Watercolor, Gouache, Acrylic Gouache, & Acrylic Paint - What's the big difference?!

This video is a simplified overview of the main differences between watercolor, gouache, acrylic gouache, and acrylic paint.

Let's explore these together!

Also, I would love to see in the comments which of these mediums is your favorite!

[LUCKEY.]

I was gifted a gouache set and it would dry plastic like, but with the information you provided I can tell it’s acrylic gouache. Thank you, for enlightening this beginner artist.❤

[afasimpaur]

I first started working with gouache to do medieval illumination style pieces. One of the things that I love about gouache is that, if I am working on a large, intricate knotwork piece, I can mix a batch of colour all at once so that I don't have to worry about matching the colours every time I sit down to work.

My first experience with acrylic gouache was a demo I was working on in an educational setting. They asked me what supplies I needed and I told them that I would need gouache and they ordered acrylic gouache, which I didn't even know existed. When I was setting up, I didn't think much about the unfamiliar look of the tubes because different brands have different packaging. When I was mixing colours, the gouache behaved a little different from the Windsor and Newton that I typically use but not enough different for me to think anything of it.

Everything was going just fine until I took a lunch break. I left my premixed colours open, swirled my brush haphazardly through the water and tapped it dry on my rag and went to enjoy the lunch they provided.

The first sign that something wasn't right was the small section of bristles in my $50 watercolour detail brush that was now hopelessly glued together in a brilliant blue streak. I honestly thought that I had somehow gotten sizing for gold leaf onto something. (which didn't seem possible since I didn't bring any gold leaf supplies with me and if I had done it before the demo I would have noticed it before lunch)... When I attempted to reconstitute the colour I had mixed earlier and it just sat there on the pallette, I finally took a closer look at the packaging.

I honestly don't understand why they even make acrylic gouache. As a medium, gouache has been around for centuries. Until the invention of acrylics, artists prized gouache because it dried more rapidly than oils and offered greater flexibility and freedom than egg tempra. The advent of acrylics largely filled the niche traditionally occupied by gouache to the extent that until the recent advent of jelly gouache, there were many artists who had never even heard of gouache. But, those of us who knew the secret knew that gouache is truly a remarkable medium that can be combined well with watercolour, chalk pastels, and ink with beautiful results. Acrylic gouache is truly the spawn of Satan.

[wendystudioscrap]

Thanks for this video. Start by watercolor and going to start with gouache. Want to explore face and how it can be good with watercolor Play with acrylics for abstracts.

[ZillasCoop]

thank you! always wondered how they are different!

[wintermoon]

I would say I am an intermediate level watercolor painter these days.. I like more of my paintings now than hate.... and since I always heard how much easier acrylic paints are.... when I received canvas boards from Amazon instead of watercolor paper, I decided to buy a nice acrylic paint set.
I think I found my new obsession, but only because acrylics are giving me a ridiculously hard time. I am not sure why I expected to go into my first acrylic painting amd it would be on the same level as my watercolors. Now, I am stubborn and determined to not let the acrylic paint beat me. I will paint a beautiful floral acrylic bouquet lol
Anyway, thank you for this video! After 6 canvases messed up I came searching for the difference between the two mediums and well, here I am. I am making a mental note to work dark to light instead of light to dark.

[barbaraperna]

I recently bought Arteza Gouache set of 60. I have no idea if it's regular gouache or Acrylic. How can I find out. I also put it in half pans and it completely dried out. I can remist with water and paint but the creamy texture is gone.

[andresbucio]

Very informative and pleasant, thank you Rebel Unicorn!!

[ThatPaintingLass]

Thank you for this video! I to accidentally bought acrylic gouache instead of gouache. I thought I didn’t like it because I was looking for that rewetting ability and didn’t understand why I wasn’t getting that. Now I totally understand that I have the wrong thing. Thank you so much.

[leslie-annepepin]

I got himi gouache. Too much bother to keep them nice. (I added a sheet of plastic wrap between the lid and the paint to keep them moist). Paul Ruebens has a nice paint set of pan gouache. Have you tried those?

[estherwong]

Curious to know what you found to be the main difference between acrylic gouache and acrylic?