

A Guide to Gouache
What Do I Need to Start Painting with Gouache?
What Are The Main Properties of Gouache?
What’s The Difference Between Artists’ and Designers’ Gouache?
What’s The Difference Between Acrylic, Traditional Gouache, and Acrylic Gouache?
What Mediums Can I Use with Traditional Gouache?
What Mediums Can I Use with Acrylic Gouache?
How Easy is it to Clean Up My Workspace after Painting with Gouache?
Tools For Painting with Gouache
What Is The Best Surface for Painting with Gouache?
Introduction to Gouache
Gouache is a type of paint also known as body colour, tempera, or opaque watercolour. Gouache contains opacifiers such as chalk or an abundance of pigment so that it appears opaque. Some painters use it alongside watercolour, while others use it as a medium in its own right.
Gouache is popular because it can be overpainted and corrected due to its opacity, yet it still has many of the qualities of watercolour paint. It has been used consistently for posters, illustrations, comics, and other design work.
Like watercolour, gouache is bound with gum arabic which is re-soluble in water. It dries to a matt finish. It is also possible to create transparent washes with some colours by diluting them with more water.
Acrylic gouache is the name given to an acrylic paint that looks like traditional gouache because it is very matt and opaque. However, because it is acrylic it dries waterproof, whereas traditional gouache doesn't. Acrylic gouache is a creamy paint used in fine arts whenever a totally flat, opaque surface is required. It is also used as a poster paint in graphic design and illustration.
What Do I Need to Start Painting with Gouache?
With paints, paper, and brushes, you have enough to begin painting in gouache. Simply add a jar of water and away you go! There are also some other supplies you could invest in:
- A selection or set of gouache paints in tubes, pots or solid pans
- Brushes
- Paper
- Palette
- Jar of water
Useful tools:
- Easel
- Sponge
- Board and gumstrip (for stretching paper)
An ideal palette to begin with could include Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, French Ultramarine, Raw Umber, Viridian, Yellow Ochre, and Titanium White. These can be mixed and thinned with water to create transparent colours. They can also be mixed with white to create opaque tints.


What Are The Main Properties of Gouache?
Opacity
Gouache differs from watercolour in that the pigment particles are typically larger and the ratio of pigment to binder is higher. The paint may also contain a filler such as chalk. The best quality gouache paints contain a very high proportion of pigment, and the density of the paint creates an opaque effect. This means the colours are pure and intense, and the covering power varies according to the pigment. The less expensive gouache ranges (such as student quality), contain an additional inert white pigment or chalk. This imparts smoothness and opacity.
What is Permanence?
Permanence, or lightfastness, refers to the stability of a pigment when exposed to prolonged periods of ultraviolet light. UV is found in natural sunlight. It is measured using the Blue Wool Scale in the UK and ASTM in America. Permanence considers the effects of other elements on the stability and appearance of pigments. This includes humidity, light, heat, water, acidity, alkali levels, etc. The permanence of a paint will be shown on the label using a rating system determined by the manufacturer. Further information can be found in the manufacturer’s colour chart or on their website.
Gouache paints are sometimes labelled as ‘Designers’ Gouache’. This refers to the medium’s popularity with commercial artists who require bright colours. Although a vast range of colours are available, some brilliant colours are fugitive. Fugitive means the pigment is not classified as lightfast and will fade over time. Generally, the work of designers is of a temporary nature because the work will be reproduced. Thus, the permanence is of lesser importance. This is why some manufacturers include these fugitive colours in their ranges.
If lightfastness is of great importance to you and your work, always read the colour chart to make sure the pigments you choose are less prone to fading.
To learn more, read 'Fugitive Pigments: Why Do They Fade, and Does it Matter?' on Jackson's Art Blog.


What’s The Difference Between Artists’ and Designers’ Gouache?
Gouache in tubes tends to be labelled as Artists’ or Designers’. As mentioned above, lightfastness is not of great importance with Designers’ Gouache. This is because the work tends to be recreated using commercial printing techniques. For this reason, Designer Gouache ranges often contain colours based on fugitive pigments or dyes. For example, in the Winsor & Newton range, some of the most vivid pinks and violets are prone to fading when exposed to daylight.
