Gouache paint

Opaque flat color areas, clear edges, and a low-sheen surface are typical.

Visual traits

• opaque color areas
• clear edges
• low-sheen surface

Expected changes

• Covering color areas become more likely
• Clear shapes become more likely than transparent blooms

Definition

Gouache paint is a water-workable pigment paint generally used for highly opaque, flat color areas. It is distinct from translucent watercolor layers and from a whole work made with gouache.

In more detail

Gouache can be associated with covering color areas, clear edges, and a low-sheen surface. Opacity and visible brushwork vary with concentration, formulation, water, and paper.

Includes

• Gouache as an opaque water-based coloring material

Excludes

• Transparent watercolor paint
• watercolor or gouache painting as a whole-work medium
• a particular application method

What this does not imply

• A particular subject, composition, region, or artist
• an invariably perfectly smooth or brushmark-free result

Variability

Opacity and surface texture vary with pigment, formulation, water amount, and support.

Usage

• Use as a material modifier without adding subject or composition

Distinguish similar expressions

• Distinguish from transparent watercolor paint and a whole-work medium

Typical uses

• Painting expression with opaque color areas
• Illustration with clear shapes and restrained sheen

Possible failure modes

• It becomes only transparent watercolor layers
• It becomes merely a uniform white-poster-like surface