How to Paint With Gouache? The Beginner-Friendly Guide

In this blog, we are going to talk about how to paint with gouache? Because this has been the question of many people and mainly the concern is what is gouache actually?

So, let me tell you “Gouache” is a type of paint which is being popular among beginners and professional artists. And it has almost every type of finish in it which makes it more approachable.

But you need to be careful with this one too like you stay careful with the other ones.

I remember the first time I picked up gouache…. it was for a client’s mood board presentation and I needed something that could give me a flat, matte color look. Watercolor wasn’t working like it because I needed opacity and acrylics felt too permanent.

And then someone gave me a tube of Holbein gouache.

The paint came out thick but I was confused at first because it looked too heavy to work with on paper. But when I added water, everything changed. The paint became creamy, workable which changed the vibe of the room. 

So, let’s go and see how to paint with gouache in the right way and how we can make it work.

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What is Gouache and How Does it Work?

Gouache is mainly an opaque watercolor. This is the simplest way I can explain this.

It’s made from pigment, water, and gum arabic. Some formulas also include chalk or white fillers which gives gouache the characteristic opacity that watercolor doesn’t have.

The difference here is that watercolor is transparent. You can see through the layers but Gouache is NOT transparent. You can paint light colors over dark ones which is a game-changer.

I use this when I’m creating sample boards for clients. If I mess up a color, I wait for it to dry and paint over it with a light shade.

Here’s the thing about how it works:

The gum arabic holds everything together and here’s the main part, even after the paint dries, you can reactivate it with water. So if you spray water on your palette the next day, the dried paint blobs, they come back to life.

This is both amazing and annoying because it means:

You can keep using paint and not waste anything but also your layers may lift if you’re not careful when adding new layers.

I learned this from a botanical painting I was doing for a client’s dining room. I went back in with a wet brush to add details and lifted the background layer. The painting looked muddy and terrible.

My fix is I now wait for layers to dry and use less water on my brush when working on top of dried areas.

Gouache dries to a matte, velvety finish which makes it perfect for artwork or photos. As an interior designer, this matters when I need to photograph color samples for client presentations.

The paint also dries FAST. This means you can layer quickly which is brilliant for work, but it also means your palette dries out and you need to keep a spray bottle near you.

What Are The Supplies We Need to Paint with Gouache?

Let’s talk supplies because you don’t need so much stuff to get started, but you DO need the right stuff.

Paint:

I started with Holbein gouache tubes and they’re still my favorite. The pigment load is high, colors are vibrant, and they reactivate beautifully. I’ve also tried Winsor & Newton which is solid, and M. Graham which has a honey binder that keeps it workable longer on the palette.

For beginners, I’d say grab these colors first:

• Titanium White
• Primary Red
• Primary Yellow
• Ultramarine Blue
• Burnt Sienna
• A good black

You can mix almost everything from this palette.

Brushes:

You can use regular watercolor brushes with gouache. Round brushes for detail work, flat brushes for laying down washes and big color blocks.

I prefer synthetic brushes because they’re cheap and they hold up well with the thick paint consistency. My go-to setup is a size 4 round, size 8 round, and a 1-inch flat brush.

Keep your brushes WET while you’re painting. If gouache dries on the bristles, it becomes annoying to work with.

Paper:

You need watercolor paper that can handle water without buckling. I use a 200-300 gsm weight minimum.

Cold press paper has texture which is great for loose paintings. Hot press paper is smooth and perfect for detailed illustration work.

I’ve painted on mixed media boards, illustration boards, and toned paper. Gouache works on all of it because of the opacity. On toned paper especially, the colors shine in a way that watercolor never could.

Palette:

I use a ceramic palette with an airtight seal because it keeps my mixed colors from drying out between sessions. Plastic palettes work fine too, but paint beads up on plastic surfaces which can be annoying.

Some people love the stay-wet palettes with the sponge layer underneath. I haven’t tried that yet but it’s on my list.

Other stuff:

• Two water containers
• Spray bottle for reactivating paint – this is NON-NEGOTIABLE
• Paper towels
• Masking tape if you want clean edges
• Pencil and kneaded eraser for sketching

How to Paint With Gouache? Step-by-Step Process

Let me walk you through how to paint with gouache, from setting up to finishing a piece. This is the workflow I use whether I’m doing a quick color or a finished painting. The process isn’t complicated but there’s a rhythm to it that should be figured out. 

