This post contains affiliate links to Blick and Rosemary Brushes.
Gouache Paint
Brands
My favorite gouache brands, roughly in order of preference:
- Holbein Artist’s Gouache – creamiest, thickest
- M. Graham Gouache – liquidest, but still opaque
- Winsor & Newton Designers’ Gouache
- Schmincke Horadam Gouache
One thing to note is that Holbein is the thickest/creamiest, and M. Graham tend to be more on the thin/watery side, and WN and SH somewhere in the middle, which influences which colors I choose from which brands. For coverage colors where maximum opacity is desired, Holbein is best; for dark or highly pigmented mixing colors, M. Graham works well.
Colors
These are my most-used gouache colors, roughly in order of importance:
| Slot | My Favorite Option [Affiliate Links] |
|---|---|
| Titanium White (PW6) – needed to mix with almost everything for light values. Get lots! |  Holbein Permanent White (PW6)  |
| Ultramarine Blue (PB29) – my favorite gouache blue, great for skies and mixes |  M. Graham Ultramarine Blue (PB29) |
| Any dark color (e.g. Payne’s Gray, Lamp Black, Perylene Black, Prussian Blue) |  M. Graham Prussian Blue (PB27) |
| Primary Yellow |  Holbein Lemon Yellow (PY3) |
| Primary Magenta |  Holbein Primary Magenta (PR122) |
| Primary Cyan |  Holbein Primary Cyan (PB15) |
| Earth Orange |  Holbein Irodori Iron Oxide Red (PR101) |
| Warm yellow |  Holbein Marigold (PY83) |
| Yellow ochre |  Holbein Yellow Ochre (PY42, PY43) |
| Scarlet |  Schmincke Vermilion Tone (PR255) |
Relevant Posts
- What’s the difference between watercolor and gouache?
- Finding Lightfast Gouache Pigments
- My New Gouache Theory: Base Colors & Mixing Colors
Gouache Paper
I’m less picky about paper for gouache, but I prefer a smoother surface than for watercolor paper. I typically use Canson XL Watercolor Pad or any cheap hot press pad/block.
Gouache Palettes
Unlike in watercolor, a travel/storage palette is not needed because gouache doesn’t really rewet well, so it’s best to work with wet paint from the tube. Some people use airtight sealable palettes, but I never have.
For mixing, I currently use the Mijello Fredi Weber Peel-Off Tray Palette (discontinued). It is plastic and thinner paint tends to bead. Ceramic would be nicer, but with gouache I don’t find ceramic as essential and I like having more mixing space to work on. As large as this is, I’m often running out of space. A ceramic palette of this size would be very heavy. I don’t prefer wells for gouache because the paint is thicker so it doesn’t run together.
The New Wave Art Easy Lift Palette seems similar.
Gouache Brushes
Synthetics work best for gouache. I also use the same synthetic brushes for swatching watercolors.
Rosemary Set #20 – Beginner All Mediums contains everything I need for gouache – multiple sizes of round brush, a large flat shader for background flat washes, a small flat shader for square areas and a small goat mop which I haven’t used for gouache but have found handy for watercolor lifting.
Additional Gouache Supplies
All of the additional supplies for watercolor tend to be useful for gouache as well! You still use cups of water and cloths to clean brushes, tape and backboard to tape down paper, etc.
Optional
- Palette knives: Gouache is thicker than watercolor so you can begin to explore impasto effects.
- Palette puck: May help to get thicker paint off the brush.
Online Resources
- How to Paint a Landscape – Jess Chung
- How to Start a New Sketchbook – Ruth Wilshaw