NOTE: Several viewers mentioned that Winsor & Newton's lightfastness has improved. This does seem to be true! They've apparently brought several colors up to a higher grade permanence from years past. That said they are still lacking in some colors particularly the reds. The improvement is notable and welcome though.
This is great to hear cos I just heard they’re not lightfast, and they do say most of their colours are. I have four to supplement the Talens 8-tube set, I’ll need to do my own tests cos I haven’t found much info about them beyond what Talens says. I love their larger cheaper tubes to start off with, though. A lot of these brands aren’t available in the UK, gouache is quite limited in brands compared to watercolour and oils.
I've started setting my tubes of gouache upside down for a bit before using. That seems to let the binder rise. (I do the same thing with nut butters.) I like to mix brands. Just picked out some Winsor Newton and Holbein colors that seem like the proper pallet for me.
Hi I'm a designer who has used W&N Designer Gouache for many years. Yes, you're right that digital is also used but believe it or not many of us still use painted mock-ups & the finish is PERFECT for photographing and then finishing digitally in Photoshop. I use W&N to make color palettes to match the Pantone palettes every season and we frequently use it for touch-ups on props. FWIW, I know W&N don't rate all the shades as top lightfast/ permanence BUT I have sketchbooks and panels painted from campaigns years ago that haven't faded at all. I'm in NYC so maybe in other locations light and humidity would be more of an issue
This is the Gouache video I've been waiting for. I've been going back and forth on which Gouache to buy, W&N, Holbein, or M Graham. Schmincke was off the table due to it's expense. Because money is a factor in my decision, I'll be going with the Holbein tiny tube set, lol. I currently have Arteza Gouache, and while good for it's price point, isn't artist quality. Thanks, Steve, for this review.
I have an 18 set of 5ml tubes by Holbein, it was pretty affordable on Amazon, I think around $50, but prices on Amazon go up and down, so you have to keep checking.
Just started in gouache over a year ago. I kept a journal on a Mission Trip to Ghana last year. I used a toned paper, which I love. The sketching was a lot of fun. The brand I used was the Caran d' Ache. Since I am mainly a watercolor artist, I did not want to spend a bunch of money on gouache. However, I really liked how the Caran d' Ache performed. I liked it so much that I chose to purchase enough for a Gouache class I am teaching in August. Gouache is so much fun..
Thank you so much for clearing up the difference between designers and artists gouache! This made me realize that designers gouache would actually be pretty perfect for my needs
Wow, Steve! That was so thorough. Well done, man. I really enjoyed it. I started my channel for watercolor since it’s 90% of what I do but people demanded gouache so much my channel has turned into mostly gouache tutorials haha I joke with Brian because every time I post a watercolor video I get a comment or two that say “more gouache” or “go back to gouache” haha compared to water and oil, I suppose there isn’t that much out there for gouache students. This is a great resource that I will happily send people to as often as possible. 👍
Hey thanks Jared. I'm especially happy to get your approval. I actually wish I could have tested even more but this was really eye opening. I love your gouache painting so I join in the chorus to keep them coming. 😄
As you aim at beginners too, I think it should be mentioned, that a 15 buck school paint box is a good starting point to try out opaque painting. When those colors are not brilliant enough or don't do what you expect, get the needed color from whatever brand makes the best product for that application. For me, that was the right way to not be overwhelmed at first and to get to know my colors very well. Greetings from Düsseldorf, where Schmicke and Lukas colors are made.... ;)
Glad to see someone else had issues with the binder in W&N, I just got their primary gouache set a few weeks ago and since I'm in the UK and they're a UK brand it wasn't too expensive (a local art store usually has sales which helps too!), but this video is really helpful!
Thank you, Steve! I have some old Schmincke goauche my late father had bought decades ago and they are (almost) as good as new even though they have been exposed to heat and frost where they were stored. Because they rewet very easily as some of them have hardened over the years, lay down very flat and opaque as you said and are as vibrant as the day my father bought them, I think they deserve the title. By the way, my father was an all round talent who did watercolouring where ever he went but in his professional life he was a window dresser/signwriter who used the goauche (as well as Pelikan Plaka, a casein-based paint) to paint graphics and displays for shop windows that lasted many years as they were displayed in shop windows throughout the North of Germany (mainly Apothecaries). My sister and I also learnt that trade/craft but we are not as talented and have only recently started painting again, so need more practice, I guess.
