Gouache Paint

What Is Gouache Paint?

Gouache is an opaque, water-based paint with a higher pigment load than standard watercolour. That density is what gives it its characteristic flat, matte coverage with colours appearing rich and solid rather than translucent, making it ideal for illustrations, graphic artwork, and paintings where you want bold, clean colour rather than washes and blooms.

Unlike acrylic, traditional gouache remains re-wettable once dry, which means you can reactivate and rework areas as you go. That quality makes it popular with illustrators and designers who need to make adjustments without starting over. It also means it's worth being careful about over-wetting finished layers if you're building up a piece in stages.

Traditional Gouache vs Acrylic Gouache Paint

This is one of the most common questions for anyone new to the medium, and it's worth understanding before you choose.

Traditional gouache

Traditional gouache paint uses a gum arabic binder; this is the same base as watercolour. It's re-wettable, blends beautifully, and dries to a reliably matte surface. The trade-off is that it can be fragile once dry and is vulnerable to moisture if the finished piece isn't protected.

Acrylic gouache paint

Acrylic gouache paint uses an acrylic resin binder instead. It behaves like traditional gouache while you're working, opaque, matte, smooth, but once dry, it becomes water-resistant and more durable. It's a popular choice for illustrators and artists who want the look and feel of gouache with the flexibility and permanence of an acrylic finish. Colour shift from wet to dry is minimal with quality acrylic gouache, which makes it easier to predict your results as you work.

If you're just starting out with gouache, acrylic gouache paint is often the more forgiving option. If you're coming from a watercolour background and want that classic re-wettable quality, traditional gouache paint will feel more familiar.

What Can You Paint with Gouache?

Gouache has a wide creative range. It's a favourite for botanical illustration, character design, editorial illustration, and poster art; anywhere bold, flat colour and a matte finish serve the work. It's equally at home in fine art, used for landscape painting, portraiture, and expressive abstract pieces, where the opacity and coverage offer something different from oil or acrylic.

For crafters, gouache works beautifully for hand-lettering, art journaling, and mixed media projects where you want opaque colour that layers cleanly over darker backgrounds. It pairs well with watercolour paints for mixed-media effects, and paint pens are a great companion tool for fine line detail and lettering on top of gouache grounds.

Build Out Your Paint Kit

Gouache paint works well alongside a range of other mediums. If you also work in acrylic paints, the two can be layered for interesting textural results. For a premium acrylic option with excellent lightfastness and colour consistency, Amsterdam acrylic paint is a solid companion to gouache.

Whatever medium you're working with, a good set of paint brushes makes all the difference. Flat brushes are great for even coverage, rounds for detail, and a mop or wash brush if you're blending gouache with watercolour techniques.

Shop Gouache Paint in Australia at CraftOnline

CraftOnline is one of Australia's largest online art and craft shops, stocking over 700 brands and 50,000 products across every art and craft category. Whether you're new to gouache or restocking a working palette, you'll find the right options here at great everyday prices.

Free shipping on orders over a certain amount. Browse the full gouache paint range in Australia, or explore the rest of our art and craft shop to find everything you need for your next piece.