professional artists, and lovers occasionally, in minutes creative inspiration, move the brush over the paper. How, with a cursory glance at a picture, can you accurately determine what exactly was involved in its creation - gouache or watercolor? And how do these seemingly so familiar colors differ from each other? Let's try to figure it out.

Definition

Gouache- an adhesive-based paint that dissolves easily in water, dense and matte, as well as the name of the work made with this paint.

Watercolor- soft and transparent water-based paints, as well as painting techniques or individual work made with these colors.

Comparison

If we talk about gouache and watercolor as a type of paint, then first of all it is worth noting that the basis for both is vegetable glue, which is easily soluble in water. But in gouache this adhesive base, as well as coloring pigment, contains much more than in watercolor. Gouache is intended for the so-called pasty application, it is a covering (that is, almost opaque) paint: it makes it easy to correct flaws in the drawing. Thanks to this feature, gouache perfectly covers light areas with dark tones, and vice versa. Gouache is so dense that when applying several layers, only one, the top one, will be clearly visible. Watercolour, on the other hand, lays down on paper in watery, almost transparent layers, giving gentle tones. When working with it, the meaning is precisely in mixing several layers of paint, “flowing” them into each other. The uniformity of the layer in watercolor is quite difficult to achieve, while gouache practically does not spread and allows you to give the picture clarity.

Gouache

Colored gouache is very often mixed with white gouache, also present in the set, to achieve different effects. White gouache looks very interesting on tinted paper. Watercolor works mostly only on white paper. In watercolor sets, there is usually no white color: the place in the drawing where white is required is simply left unpainted.

Watercolor requires speed in work, because due to the high water content of paints, they almost instantly flow and mix with each other. Such quality of watercolor as transparency makes this paint indispensable for achieving lighting effects. Gouache, especially applied in several layers, perfectly conveys the texture of the depicted objects. Compared to watercolor, it is perhaps more versatile: it can be applied both in very thin and rather thick layers, quickly blurred with water, painting over involuntary mistakes. Since gouache is dense and opaque, matte and opaque, many more bases are suitable for it: paper, cardboard, fabric, canvas, plywood, bone, and even glass. The basis for watercolor is only paper, and of special quality.

Gouache gives the picture brightness, depth, saturation, texture, energy. Watercolor gives glare, radiance, sophistication, subtlety, tenderness, lightness, airiness.

Watercolor

Containers for watercolors are usually small in volume, because watercolors will still have to be heavily diluted with water during work, while gouache from large jars can be used without diluting, especially if the paints are fresh enough.

Findings site

1. The main properties of watercolor are the softness and transparency of the paint layer, which allows you to emphasize the naturalness of color transitions, take advantage of all the variety of shades and halftones. Gouache is distinguished by density, haze and opacity, great for bright, rich, color-saturated drawings.
2. Gouache does not spread on paper, it can make clear drawings. Painted in watercolor wet paper, which gives the picture a watery and vague.
3. Watercolor is applied in several layers, flowing into each other. When painting with gouache, only the most upper layer.
4. Gouache perfectly emphasizes the texture, watercolor is indispensable in the transfer of light reflections.

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Many of you love to paint. Some people like watercolors, others like gouache. What is the difference between gouache and watercolor? Let's find out.

Watercolor has a watery base. Therefore, the word "aqua" appears in the name of this paint, which means water. When dried, watercolor retains its color. It gives the drawings softer and more transparent tones. If such paint is applied on a slightly wet sheet paper, it will spread and mix in colors. You can get an unusual and spectacular pattern.

Gouache has a denser texture. Unlike watercolor, it does not spread and the drawings are clear. When it dries, it becomes matte and its shade brightens, since gouache contains white. Thanks to this feature on gouache, you can correct the mistake by applying a lighter color to a dark color. FROM watercolor paints it won't work that way.
From this comparison, we can conclude that gouache is better suited for creating large posters or posters, and watercolor for creative work.

It should be remembered that if gouache is applied in a very thick layer, then a crack may appear on it when it dries.

Another interesting difference is that there is no white in watercolor, but there is in gouache. Therefore, to give the picture White color in watercolor, the artists simply leave an unpainted spot on the white paper.