I’m going to break it down to paint in the correct way because I fumbled through my first dozen paintings. The key with gouache is understanding that it’s flexible, you can work transparent like watercolor OR opaque like acrylic, and most of the time you’ll be doing both in the same painting. 

Prepare the Workspace

First thing, get your space ready BEFORE you do any paint.

I tape my paper down to a board using masking tape. This keeps the paper flat and gives me the clean white border when I peel the tape off at the end.

Fill your water containers because you’ll go through water FAST with gouache because you’re rinsing and mixing.

Squeeze out your colors onto your palette. I put white in the big section because I use it constantly. Then I arrange my other colors around the edge of the palette with mixing space in the middle.

Here’s what I learned: squeeze out MORE paint than you think you need.

I used to be stingy with paint and I’d run out mid-wash and have to mix more, but matching the exact color is impossible. 

Sketch the Area

I always sketch my composition lightly with pencil first. 

The beauty of gouache is that it’s opaque enough to cover pencil lines, so you don’t need to stress about erasing everything perfectly. But don’t go too dark with your pencil or you’ll see graphite mixed into the light colors.

I use a 2B mechanical pencil and keep my lines light and loose. Sometimes I don’t sketch if I’m doing abstract color studies or practicing techniques.

For my client work though, I always sketch. I need to know where things are going before I commit paint to paper.

Apply Washes

This is where gouache gets interesting because you can START with thin transparent washes.

I begin with the large areas first like the background or sky in a landscape, or the base tone in a still life.

Mix your paint with plenty of water to get a thin consistency. It should flow easily off the brush. This is called a staining technique and it creates a nice foundation for the painting.

I made a mistake where I went to thick opaque paint without building up thin layers first. The painting looked flat and chalky.

Now I’m starting to thin and build up the transparency, then let it dry. And THEN go in with thick opaque layers.

Layer Paint

This is where gouache shines. You start building up layers, going from thin paint to thick paint, from dark ones to light ones.

Here’s the layering approach I recommend:

I work on the painting once rather than finishing one section completely. I’ll put down a layer of color in the background, then move to the middle ground, then the foreground, then go back to the background and adjust.

This keeps the painting unified and helps me see value relationships across the composition.

Wait for each layer to dry before adding the next one. If you don’t wait, you’ll reactivate the layer underneath and everything will get muddy.

I check if paint is dry by lightly touching the edge of the paper. If it feels cool to the touch, it’s damp. If it feels room temperature, you’re good to go.

The consistency I use for these middle layers is like heavy cream, not too watery, not too thick. It should feel creamy when you mix it with your brush.

Add Shadows and Highlights

This is the final stage and the most fun.

With gouache, you can add bright highlights with titanium white or light colors RIGHT on top of dark areas. This is impossible with watercolor and it’s what makes gouache so forgiving.

I mix my highlight colors thick, less water and more pigment. The paint should be opaque enough that you can’t see through it.

For shadows, I either glaze thin dark layers over existing colors, or I add small opaque details depending on what the painting needs.

One technique I love is using dry brush for texture in the final stages. Then load your brush with thick paint, wipe most of it off on a paper towel, then lightly drag it across the paper. It creates the scratchy broken texture that’s perfect for things like tree bark, fabric texture, or rough surfaces.

Let it Cure

Gouache dries fast but I always let finished paintings sit for a few hours before handling them.

The surface stays workable even after it looks dry, so if you touch it too soon, you may leave fingerprints or smudges.

Once it’s fully cured, the surface is matte and velvety. 

But here’s the thing, gouache is never permanent like acrylic. It can always be reactivated with water. So if you’re planning to sell a piece or frame it, put it behind glass or consider using a fixative spray.

How to Paint With Gouache on Different Surfaces

One of the reasons I love gouache is because it works on many different surfaces. The opacity means you’re not limited to white paper like you are with watercolor. I’ve experimented with every surface and here’s what I learned from each one. The surface you choose does change how the paint behaves.

So, let’s go and see how this paint behaves according to different surfaces.