OK your comment is really old by now, but I thought I'd reply anyway 😅. I am from Northern Germany too, and now I wonder If I maybe have seen your father's works at some point somewhere. The world is a small place indeed lol. Do you think some apothecaries still use some of his paintings/backdrops? I came here because I want to try gouache, after I bought myself a proper schminke horadam watercolor set about two years back. I am absolutely in love with it, so it's out of question for me that my gouache will also be the schminke horadam line. It's really amazing what good quality art supplies do for a piece of art
I finally broke down and bought a set of gouache and got a Holbein set of 12 small tubes. They arrived today and I just swatches them out. Wowee!!! I'm impressed. I couldn't afford the Schminke , maybe someday... Thanks for the review as my choice was based on your review!!!! I'm a first time gouache user and primarily am transparent watercolor artist and am spreading my wings to new media.
I’m mid video, but just bursting at the seams to say how excited I am to have a video like this. Just a straight up comparison of a bunch of different brands and how they perform. I am like you, in that I want to try a ton of different brands. But I know I can’t afford to do that with every single medium. Thrilled that you did the gouache. 😆⭐️✨
You, sir, are a national treasure. This is the most thorough, honest, and entertaining video on the top artist’s quality gouache. Thank you. I loved the studio gouache pans. They were my first experience with gouache, but it wasn’t until I found Holbein that I really fell in love with gouache. That was my first review on my channel. Anyways, thank you for this! 🙏🎨
It's Steve to the rescue once again!!! :-D I just passed my two year anniversary since beginning my journey in watercolor and finally have need fto foray into the related world of gouache and I had no idea what company to use. Should I be surprised that you had a great tutorial on gouache? Well, no to be honest, as you've been my go to guy since I started my journey in watercolor. Thanks Steve for so thoughtfully choosing your topics. At least for me, you always have a great informative video or tutorial when I need it and you didn't disappoint in what gouache brands to consider. Thank you so much and I sincerely hope that you and your family are doing well as our we continue to deal with the far reaching effects of the Corona Virus. God bless you and those you hold dear. XX
I just stumbled across this video after watching someone else’s earlier today. I am thankful and impressed by your thoroughness and all of the links you graciously shared. For someone like me new to painting, I really appreciate it. Now to go immerse myself in your channel.
Purchasing tip for Windsor and Newton Designer's Gouche: Michael's sells it by the tube. You can purchase it using their coupons. I have purchased a few tubes this way. I buy them one at a time.
Thanks for this review. I have a Caran d'Ache set from the 80s and it rewets beautifully, so glad you mentioned it. For beginners, the Schmincke Akademie line is excellent, with 4 and 5 🌟 lightfast ratings throughout their line. Generous 60ml tubes retail for around 4€ (4USD at the moment) which is a steal for the quality. They also offer 250ml bottles for €12/14. Prices are valid for 🇩🇪 They compare very well to the Horadam line in terms of opacity and performance. Their white is superb and it is nice to have a 60ml tube, as I use it so much. That price point -and their excellent lightfastness - is unbeatable, considering their are excellent quality, even their student grade paint. The Schmincke Akademie line has 30 colours, including gold and silver, and they can be mixed with any other gouache ad well. Thumbs up all around for me. Thanks for this very comprehensive review, your thoughts on these brands were very useful. Your mention of Maimeri surprised me, as I didn't know they had gouache. I love their watercolours, so I will have to give them a try, especially their super opaque white. Thanks again!
Exactly. It’s a no-brainer, with Schmincke’s Akademie range being highly lightfast. The 60ml + tubes also mean being less precious/freer and doing larger art works.. plus I use the cmyk & white to mix all colours, done ✅. More harmonious final pieces!
@@vincentmonet6172 Thanks for your opinion. Agree that having more affordable products makes experimentation easier, as I don't feel they are too precious. Good point!
Thanks Steve! I have really been enjoying gouache lately. I was curious as to the best. I have a few m graham nut arteza and Lukas has been my go to colors. Great video!
@@mindofwatercolor the arteza ones get great reviews btw; though it might not be your cup of tea; i concider them a student gouache; great for practise but perhaps not quite your thing; but for cheaper subs it is deffinately a nice one to review if you ever do a student line comparison.
I have tried Winsor and Newton, Schminke and Holbein. Almost all my W&N tubes have seperated in the tube. Some of the Schminke is more like watercolor (really transparent). No complaints with Holbein. Holbein is my main pick. They are thick and opaque, like butter. They really are the best. If you pick the right Schminke they are really good as well.