Surely everyone, as a child, drew in kindergarten and at labor lessons with brushes on a white sheet, because the words "gouache" and "watercolor" are familiar to absolutely everyone, regardless of the profession acquired in the future.

But before you find out how gouache differs from watercolor, it is worth understanding both concepts.

Who are they?

Gouache comes from the Italian word guazzo and means "water paint". It is one of the types of artificial paints, the ability of which lies in the ability to dissolve in water.

Watercolor means "watery" in French. It refers to adhesive (binding components - dextrin with gum arabic) paints, the solvent of which is water.

Differences

Perhaps the main difference is:

• gouache has a denser, matte and overall opaque layer;
• watercolor is valued for its transparency, purity, softness and fineness of the layer.

In application:

• watercolor is used only on paper;
• for gouache, the basis is not only paper, but also harder surfaces, such as fabric, cardboard or salt dough crafts.

Properties:

• watercolor is very practical and convenient in the workflow, because due to its peculiarity, you can safely correct and correct defects even with the help of a wet fleece;
• gouache is much more difficult to remove because of the denser texture.

Structure:

• When dried, the gouache does not become glossy, but on the contrary, with a matte tint and lighter than with the initial stroke. This process occurs due to the white included in the composition. And this is its huge plus: due to an error dark color can be corrected by applying the paint a few tones lighter.
• With watercolor, this process is not possible. She either mixes both colors in herself, or overlaps one with the other.

• in gouache with the help of white, you can create many shades;
• in watercolor, white is absent, it is replaced by the paper itself, leaving a gap on it.

Worth knowing:

• if you are just getting started with fine arts, then you should start with watercolor, as it is easier to manage and much easier to remove errors.

Acrylic

Acrylic paint contains acrylic and resins. They lay down fairly evenly and dry quickly.

How is gouache different from acrylic paints?

• Acrylic does not fade and retains its original color perfectly.
• Acrylic does not crumble after a while, either from paper or from other bases.
• After drying, the paint darkens.
• Acrylic is suitable for painting in a watercolor style.

Outcome

The choice for both beginners and professionals is very large.

Now you know how gouache differs from watercolors with acrylics, and with the help of which paints you can bring your inspiration into artistic light, it's up to you to decide.

Most of us are accustomed to gouache somewhat dismissively. It is believed that this material is suitable only for design work and children's creativity, but it is impossible to consider it as a serious material for painting.

Knights gouache

However, in the Middle Ages, in Europe, this material was widely used in writing miniatures, and not only for preparatory sketch work. In Russia, at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, serious works were written in gouache easel painting. It was during this period that gouache flourished.

Artists who have mastered this "frivolous" material to perfection create wonderful, elegant, uniquely velvety works. Especially wonderful, with the help of gouache, it is possible to convey the unique atmosphere of evening twilight and foggy pre-dawn landscapes.
Basically, gouache is an opaque watercolor. To work with gouache, there is no need for special thinners and drying accelerators, as when working with oil. When painting with gouache, there is no need to think about various aids (such as drying retarders, modeling pastes, varnishes, etc.). Gouache is versatile artistic material which allows, having paints, water and paper, to master artistic techniques characteristic of other materials. You can paint with heavily diluted gouache in watercolor, or you can master the painting techniques inherent in noble oil. Drawing with gouache is comfortable, it does not have an unpleasant smell, does not require working with solvents, allows you to easily make changes to the drawing and does not require any special surface for drawing (canvases, primers, etc.). That is why it is very popular in children's art and is widely used by novice artists. The landscape was painted in gouache by each of us. Gouache for beginners is suitable for pros.

gouache squirrel

There are several types of gouache: artistic, poster, acrylic and for children's creativity.

Types of gouache.

. Artistic gouache- these are ground pigments, with the addition of distilled water, white and gum arabic. This gouache has excellent opacity, matte, velvety and perfectly lays down on the artistic surface. For this type of paint, uncoated cardboard is ideal as a working surface, watercolor paper, toned paper. The first coat of paint soaks into the art surface, creating something like a primer. This allows the paint to adhere better to the work surface.
. Poster gouache is an ordinary gouache, with the only exception that kaolin is used instead of white. This makes the paint more vibrant and dense.
. Gouache for children's creativity contains cheap PVA glue instead of expensive gum arabic. This makes the paint less plastic and it dries faster. However, this makes it more resistant to shedding and abrasion. Such paint is suitable not only for paper, but also for plywood, ceramics and canvas, which can not be primed with a special primer (as is the case with art gouache). PVA in the composition of gouache becomes an excellent fixer and successfully replaces a special primer. Children's gouache drawings delight the eyes and hearts of parents.
. Some manufacturers, with the advent of artistic acrylic, began to produce acrylic gouache. Such gouache is suitable for painting any surface, and after complete drying it is not washed off with water.