Artists’ Gouache ranges provide relatively permanent colours, as the paint has been made with permanent artworks in mind. Even so, it is recommended to check the colour chart before choosing paints. For example, Winsor & Newton use the ratings AA, A, B, and C, where AA means extremely permanent or lightfast, and C means fugitive or prone to fading.
More information can be found in our article, 'Fugitive Pigments: Why Do They Fade, and Does it Matter?' on Jackson's Art Blog.
What’s The Difference Between Acrylic, Traditional Gouache, and Acrylic Gouache?
Acrylic paints dry quickly, mix with water, and their opacity depends on the pigment. Around half of the colours in most ranges are transparent. They typically have a satin finish and are waterproof when dry.
Traditional gouache is an opaque, matt type of watercolour. Like watercolour, it can be reactivated with water and is not water-resistant.
Acrylic Gouache has features of both traditional acrylic paint and gouache. It is opaque and matt, as well as fast-drying. It is also water-mixable and water-resistant once dry. The opacity means it has excellent coverage. The acrylic binder means it is waterproof when dry, so you can overpaint without smearing. The matt finish gives a velvety surface.
Like acrylic, it also sticks to many surfaces with great adhesion. It is called gouache because it has a similar look and coverage to traditional gouache, but it is different because it is waterproof after it is dry and traditional gouache is not.
What Mediums Can I Use With Traditional Gouache?
Watercolour mediums can be used with gouache, if the gouache is used like watercolour, i.e. thinned with plenty of water. Mediums can control gouache just as watercolour mediums can help you control how watercolour paint behaves. Mediums can be used to add texture to gouache, improve flow, make it easier to lift colour, alter the drying time, and much more.
Gum Arabic
Gum arabic is used to bind pigment to make watercolour and gouache. It is made of hardened sap from two species of the Acacia tree. Gum arabic dissolves very easily in water. It is used as the binder in both watercolour and gouache because it effectively binds the pigment to the paper surface once the water has evaporated.
Gum arabic allows for more precise control over watercolour and gouache washes. This is because it limits the amount of flow and/or bleed of the colour. It also slows the evaporation rate of water, which means that your watercolour and gouache stay wet for longer, allowing for longer working times. Once water has evaporated from the watercolour or gouache, the colour’s luminosity and transparency, as well as permanence, are enhanced by the gum arabic.
Gum arabic is sold separately for those who wish to make their own gouache paints. It can also be used as a medium to mix in with pre-made colour, to to increase transparency and gloss.
Sennelier Gouache Binding Medium
Sennelier Gouache Binding Medium creates a matt, opaque paint that can later be reworked with water if desired. This medium is a ready-to-use product made from natural gum, glycerin, water, and a preservative. If the resulting paste is too thick, it can be thinned with small quantities of water.
Masking Fluid
Masking fluid is a liquid latex-based product that is effective at keeping small areas and thin lines white when painting with gouache on white watercolour paper. Once dry, masking fluid will prevent the paint from reaching the paper. It can then be peeled off to expose the white paper once the painting is fully dry.
The areas where masking fluid is most useful are small white areas or lines within a large even wash of colour. For example, a sailboat rigging against the sky, where you don’t want to paint around areas and interrupt a smooth wash. Masking fluid can also be used on dark coloured paper, such as Stonehenge Aqua Black.
Masking fluid can be applied in many ways. Almost any tool will work. If you need splattered white dots you can flick the masking fluid from an old toothbrush. You could use a brush, a ruling pen, a dental pick, a Colourshaper applicator, or a special pen that gives fine lines.
If you're using a brush for applying masking fluid, it is advisable to allocate an inexpensive brush for this purpose. It is very easy for masking fluid to dry and become ingrained in the brush hairs. One trick to make it easier to clean your brush is to wet the brush thoroughly and wipe the hairs over a bar of soap or dip it into washing up liquid, making sure that the hairs are thoroughly coated right up to the ferrule before using it to apply the masking fluid. Wash the brush thoroughly immediately after use.
Once dry, applied masking fluid will prevent the paint from reaching the paper and can be peeled off to expose the white paper once the painting is fully dry. Masking fluid is available clear or tinted, so you can see where you have painted it.