On Canvas

Painting gouache on canvas is…. interesting.

You CAN do it, but it’s not my favorite surface. The texture of canvas fights with the brush a bit, and you need to apply paint more thickly to get it to grab onto the weave.

I tried this on a stretched canvas when I was testing materials for a mural project. The first layer was frustrating because the paint seemed to sit ON TOP of the canvas rather than sinking in.

My solution was to use canvas paper instead of stretched canvas. Canvas paper has a canvas texture but it’s paper-backed so the paint absorbs better. 

If you’re set on using stretched canvas, apply a thicker first layer and let it dry before adding details. Some artists also prime canvas with gesso first but then you’re painting on a smooth surface.

On Wood

Wood panels need to be prepared properly.

I’ve painted on wood many times for small decorative pieces. You need to sand the surface smooth first, then apply a primer or gesso layer.

Once the wood is prepped, it is nice to paint on.

The paint doesn’t buckle like paper does with water. The surface stays flat and the smooth wood surface lets you get clean edges and details.

I did a small botanical study on a wood panel for my own kitchen and the colors looked more saturated than they did on paper. Something about the sealed wood surface makes the pigments pop.

The downside is wood is heavy and not portable. So this isn’t great if you like to paint on location.

On Paper

Paper is the BEST surface for gouache. This is what the medium was designed for.

Watercolor paper is my go-to. The 200-300 gsm weight handles water without buckling too much. Cold press has that nice texture. Hot press is smooth for detailed work.

I keep both types in my studio. Cold press for loose expressive paintings, hot press for client work and illustrations that need to be clean and professional.

Mixed media paper works too, especially for practice and sketches. It’s cheaper than watercolor paper and holds up well.

Toned paper is fun with gouache. I painted on a mid-tone gray paper once and the way the light colors popped well. The way the light colors jumped off that surface was incredible.

You can’t do that with watercolor because transparent paint on gray paper looks muddy. But gouache opacity means your colors stay vibrant even on dark surfaces.

Various Types of Painting with Gouache Techniques

There are many ways to manipulate gouache depending on the effect you’re going for. When I first started, I just used it like opaque watercolor, laying down flat colors and calling it done. But once I started experimenting with different techniques, the thing opened up for me. Each technique creates a different look and feel. 

Let me walk you through the main techniques I use regularly and when each one makes sense.

Flat Wash Technique

This is the best technique for laying down even areas of color.

Mix your paint with enough water that it flows smoothly but not so much that it’s transparent. You want it opaque but liquid enough to brush on evenly.

Load your brush fully, then work quickly across the area in horizontal strokes. Keep your brush loaded and maintain the same water-to-paint ratio the whole time.

The main thing here is SPEED. If you go too slow or try to fiddle with it too much, you’ll get streaks and brush marks.

I use this technique for design mockups when I need flat graphic color areas. It’s also great for skies if you want a smooth tone rather than a gradient.

My first attempts at flat washes were so bad , they were streaky, uneven and had visible brush marks everywhere.

What fixed it: I started mixing more paint beforehand and I stopped trying to perfect it as I went.

Layering Technique

This is the core of how gouache works.

You build up the painting in layers – thin to thick, transparent to opaque, usually background to foreground.

The key is letting each layer dry before adding the next one. I STILL sometimes get impatient and go in too early, and then I lift the underlayer and everything gets muddy.

I think of layering like building a wall, then go with the foundation first, then structure, then details.

For a landscape I’ll do: thin wash for sky, thin wash for land, mid-tone opaque layers for shapes and forms, then thick opaque details and highlights at the end.

Each layer adds depth and complexity to the painting.

Dry Brush Technique

This creates texture and I use it for final details.

Take your brush, load it with thick paint, then wipe most of it off on a paper towel. You want the brush to be almost dry.

Drag it lightly across the paper and you’ll get the broken scratchy texture where the paint only catches on the high points of the paper texture.

It is perfect for rough surfaces, tree bark, fabric texture, grass, hair or basically anything that needs a rough organic feel.

I add dry brush texture at the very end of paintings to give them visual interest. A painting that’s all smooth can look too flat and graphic.

Wet-on-Wet Technique

This is from watercolor technique but it works with gouache too.