We all have different tastes when it comes to art. But honestly Schminke is in my top pick too, I'm just a little bit picky with my paints. I will say they are my favorite (over Holbein) if I do them in a wetter wash because the granulation you get is beautiful.
This was SO helpful! Thank you, Steve. I have a Caran D'ache set in tube form, but it never did it for me. I'm going to try Windsor White and Holbein white in comparison. Windsor won for me in terms of flatness and intensity of color. I also like a chalky look. Going over to Windsor's site I see many of the colors I'd want are lightfast and permanent.
Thanks for this great review - I'd been wanting to try gouache, but had gotten the idea gouache should be bought in tubes. Your honorable mention of the Caran d'Ache pans was enough to send me straight to the store for the set of 15. Caran d'Ache products are among the very few things cheaper to buy here in Switzerland than elsewhere, so I'm delighted you rated these so highly! As a beginner, lightfastness is not yet a concern for me - I've a looooong way to go before anything goes up for display ;-) Thank you for all your great videos, and also the recommendations to the other gouache videos, esp. Mary Sanche.
zeldacheri I too love the Caran D'Ache which I bought for my grandchildren initially. They love painting with me but my watercolors are not vibrant enough for their taste so that palette has been perfect. So perfect that I use it now. No issues about cracking or storage issues or anything in fact and it is lasting much longer than I expected. Sadly it was expensive here, like $30 for that palette which is higher than what I like to spend on student paints (but maybe it is pro?) but definitely worth it. For the number of paintings they have produced I would have had to buy many other palettes of other brands. I have had 7 kids at a time slapping that paint on generous size sheets of watercolor paper and the only color showing the bottom of the pan in the middle is black. They all love that totally opaque black!
Great video - a really interesting and well-executed brand comparison. I'm really glad you included the Caran D'Ache pan set, even though it's not a direct comparison with the artist quality tubes. Gouache seems to be getting very popular right now, so I'm sure lots of people will find this very helpful.
Steve, thanks for the reviews. I am a watercolorist, pastelist and oil painter. I have not used gouache very much as most of the opaque work was done in pastel and oil. However, I see the value in the gouache and plan to try it. Thanks for the info. I decided on Holbein, 24 15ml tubes for $111 directly from Japan. Schminke looked really good, but was more costly than I wished to spend at this point. I have always enjoyed your videos but hadn't commented in the past. Keep up the great work. Best to you my friend.
I've just been getting into gouache after 12 years of watercolouring, and I honestly did not know where to start. Of course I started off with some cheap ones just to learn and understand the medium, and it's great! I'd like to upgrade my gouache set and this video helped a lot... thanks so much for the video steve!!
Great video! I think something worth mentioning is the ability of the paint to rewet. I got into gouache this year and tried W&N, Holbein, and M. Graham. Out of the three, I was disappointed in the W&N. It didn't rewet very well and eventually started forming chunks that didn't rewet at all making the paint unusable. Plus, it was difficult to find pure colors. The Burnt Umber I bought was mixed with a yellow which is annoying because I expected it to be a single pigment and the mixture negatively affected my mixes. Overall, I'm exceptionally happy with M. Graham and Holbein. They rewet beautifully and are an absolute joy to paint with.
On the Winsor, Just add a drop or two of glycerin and grind it again. They'll go back to a creamy moist consistency. That's what I did. I just spray some water every now and then when I see them getting thirsty and they stay moisty.
Since M Graham is the only brand I've used (our teacher recommended this brand to us), I'm planning to explore more different brands. I learned a lot from this video. Thank you so much!
In my experience, W & N is the best bang for the buck. High quality at a decent price. The binder separation issue is no big deal. It just means there’s very little filler mixed in.
Yesterday I found your watercolor basic palette. Today the best gouache brands. */me is now subscribed* I will check out your content and I am already happy to get educated! Great content!
I'd love it if you could do a tutorial on how to work with gouache. I'm new to painting and would like to start out with gouache because of the re-workability (from what I've read). I believe watercolours might be a bit hard as a newbie. Thanks for the reviews and tutorials.
I'm just getting into this medium, thank you! I appreciate the straight forward and easy to understand presentation. You've likely saved me a fair amount of hard earned $
Thanks so much for your videos! I have learned so much!!!! Because of this video, I save a bucket of cash by buying white to try out gouache using my Mitchel paint pallet with white I got on ebay super cheap! Thanks!
I'm just learning about gouache and how to add it to my watercolor paintings so this is video is such perfect timing. I know you don't want to do a how to video for gouache but I'm interested in learning how you incorporate it into your regular work. Thank you for existing! I feel so fortunate to learn from your tips.