Schmincke Aqua Gloss
Schmincke Aqua Gloss can be applied to dry watercolour or gouache to enhance its gloss. It remains watersoluble once applied. Aqua Gloss can also be mixed in with wet colour as a medium. It also slows the drying time. It is advised not to mix Aqua Gloss in a watercolour pan as it may affect the paint for future use.
Iridescent Mediums
Aqua Shine and Iridescent Medium are both pearlescent mediums that add a shimmer to your colours. Both Aqua Shine and Iridescent Medium retard drying and stay watersoluble.
Ox Gall
Ox Gall used in watercolour and gouache paint is made of the gall from cows mixed with alcohol. It is a wetting agent that increases the flow of the paint across the paper, by decreasing the surface tension of the water so it doesn’t bead up. It is added to many watercolour and gouache paints. You can also buy it separately and add it to your paint.
Some paints do not contain a wetting agent because they want a more controllable paint. Some paints use a synthetic ox gall to avoid animal products.
Winsor & Newton Blending Medium
Winsor & Newton Blending Medium slows the drying time of watercolours/gouache. This enables a longer amount of time for blending. It is therefore particularly useful when painting in a hot climate.
For Experimental Gouache Techniques:
Schmincke Aqua Effect Spray
Schmincke Aqua Effect Spray is great for experimental painters. Spray into wet paint to create what Schmincke refer to as ‘bizarre surface effects’ on your painting. It causes the pigment to gather up into pools, to create effects similar to flocculation or marbling - an undulating surface consisting of passages of both saturated and very dilute colour. It is worth trying it out to fully understand what effect it might have on your work. Schmincke Aqua Effect Spray is in a pump spray bottle, so be sure to mask off any areas which you do not wish to apply the effect to.
Aqua Pasto
Aqua Pasto is made by both Schmincke and Winsor & Newton. It adds the kinds of impasto techniques you’d be more familiar with in oils or acrylics, and really does add another dimension to the process of watercolour/gouache painting. This transparent thickening medium can be applied pure onto paper, or mixed with colour prior to application. You can even start to apply your paint with a spatula! Aqua Pasto reduces flow and increases gloss. It slows the drying time and stays watersoluble, so can be re-worked over time.
Gouache Surface Preparation
Watercolour primers and grounds can be applied to a range of materials to create a surface that is absorbent for gouache. This includes surfaces such as canvas, wood, stone, ceramic and plastic. The benefit of this is to optimise the appearance of colours and marks.
Apply three thin, even layers that have been allowed to dry fully in between the application of each layer. This will optimise absorbency and allow you to achieve the same effects possible on regular watercolour paper. Watercolour primers and grounds are made by paint manufacturers such as Schmincke, Daniel Smith, and Golden. They are available clear, as well as in a number of tinted shades. There are also coarse and fine tooth varieties available.
What Mediums Can I Use With Acrylic Gouache?
Turner Retarder slows the drying time of acrylic gouache paints. This allows artists to create watercolour-like graduation or smooth surfaces without brush strokes.
Turner Gloss Varnish is a milky-white liquid that can be used as a final gloss coat on an artwork or as a mixer for paints. This gloss varnish dries to a transparent water-resistant film.
Turner Glass Primer and Wood Primer make it possible to use Turner Acryl Gouache on flat and contoured glass and wood surfaces.
Turner Fabric Medium makes it possible to use Turner Acryl Gouache on fabric.
Modelling pastes that are flexible can be used with acrylic gouache. For example, the flexible types offered by AV. Ranges such as Liquitex Modelling Paste can be more prone to cracking due to the paint’s high pigment level. Liquitex String Gel and Pouring Medium can also be used. You should always test any mediums on a separate surface before using on a final painting.
How Easy is it to Clean Up My Workspace after Painting with Gouache?
As a watersoluble medium, gouache paint is very easy to clean! Paints can be wiped away from most surfaces using soap and water. Clothing stained with gouache can be easily hand or machine washed without any additional treatment.
Just remember that acrylic gouache is acrylic. So, unlike watercolour and traditional gouache, it will dry in your brushes if you don’t rinse them right away.