Wet your paper first with clean water, then drop in your paint while the paper is damp.

The paint will spread and blend on its own creating soft edges and organic shapes.

This is GREAT for skies, water, atmospheric effects, anything you want to have a soft dreamy quality.

The challenge is you lose control and the paint does what it wants. So I use this technique sparingly and only for areas where I want that soft unpredictable quality.

I tried using wet-on-wet for a painting once and it turned out so bad. Everything bled together and looked like a muddy mess.

Glazing Technique

Glazing is when you apply a thin transparent layer over dry opaque paint to modify the color.

Mix your paint very thin like watercolor consistency and brush it gently over the dried underlayer.

This shifts the color without covering it. You can cool down a color, warm it up, darken it, all without losing the texture and detail underneath.

I use glazing to unify color schemes in paintings. If everything looks too disconnected, I’ll glaze a thin layer of one color over multiple areas to tie them together.

Be gentle when glazing. If you scrub too hard with your brush, you’ll reactivate the underlayer and lift it.

Lifting Technique

Since gouache reactivates with water, you can lift paint back OFF the paper even after it’s dry.

Wet your brush with clean water, gently scrub the area you want to lighten, then blot with a paper towel.

This is amazing for corrections, softening edges, pulling out highlights, or creating texture by lifting paint in specific patterns.

The downside is if you lift too aggressively, you can damage the paper surface and it’ll look fuzzy and rough.

Scumbling Technique

Scumbling is similar to dry brush but with a different motion.

Load your brush with thick opaque paint, then lightly scrub or dab it onto the paper in a broken irregular pattern.

This creates a textured layer that lets the underlayer show through in places.

I use this for creating depth, scumbling a light color over a dark underlayer makes things look atmospheric and layered.

It’s great for clouds, foliage, rough stone textures and anything that has visual complexity and isn’t smooth.

Beginner Tips to Consider for Painting with Gouache

Here’s the stuff I want you to know if you are painting with gouache as a beginner:

• Start with a limited palette and learn to mix colors. You don’t need 40 tubes of paint. Get comfortable mixing from primaries plus white and you’ll understand color much better.

• Use MORE white than you think you need. Gouache colors need white to achieve opacity and create light values. I go through titanium white faster than any other color.

• Keep a spray bottle handy and spritz your palette regularly to keep paint workable. Dried paint on your palette isn’t wasted, just reactivate it.

• Colors dry lighter than they appear when wet. Mix your colors slightly darker than your target value.

• Wait for layers to dry before working on top of them unless you specifically want to blend and mix layers.

• Don’t apply paint too thick or it will crack when it dries. If you need an opaque area, build it up in multiple medium-thick layers rather than one thick layer.

• Use less water for opacity, more water for transparency. The water ratio is everything with gouache.

• Test your colors on scrap paper first especially if you’re working on a finished piece. Gouache can look different on different papers.

• Clean your brushes thoroughly between colors or you’ll get muddy mixes. I keep two water containers, one dirty for initial rinse, one clean for final rinse.

• Protect finished paintings behind glass or with fixative because gouache stays water-soluble even after drying.

• Practice on cheap paper first. Don’t waste expensive watercolor paper while you’re learning. Mixed media paper or cardstock works for practice.

• Work from big shapes to small details. Block in your composition with large areas of color first, then refine details at the end.

• Embrace happy accidents. Some of my favorite effects happened by accident like paint drying funny, colors mixing unexpectedly, water blooms.

Conclusion

So, how to paint with gouache is clear now with all the details and information.

It’s opaque, it’s forgiving, it’s portable, it dries fast, and it gives you a beautiful matte finish that you can’t get with any other water-based paint.

I think it’s one of the best mediums for beginners because you can correct mistakes easily by painting over them. And for professionals, it’s fast for deadline work and versatile for finished art.

The learning curve isn’t steep. If you understand basic painting concepts, you’ll pick up gouache quickly. The main things to master are water control and understanding how colors shift when they dry.

Start simple, get basic supplies and do some practice swatches to understand how the paint behaves and then START painting.

Gouache has become my go-to medium for color studies, client presentations, travel painting, and for fun when I want to paint without the pressure of oils or the fragility of watercolor.

FAQs on How to Paint With Gouache