Watercolor/Gouache Paint

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I really enjoy painting with watercolor. It gives me a chance to practice having patience with my work, and I love the softness of how the paint lays out on the paper. I took a watercolor course during the pandemic and learned a few different skills on how to use the paint.

Here is how watercolors work. They are made up of pigment particles that are bind together with a water-soluble gum arabic. When you add water to the mix, it dissolves the binder, so the pigment can move freely along the paper’s surface. When the water evaporates, the gum arabic hardens and locks the pigment into the paper. However, it’s not permanent because water can still reactivate the paint.

Watercolors are transparent, so when you are painting with them, you are working from light to dark. Think of it this way. The white of the paper is what you would use to make highlights in your painting by using less paint, or leaving areas untouched if you want it completely white. Using masking fluid will also help achieve this.

Gouache, on the other hand, works similar to watercolor, but the colors are opaque. I’ve worked with the Himi brand of gouache, and it looks like a jelly substance when you first open the cups. The colors are very vibrant as you brush the paint onto paper. Over time, my set has dried up, but I’ve used it as a watercolor by activating the surface with water and used them like watercolor paints.

Let me share the brands of watercolor and gouache along with other materials I’ve used for these mediums.

HIMI Gouache Paint, Set of 24 Colors

I like how vibrant these paints are. When you first open each cup of paint, it has a jelly like consistency. Over time they do dry out, but can still be used like a watercolor. You can reactivate the paint by adding distilled water and letting it sit overnight. It’s recommended using distilled water when you reactivate them. Otherwise they can grow mold over time.

MEEDEN 7-Well Ceramic Paint Palette: 3 Pcs Watercolor Palette 4.7'' x 0.6'' - Porcelain Paint Palette Tray

I like using these palettes for watercolor painting. I have used plastic palettes before, but the paint tends to bead up with them, or it stains the plastic. Since these are porcelain, they’re easier to mix the paint and clean up after. These are good to use for smaller projects since the paint wells are small. Meeden also as a 12 well round paint palette for watercolor.

ARTEGRIA Watercolor Brush Set, 10 Soft Synthetic Squirrel Brushes

For 10 brushes, this a reasonably priced set. They are also great to use because of how much water they hold and the bristles hold their shape. Love how these have a fine tip at the end for finer details and a thick handle to hold your brushes steady.

Paul Rubens Professional Watercolor Paint Brush, Size 6

This is one of my favorite brushes to use when I paint with watercolor. It holds a lot of paint, and I use it for doing washes on the paper.

ARTISTRO Vivid Watercolor Paint Set with Palette & Brush Pens

This is a great beginner watercolor set for around $10. It comes with the basic supplies needed to start painting. It’s also small enough to take with you when you travel. There are also some paints in this set that have shimmer which gives a beautiful touch to paintings.

Painting in Watercolor: The Indispensable Guide by David Webb

This is the textbook I used for a watercolor course I took with Merced College. It has a lot of information on different techniques and supplies to use.

Prima Marketing INC- Art Philosophy Watercolor Confections: Tropicals

This set was an impulse buy for me. Mainly because I love the color selection. It comes in a cute metal palette with an area to mix your paint. It also has a metal ring to help you hold the palette while you’re painting. These paints are easy to mix dry evenly on the paper.

Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Paint Set, 36 Colors, Made in Japan

This set is more on the expensive side, but it is worth every cent spent. These paints have a creamy texture and are very opaque. They work similar to gouache paint. Each pan has a generous amount of paint as well.

Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint Set, 16 HP Deluxe Sketchers' Box

I would recommend this set if you are starting off with watercolor pans. This was one of my first sets that I owned. It has a majority of the basic colors to start off with. The pans are easy to activate with water and can be cleaned easily after you’ve mixed colors together.

eBoot Paint Brushes Set Artist Paint Brushes Painting Supplies for Art Watercolor Acrylics Oil, 5 Pieces

This affordable set comes in handy when I want to do extra fine details, and the bristles keep their shape.