Brushes for Gouache
Brushes for watercolour painting are ideal for use with gouache. They have shorter handles than oil and acrylic brushes and are available in a wide range of shapes. Small brushes are useful when painting detail and other intricate marks. Large brushes hold more liquid and work well for broader brush strokes and washes.
However, because gouache does not handle in the same way as watercolour, bristle and synthetic acrylic brushes may be useful for making textural marks. It is a good idea to experiment with a range of brushes to find which type and size best suits your technique. We also have a curated range of brushes for gouache painting.
A brush set with a variety of shapes and sizes is a great way to get started. As you paint more you will begin to discover which brushes are your favourites. You can then build on your collection with the right shapes and sizes for your way of working. Starting with a set of at least three brushes is ideal. The highest quality natural hair brushes (such as sable or squirrel) are the most expensive, while synthetic brushes offer a hardwearing alternative.
To learn more, read our Guide to Watercolour Brushes.
Care and Cleaning of Brushes
The lifespan of your brushes will be prolonged if they are kept clean and cared for.
Both natural hair and synthetic hair brushes benefit from being cleaned with brush soap. Brush soap contains natural oils which help to moisturise the hairs, so they keep their strength and shape. If the hairs are not sufficiently moisturised with oils, the structure of each filament becomes brittle. This makes the hair more susceptible to breaking or splaying, damaging the shape of the head of the brush. It is a good idea to get into the habit of doing the following at the end of each painting session:
- Remove the excess paint from your brush. Rinse in a jar of cleaning water or under a running tap and then blot on a clean rag or kitchen towel.
- Gently rub the head of the brush onto your brush soap. Work into a lather with your fingers.
- Rinse under running lukewarm water and repeat until the lather remains white. Remember to work the lather with your fingers right up to the ferrule.
- Once the hairs are clean, blot onto another clean rag and shape the brush head with your fingers.
- Leave to air dry, ideally by hanging the brush from its handle. Make sure it is somewhere with good ventilation. This will allow any water in the ferrule to leave the brush, preventing any rotting of the handle from occurring.
To learn more, read 'Brush Cleaning Tips for Painters' on Jackson's Art Blog.
Tools For Painting with Gouache
Palettes
An extra palette will offer more room for colour mixing. If you’re going to want your mixes on another day, or if you need to transport your colours, a palette with a lid will protect your mixed paint. It will also offer even more palette space.
All watercolour palettes have at least some wells. These are for squeezing tubes of colour into. They also ensure that the colours do not run into one another. Palettes are offered in plastic and ceramic.
As an aside, gouache paints diluted with a lot of water do tend to bead up (gather in pools and possess a resistance to the surface) on metal or plastic surfaces. This effect wears away the more you use the palette. Scrubbing the palette with a Brillo pad prior to use, and rinsing thoroughly to remove any traces of soap, will stop the beading. You can also invest in a porcelain palette on which gouache paints do not bead.
Pencils
A set of artist pencils is worth having with your painting equipment. Preparatory sketches can help to develop your ideas before you set brush to paper, allowing you to have more confidence during the painting process. A hard pencil can be useful in lightly drawing your composition on your paper before you apply colour. Graphite or coloured pencils won’t smudge. It is best to avoid charcoal pencils for this reason.
Easel
An easel is by no means essential. If you work standing up you could tape your paper to a wall, or you could work at a table. However, the right easel can allow you to move your work easily to better lighting conditions, or help you to work with a healthy posture, avoiding unnecessary aches and pains during a long painting session. When choosing an easel you have to ask yourself a set of questions.
- Will you be painting at a table? If you will be, then a table easel is a compact device that will hold your paper upright. Many have a drawer in which you can store your paints and brushes. They are easy to store.
- Will you need to have a portable easel (perhaps for painting en plein air)? If you will be then a sketching easel is what you’ll need. Sketching easels are usually made from aluminium or wood. An easy to carry sketching easel will be lightweight with telescopic legs, allowing it to fold into a compact and portable size. However, if you are likely to paint in bracing wind conditions, it may be at risk of falling over. Some string and tent pegs can be a great way to get around this.