Very helpful! I didn't expect the Caran D'Ache gouache to perform so well because I assumed this was for children, but it looks very good in your swatches.
Hello Steve Thanks for your video. You have missed the linel lefranc bourgeois gouache which is the only gouache still containing only gum arabic for binder, has 124 different hues and is extra-fine. It's a very velvety and opaque gouache. I think you might love it !
You beat me to it! Haha. I've been collecting gouache as well and meaning to make a video as well but hadn't gotten to it yet. This is so helpful for the brands I haven't yet tried, and I'm so glad to have your thoughts available on the matter. Though I haven't tried all of these brands, I completely agree with you on the top spot. Schmincke is unlike any other I've used in its feel when painting as well as it's flexibility when dry. I use gouache quite thickly so cracking is a concern, but just not an issue at all with Schmincke :)
Hey, that's cool Denise. I look forward to that episode. Our individual takes on art supplies enrich the community mind so to speak. Glad you agree about Schmincke. Its something you almost feel as you use it, and the swatching doesn't really show that feeling. I've got two more that I'll be reviewing some day in the future. I had tons of viewers say I shouldn't have left out Royal Talens, something I had a poor experience with in the distant past but I'll be giving it another shot. And Lindsay recommended Lukas so I'll be trying both of those. Thanks for stopping by!
@@mindofwatercolor i was not to happy with the talens gouache, it was oozing out of the tube and it smells nasty, i know minnie small did the gouache 101 with talens tho and she loved it
Thank you for all your videos. I love your channel -- it's taught me so much about watercolors and paper and everything else. I'm always inspired to do something with my paints any time I watch one of your vids. Cheers!
I love your criteria for evaluation. I think it is insightful and translates well to actually working with the paint, even though you're presentation is very analytical. I think it would be a fun design challenge to create a design that could be made into an information graphic poster to hang in the studio. Kind of like the Josef Albers / Bauhaus color wheel that is triangular.
Steve, I totally agree with your judgement. I mostly use Schmincke Horadam Gouache (which are made here in my region, about 30 miles away from my home...) plus some W&N Gouache, which I also love. Schmincke is quite expensive, and I think they are even more expensive in the US than here in Germany, but: you get what you pay for. I rather buy something more expensive that makes me happy than to save a few bucks to buy something that disappoints me in the long run... :-)
Bruno Dickhoff what I have picked up from this video is what's local to you is better in price. Here in U.K. M.graham is expensive much more so than w &newton.
Winsor & Newton is cheaper than Schmincke and Holbein in the UK, and Royal Talens cheaper again, so I’m glad to hear W&N’s lightfastness has improved. I don’t find a bad smell from the Talens paint as I’ve heard people say, unless I get up very close. Good to have a few more options I can find here, even if they’re pricier.
Honestly, from what I saw in the video the Winsor & Newton gouache looked the best, they were very smooth and the most opaque of the bunch. That said, lightfastness is a huge issue for gouache as all of the white filler reflects light on to the pigments causing them to fade faster than they would in watercolors.
They are quite good and most of the line is now lightfast. I think they have some manufacturing consistency issues and that's my main beef. Opacity is not the top gouache criteria for all fine artists. I know several that prefer to work more transparent in the deeper colors. DaVinci manufactures their gouache to this preference. But yeah if all the colors being highly opaque is your thing, Winsor Newton is tops.
Thanks for sharing your findings. I'm getting into gouache this year, and I've started with the Holbein's primary mixing and 12 color sets. Nice to know the brand is in the top three. I may have to pick up a couple of Schminke tubes if I really get into it.
YAY Steve. I love Gouache. I am learning and started w Holbein, but in the convenience of less mixing, just ordered Arteza 60. I love opaque WC. It's ery forgiving for beginning painters. Thanks for this video.
Great video. Just getting into gouache now; Ive been an exclusive watercolor and colored pencil artist for the last 2 years. I found this video super helpful. I know Im super late, but thank you for sharing. Much love♥️
The old W&N tubes made me so happy to see, I don't know why. I kinda miss these gouaches, as back then there was a lot more weird/neon (and poorly lightfast) colors in their range. I have one W&N tube of an odd neon red that smells of cinnamon, gift from a friend who has an old set. It is my Precious ;) I really love Holbein's gouache, they are super nice!