Gouache Fairy Dragon Castle

Gouache properties and color features.

Many consider gouache not convenient for drawing. If you have previously painted mainly in watercolor, then you need to remember just a few rules in order to get the same wonderful result when working with gouache.

Gouache paint is not transparent and contains white. This means that you need to write from dark to light, and not vice versa. That is, having decided on the composition and colors, you need to start with darker paint tones, and highlights and dark color accents are placed at the end of the work.

In order not to get confused about the possibility of mixing colors and shades, and also not to mess up with the color for the shadows, it is better to have an idea about color wheel used by artists. Colors lying in neighboring sectors of the circle mix with each other without the formation of dirt, and for shadows it is better to take a color from the opposite sector. This color is added in the required amount to the main tone. More often, for the image of the shadow, they take: blue, green or purple. Under no circumstances should black be added to the shadow image. Also, you cannot use black to get a darker tone of the same color, you will not darken the tone, but you will get dirt.

Among other things, you should know that gouache dries quickly enough. If you make a mistake, then you can not correct it until the gouache has dried out. In case of violation of this rule, you will get a smeared dirty spot. You need to make changes and corrections to the drawing after waiting for the gouache layer to dry completely. Usually the drying time depends on the thickness of the gouache layer, it varies from 30 minutes to 3 hours. When the gouache has dried, it is very easy to make changes. You just need to moisten the brush in warm and pigment-free water, lightly wring it out with a dry cloth and wipe off the paint in the place of the mistake with a light movement. In the same way, you can shade an overly clear outline of a drawn object.

When mixing colors, you need to take into account that wet gouache is brighter. When it dries, it becomes white due to the presence of chalk in it. Therefore, colors should always be chosen more saturated than those that you want to see in the final work.

gouache horse

Gouache brushes and stroke techniques.

Right choice brushes will also help to facilitate acquaintance with this artistic material. Since gouache is heavier and more viscous, too soft brushes are not suitable for it, so it is better to put aside a light squirrel. For wet gouache, well suited: columns, goat and synthetics. These brushes are great for shading, backgrounds and fills, that is, for working with a wet brush.

There are techniques in painting that are suitable for working with a dry brush. How to draw in gouache images of tree crowns, grassy backgrounds, objects with an uneven or textured surface? In this case, it is better to use bristle brushes. The shape of the brushes will depend on the shape of the strokes. It is better to depict the grass with flat brushes, and the crown of trees with round ones. In this case, gouache diluted to the density of sour cream is collected on a dry brush made of hog bristles and point strokes are made with the brush on the working surface of the picture. It can be compared to stuffing paint on a work surface.

How to paint with gouache not only with brushes. Can be painted with foam sponge, special rollers or a crumpled paper napkin. All this allows you to depict objects with a complex surface structure and achieve realistic images of many materials, such as rough ceramics or stone, or by painting a still life with gouache.

gouache still life

Painting techniques using gouache. Gouache lessons.