- Do you need an easel that will tilt horizontally? (Will you be painting with lots of dilute watercolour which might run?) Some studio and sketching easels will tilt fully to a horizontal working position. This is essential if you need to ensure your paint does not run.
- Do you need an easel that will hold very large work? The largest studio easels are H-frame and solidly stable for paintings up to 235cm, but they will take up space and be heavy to move around. Crank handle easels make it easier to adjust the height of your painting.
Sponge
A sponge can be used to lift wet colour from a painting, to either reduce the saturation of the brush mark, to lighten its tone, or to remove it completely. Gouache is rewettable, so applying clean water to a passage of painting will allow you to remove some of the paint if you then dab the area with a clean sponge. A sponge is also useful for blotting a loaded brush, to reduce how much paint will be deposited with your brush mark. If you stretch your own paper, a sponge is useful for removing excess water from the gum-stripped edges of your paper.
Water Pots
You will need a pot of water in which to rinse brushes when changing colours, or at the end of a session. While a glass jar is perfectly usable at home, you might like to reduce the weight of your load if going elsewhere to paint. There are a number of collapsible water pots available. These fold compactly back into your kit bag at the end of your painting session. A larger, multi-compartment brush washer is useful in the studio because it gives you an area of water to wash your brush in and an area of clean water to mix with paint.
What Is The Best Surface for Painting with Gouache?
Watercolour paper that weighs 300gsm or more is best for gouache paint. Gouache needs a surface that is absorbent, like paper. For non-absorbent surfaces, you can make them work by applying a watercolour ground first. This prepares them for gouache painting.
Acrylic gouache is a form of acrylic paint and so, like most acrylic paints, it will adhere to most surfaces. This includes metal, wood, paper, plastic, and more. It is worth exploring the traditional fine art surfaces that we offer for acrylic painting. Canvas Panels and boards are made by glueing primed cotton onto a rigid board. This results in a surface with the texture of a cotton surface, but not the 'spring' you would get from painting on to stretched canvas.
Our ready-made stretched canvases take away time consuming stretching and priming processes. They are available in a range of weights, grains and sizes. If you prefer to make your own canvas, we also have all the materials you need to make your own. This includes our easy to use stretcher bars, available in six depths, two of which are made of aluminium reinforced wood for maximum durability and strength.
Canvas pads are a mixture of specially prepared acrylic painting papers and primed cotton sheets. They are lightweight and great for taking outdoors and travelling. They are also an economical solution for experimenting with new techniques.
Watercolour Paper
Watercolour paper is a versatile surface which has a degree of absorbency. This allows transparent colour to appear its most luminous. Watercolour paper is not only for use with watercolour paints. It can be used for acrylics, gouache, pastels, graphite, charcoal, and more. It can also be primed for use with oil paint. With many 100% cotton papers available, watercolour paper is a durable and archival support for many different mediums.
Watercolour paper is usually available in three different textures. Completely smooth paper is known as Hot Pressed. This allows for the finest lines and crisp details to show. Cold Pressed paper has a slight texture and is also known as NOT surface paper. It is the surface that most artists try to begin with. The texture is made with sheets of felt, so has an irregular, naturally dimpled quality. Rough paper has a more pronounced texture. This changes the quality of brush strokes, often making them appear more broken and expressive than on smooth paper.
Hot pressed paper has the least textured surface, having been pressed between hot metal rollers during production. Hot pressed paper is favoured by those who like to work with a lot of detail, such as botanical artists. Hot pressed paper tends to be the least absorbent of all of the textures. Watery washes can sit on the surface for a long time. Beyond watercolour painting, hot pressed watercolour paper makes an excellent support for detailed pen, ink, and graphite works.
Cold pressed (NOT) paper is made by pressing the sheet through cold metal rollers. It has a slight texture to it. It is the most popular watercolour paper surface to work on because it is well suited to many painting approaches. The paint will sink a little into the dimples on the surface of the paper, but it will also be sympathetic to more detailed work. Cold pressed paper tends to be a little more absorbent than hot pressed paper.
Rough paper has the roughest texture. It is pressed between sheets of textured felt during the drying process and is not pressed between smooth rollers. The heavier texture means that granulating effects are enhanced. This surface is suited to bold and expressive painting styles.