I was surprised to find out how many W&N colors are permanent now. Its interesting that their product description still only targets designers and commercial illustrators implying its not suitable for fine art. And Holbein, yes, it definitely got my attention. Very impressed.
Wow. Just. Wow. This video was very informative, and I want to thank you for going through the time to sample each paint from each company… it made it easier for me to decide which gouache set I wanna get when I have saved enough money to buy some. I’ve always wanted to try gouache and now that I’ve seen this video, I know what I want.
Thank you for the review! Since I live in Germany, Schmincke is quite affordable for me (of course their artist lines are never cheap). I bought a Gouache Horadam titanium white to be combined with water colours and love the quality and effect. I just recently bought some tubes from their other gouache lines to test them and was surprised how different they were. The Akademie is the studio line but while still being nice paints, their are worlds between the whites! I also got black from Akademie and the new Calligraphy line (I thought that may be good for adding small details) and again was surprised how different the paints are (the jet black from the Calligraphy line is a gorgeous really deep smoth black).
The distinction between designer and artist grades is interesting- in the old days it was about art made for printing, then it was tossed or stored. Now it's about being digitized by photography or scanning, so I would think the fugitive colors still have a lot of value for people publishing their work online.
Thank you for this vid! I only found out about Holbein today after doing some more research on top quality watercolor brands. I really appreciate seeing the samples together. I like to try W&N and Schmincke so much but they are quite expensive for now, so I'm glad the Holbein is also good to try cause it's little bit more cheaper than the others but good quality. Thanks again!
Thanks, Steve. I needed this! I have a Winsor Newton set, and I don't use the colors much, but I do use the white sometimes. This video was a big help to me.
I’m half way through this video and it is excellent! I’ve watched a lot of gouache comparison videos and they do not compare to this. I like the extra information about all the different brands. These swatches are great (I don’t know if that has to do with the fact that these are all top rated brands) and I like how they are higher quality which is what I was looking for. Subscribed
The first time I tried out the Schmincke Horadam gouache I was completely blown away! Granted, I live in Europe, but even if I didn't I think the added price may very well be worth it. They're just an absolute dream to work with.
Excellent review!!! This is so helpful for us newbies. :) I am so grateful for your reviews. No no no.. don't be upset about separation. Additives to make that creamy consistency in paint affect lightfastness and/or longevity. It's a problem in oil paints and brands that keep additives away from their paints are highly sought after. Oh! You mentioned Hajra in the video notes! I love the information and art history she shares. :) I'll have to check out the other artists you mention too.
This was very helpful...i have been checking out gouache(the very cheap kind in acrylic) and have found them interesting.this will help me pick out a good watercolor.and will look closer at the better acrylics.Thank you
I'm really into watercolour at the moment and I am looking to gouache to bring in some opacity when needed and, indeed, mixing watercolour with a good white gouache is a great idea. The video is very helpful and encouraging. Thanks. PS. The most important piece of info in the video was that designer gouache is not light fast.
The "designer" term does not hold as true to that these days. W&N has upped the lightfastness of many colors. So the term may not indicate that a problem like it used to. Artists gouache for fine artists used to be a rarity. Used mainly by illustrators. Nowdays its used by many fine artists too. You just have to check the ratings of each brand and color if lightfastness is important to you.
I bought my daughter the Renesans gouache set for Xmas, I can report that it seems v good quality (and great value) like the watercolour line. The rewettability is fair, and a big factor for me. With kids so much paint can be wasted, it’s better to be able to rewet if at all possible.
With oil paints, the oil will collect near the tube opening if it was stored for a long time, and almost always stored hanging from the lid. If you store the paint lid-down, the oil will (should) collect on the opposite side. I guess worth a shot with watercolor/gouache.
This is a review from an Amazon user -- granted - we can't say if their test was accurate but it is encouraging. Especially since you like the way the pan colors perform. I am looking for reasons to give Caran d'ache pan colours a high mark. Maybe I should do my own light fast test -- compare these with a top brand -- window test. Ok. I will. A reviewer wrote------ Very convenient. Great color. The magenta and sap green are quite transparent. Pans can be removed. P.S. SInce this review I have performed a lightfast test by swatching out the paint and vutting the swatches in half, setting one set in the window and thd other in a drawer. All colors are fairly fade resistant with the exception of Fuchia. It faded tremendously. It is however a beautiful color. Just keep this in mind when using this set.