There are two ways to create a background for gouache:
. Uniform shading of the contours of a pencil sketch. First, the artist makes a pencil sketch on the art surface, and then spreads the primary colors as fills for the outlines of the drawing. It is important to remember here that for the initial underpainting, the darkest tones of the drawing elements are taken. In order for the gouache to lay flat and without streaks, you need to pay attention to the size of the brush. The larger the outline to be painted, the larger the brush should be. Gouache, in this case, should be diluted to the consistency of thin sour cream. It’s also not worth picking up too much pigment on the brush; it’s better to wipe off the excess on the edge of the palette. You need to fill the contour without pressure, from one of its edges to the center, and then from the center to the other edge of the contour. This type of underpainting is not suitable for large surfaces.
. For surfaces big size another type of staining is selected - filling. In this case, the background of the drawing is first made, and then, on a dried background, the work itself is written. The background may consist of two or three primary colors in the range of the pattern. For example, when painting a landscape, they take: the color of the sky, the color of the earth, the color for the light strip above the horizon. A sheet of paper is well attached to the tablet, it is better to glue all the edges masking tape. Then they spread the colors: the color of the sky at the top, the color of the earth below, the lightest in the horizon. And then, until the paint is dry, smooth the paint with a wide wet brush. The brush must be carried without interruption, from one left edge of the sheet to the right, moving from the bottom of the work to the top. Then we wet the brush in water, shake off the excess, and smooth the paint from the top of the sheet to the bottom, moving the brush horizontally. In order for the background to turn out to be even and beautiful, training is needed. However, the result is worth the effort. When the background is smoothed out and the paint is still wet, the details of the hills are blown in with the darker paint chosen for the ground. After drying the main background and the formed details of the landscape, they write vegetation, clouds and other details of the intended composition.

gouache flower

Paintings in gouache. To technicians gouache painting relate:
. Glaze- a method that consists in applying transparent layers of other tones over the main color. By overlapping the base color with translucent layers, a new deep shade is obtained. For gouache, this method is available in the same way as for watercolor. Just gouache needs to be diluted quite strongly with water so that it becomes transparent. Using the glazing technique, you can create a unique fog effect, gouache is perfect for this.
. Pastose technique gouache is also available. This technique consists of applying thick, opaque paint to the work surface. This technique is mainly oil painting. Texture, light and shadow in paintings painted in pastose technique depend not only on color, but also on the shape and direction of the applied strokes. Gouache can also work in this style, especially if it is based on PVA or acrylic. When working in a pasty technique and using ordinary art gouache, you need to remember that too thick a layer of this paint tends to crack and crumble after drying. Therefore, you need to very carefully add layers of thick gouache to the canvas in order to get the “golden mean” necessary for this technique and material.
. There is another technique in which gouache can be used. It is called sgraffito. This technique is similar to engraving. Layer on paper light paint and wait for it to dry. Then apply a thick, even layer dark paint. After the top layer has dried, they take a drawing pen, stylus, just a thick needle or a clerical knife, and draw with them, removing the dark layer of paint from the lower light layer. It is best to keep the top coat of paint dry, but fresh enough so that the paint does not flake off. You need to act carefully, the movements must be accurate.
. In addition, gouache is excellently used in mixed media painting. For example, the background is done with gouache, and the drawing on the background with acrylic. Flowers with gouache and acrylic are very spectacular.

sketch of a girl in gouache

Care of the instrument when working with gouache.

You need to remember the property of gouache to clog pile soft brushes, so it is better to wash the brushes immediately in a jar with a lot of warm water. To do this, you need to thoroughly rinse the brush, leading the pile along the bottom of the container with water.

After finishing work with gouache, you need to rinse the brushes under a stream of warm running water. You also need to wash the palettes with paint residues, as dried gouache can paint over the palette, especially if it is plastic. Gouache dries very quickly, so all paint cans must be tightly closed. If you leave unclosed jars of paint after work, you risk finding there, instead of soft, plastic gouache, petrified pieces of dried pigment.

In addition, you need to monitor the condition of your paints. Gouache tends to thicken over time, even if you remember to close it. This property of this material can lead to its complete drying. You can restore the original quality of the drying material by dropping half a teaspoon of hot boiled water into the paint (this is on a standard small jar). Then the gouache should be closed and left for 30 minutes, after which it should be thoroughly mixed with the stick or reverse end of the brush.

If your gouache has dried up to the state of a stone, then you can try to revive it, but this does not always work out. To do this, pour a little into each jar hot water, so that only a couple of millimeters cover the surface of the dried paint, and then put it for three hours in a warm place. In winter, a battery is suitable for this, and in summer a sunny window sill. Then you need to mix the pigment thoroughly. If the dried pieces still remain, you can try to repeat the procedure described above. If this does not help, then everything is over with your paint and you can only throw it away. True, it can be used as a dry watercolor for sketches and rough sketches. It is impossible to reanimate dried acrylic gouache, it turns into an insoluble, hard polymer.

I wish you creative success in working with gouache!