Papermakers commonly use terms like hot pressed, NOT, and rough to describe their paper textures. However, the actual textures can differ widely between brands. They can even differ between batches, particularly with handmade papers.
Watercolour Pads and Blocks
A watercolour pad is bound on one edge and is ideal for sketches. Watercolour pads are either spiral or glue bound. They are a good source of paper for a beginner. Another option is watercolour blocks, which are glued on all four sides. This keeps the paper taut as you paint on it. When your painting is finished and dry, simply slice off the top sheet with a craft knife, and your painting will be on a flat piece of paper, free from natural buckling caused by water saturation.
If you want to paint on a large scale, then you may wish to work on full sheets of imperial watercolour paper, which measure 22 x 30 inches. If you want to try painting in watercolour on an even bigger scale, then a watercolour paper roll might be what you’re after. Most are 10 metres long, which you can cut down to whatever size you need. To read more about the sizes and formats of paper, click here.
Watercolour Paper Comparison Table
Our table compares the content, texture, sizing, colour, and surface strength of artist watercolour papers. Click the image below to enlarge, or download our PDF version here to print.
Why Does Paper Buckle When Wet?
Buckling occurs because paper fibres expand when wet. If you use very little water in your technique, then very little buckling will occur, if any. For more watery applications, a heavier weight paper (425gsm and above) will buckle less.
Stretching watercolour paper involves saturating the paper with water in order to expand it prior to fixing it to a board, usually with gumstrip around the edges, then allowing it to dry before painting. Preparing your paper like this ensures a completely flat surface.
How to Stretch Watercolour Paper: A step-by-step guide
What you will need:
- A clean, soap-free tray of water, with one dimension slightly longer than the shortest edge of your sheet of paper. Or, if you don’t have a tray, a clean spray bottle.
- A clean, soap-free sponge or paper towel.
- A rigid board. Plywood or plastic is ideal.
- Four strips of gummed tape, to glue each edge of your paper to the board. It helps to pre-cut each length so that it is 3cm longer than each edge.
The most common and inexpensive method of stretching paper is to begin by soaking it in clean water for a few minutes. 140lb weight paper will need up to 8 minutes, heavier paper may need more. If your sheet of paper does not fit in the tray, you can hold it at opposite edges and feed it through the tray multiple times to ensure the whole sheet is soaked.
Lift the sheet from the tray and allow any excess water to drain before placing it flat on your board. If you do not have a tray, simply place your paper onto the board you wish to stretch it onto, and spray generously on both sides of the paper with clean water. Try to only touch the paper on its edges as it’s possible to leave visible finger marks. Sponge off the excess water gently with a clean sponge. The outward motion you use to do this will help flatten the paper onto the board. Once you feel that the paper is adequately stretched out, wet your gumstrip using a clean paint brush or sponge. Do not immerse it in the tray of water for too long as this can wash away too much of the adhesive, and it may not be able to hold the paper in place as it shrinks.
Place the gumstrip tape on the edges of the paper so that half the width is covering the paper’s edge, and half is stuck to the board. When doing this, take care not to let water from the tape drip onto the paper, as this will leave spots on the paper when you start to paint on it. Use a dry paper towel to press the tape down, which will also soak up any excess water. Lay the board flat and allow it to dry. It may need to be left for a few hours, or overnight, to be completely dry before you start your painting.
When your painting is finished, leave it to dry completely before cutting the paper free from the board using a sharp craft knife. You can remove gumstrip from the paper by soaking it with a sponge to rewet it, and then carefully lift it off with a palette knife or craft knife.
How To Present and Store Finished Work
Glassine – for protecting work in storage
Glassine is a glossy greaseproof paper that is designed to protect artworks from smudging. Loose sheets of glassine can be purchased in packs or singularly. They are useful to keep in supply for interleaving between stored works.
Glass – for protecting and presenting finished works
Arguably the most secure way to protect a gouache painting (and works on paper in general) is by framing it behind glass. This is also likely to be the most space consuming solution as well. As with all work on paper, it is best to have a gap between the work and the glass. This allows any humidity to circulate away from the work, and prevent any shifts in the position of the glass smudging the work. A window mount offers a good solution to this, or alternatively the use of spacers in your frame.
Glossary
Mass Tone - The appearance of the colour of the paint as it comes from the tube.
Undertone - Undertone is the colour when applied across a surface in a thin film. E.g. Ultramarine Blue is said to have a red-blue undertone.
Colour Strength - Colour strength essentially refers to the ratio of pigment to binder. It is a description of how vibrant/brilliant/clean the colour appears.
Blending - The process of merging two colour areas so that no hard edges remain. In watercolour, this is simple to do with a wet brush dipped in water or gum arabic. However, if the paint has dried completely, blending becomes harder, and the edges may be more difficult to soften. In these cases, you can mix a blending medium with the paint. This keeps the paint wet longer and makes blending much easier.
Dry Brush Technique - When paint that is relatively dry, and in the least ‘gummy’, is applied with a dry brush to paper. The effect is chalky in appearance and saturated in colour. It often makes for a dramatic contrast against more delicate and watery washes. An effective and dramatic way to create textured surfaces within a painting.
Flat Wash - The use of a single diluted colour to cover the paper in a relatively unsaturated and uniform manner. Washes are usually applied with a broad brush with natural hair that can hold a lot of fluid, such as a squirrel mop. Painters may choose to work over the wash once the wash is dry, or to work into the wet wash. By doing this one is said to be painting ‘wet-on-wet’. The result is that the colours bleed into the layers onto which they have been applied. Flat washes can be applied onto dry or damp paper.
Fugitive Colour - Refers to non-lightfast paints, such as Opera Rose. They fade, or distort in other ways, when exposed to sunlight. If you intend to exhibit or display work on a wall, it is advised to use colours that have been rated Excellent or Very Good lightfastness. They may also have the classification of being ‘I’ or ‘II’. It is fine to use fugitive colours if the work is being reproduced, or kept in a book or portfolio.
Glazed Wash - A glazed wash is when a dilute colour is applied across the surface of a watercolour painting that has been left to dry completely. The result of doing this is to tint the whole surface with the colour of your wash. Someone who decides to apply a glazed wash over a work would therefore have to consider the influence the chosen glaze hue would have over the colours that have been worked with previously. Once dry, the artist has the option to work over the top once more.
Gum Arabic - A gum that is extracted from two species of the acacia tree. It is used as a binder in the manufacture of watercolour paint. Gum arabic can also be bought separately. It increases the transparency and gloss of colours.
Masking Fluid - Masking fluid is sometimes known as liquid frisket. It is used to mask off areas of your work. It is painted on like tippex with a brush, ruling pen, colour shaper, or anything else! Once dry, you can then work in watercolour over the top.
A good example of when masking fluid may come in handy is if you are applying colour onto a painting of a leaf, but you wish to keep the veins white. You would then paint the veins on with the masking fluid, allow it to dry and then apply your colour over the top. Providing the masking fluid is applied to dry paper and is left to dry completely before working over the top, (and the watercolour applied over the top is also left to dry completely) the masking fluid should peel off with relative ease. Just coax off a corner with a colour shaper or the end of your brush and the rest should come off by pulling it with your fingers. If it feels as if it is very stuck, a handy little tip is to roll up a ball of dried masking fluid between your finger and thumb and use this to coax the masking fluid off – the stickiness works wonders!
Opacity/Transparency - The measure of how much light is able to pass through the pigment particles. Opaque colours allow only very small quantities of light through the colour. Transparent colours allow a lot of light through the colour. The difference is that opaque colours will look flatter and will cover over any marks that may have been made underneath. Transparent colours will show the marks made underneath. They may also appear to have more texture.
Traditionally, watercolour painting is a transparent painting method. As such it is the white of the paper that acts as the white in your work. However, it is now common practice for many watercolour painters to use white gouache or Chinese White watercolour in a watercolour painting, often as finishing highlights and touches. White gouache can be tinted with transparent watercolour and used in watercolour painting; it is often referred to as ‘body colour’ due to its opacity.
Watercolour Easels - Watercolour easels often tilt to allow painters to work flat. This prevents washes and water from running down the surface of your work. However, some artists may find that working upright works best for their style.