Thank you for putting together this video Steve! I have a selection of Schmincke at home for my artwork and W&N at work for my scanned illustrations but it's still great to know how all the brands relate should I need a more transparent color or want to try another just for fun! (Not gonna lie, kind of intrigued by the Holbein.) I've enjoyed the Schmincke so far very much, and although I don't use my gouache as much as my watercolor, I always wonder why not every-time I break them out and lose track of time while enjoying their creamy boldness and ability to add little light details over dark areas, yay! I have my Schmincke in a Mijello airtight palette, each color mixed with a drop a glycerin, and so far the only two colors that have cracked in any way are the titanium white and black, but this is also after my first time filling, so I may need to adjust their mixtures if they're dryer pigments naturally. Another aside, while purchasing, after deciding on Schmincke, I researched prices and found ordering them through Jackson's was more affordable than from anywhere within the States (I live in NY state).
@@ashleynicole9036 Oh yes! It's definitely a great feeling! It also makes the community nature of sharing art on Instagram/online so much more tangible too, like having lots of friends that love art. Thank you for following along with my art, I'm always honored when someone chooses to include me in their artistic journey!
Thanks very much, Steve! Excellent video! I recently got some inexpensive gouache to see if I liked it and am delighted to have your ratings for when/if I want to upgrade!
Every commercial, design, and graphic Art's class I've ever taken has insisted that the student know the working qualities of their paints, and gouache is one media that will benefit from doing swatches with solid tones, gradients, admixture of hues, and layering for full scope of what each is capable of. All the documented evidence on any media can never prepare you for just how some colours react when using them. With the advent of all digital manipulation of the Arts, the suppliers are having to find ways to cut cost to stay afloat, the biggest being pigments, and the inert filler's they carry the pigments in, while trying to keep all those generous qualities that many applaud. Not going into chemistry, since most don't care, but a great many colors have inherent opacity issues to start with. Not mentioning colors here, since each brand, and segment sales slot will vary all over the place. Will tell you the finest colors are invariably the most expensive, but we bite the bullet and pay our $60 for that Cobalt Violet, or trendy named Yellow, because we love using them. I'm not welking on W & N, since so many cut their teeth on the Designer Line, but have found far better products with fewer random separation issues that the brand has always had. If you can afford higher quality, for heaven's sake pay the price. You'll thank yourself later in the trouble you'll avert.
Hi Steve…Here it is 2+ years from this review. I am just now getting more interested in gouache. I decided to start a small collection of WN Designer gouache being that I knew it to be of such fantastic quality. I bought 4 tubes when my local fine art supply store had a sale. But every time I I’m gonna add another tube, I’m stopped because of the cost. And I’ve got plenty artist quality wc, so I don’t HAVE to have them. My fave “almost pro quality” are the Pelikan opaque and transparent sets. They are really beautiful, but Pelikan (Germany) mainly markets to schools and kids and I guess have no interest in going “pro” with their watercolors. When I do use the Pelikan sets for finished art work, I only use the work for making prints from. And I understand now that high quality giclee printing inks are highly archival, (70+years) so that really helps when you create something you want to sell but are uncertain about the lightfastness. But for sales of originals, it’s obviously just best to choose the most lightfast colors possible to start with ( of the colors you need for your art.) Thanks for this helpful info. I’m gonna watch your other video review of Royal Talens XF gouache. 👍
This was fabulous information, Steve .. I bought a cheap set of arteza gouache , just to try ( knowing it was more student grade ) .. I have been very pleasantly surprised by how nice they are to work with experiment with, to get the feel of gouache ... I am pretty sure I will buy artist quality gouache , at some point , but the arteza was very pleasant surprise and great entry into the world of gouache ... Thanks for this video so much !!!!
I’ve been increasing my gouache experience over the last few years and have been planning to purchase more and this helped so much. Traditionally, I am used to oils but I wanted something different and finally feel able to make some official pieces with gouache. Still being new to it though, I wondered if you had a video or input on how to seal gouache paintings to protect them from fading and increase permanence.
I have one on watercolors but there are several methods. This is that video. th-cam.com/video/3hIVbZYNWJw/w-d-xo.html Another product to look up is Dorland's Wax (videos done by others are here on YT). I plan to do a video on that at some point. Good product.
There is no surprise that Schmincke's Bismuth Yellow and Coblat blue would be more opaque than other brands Hansa yellow and Phthalo blues. When comparing this brands there is a need to also match pigments. In my tests W&N where the most opaque but that's because they add opacifiers to many of their transparent colors. A side effect of that is the tendency of the paint film to crack when painting thickly. Holbain does not add any opacifiers neither does Schminke artists who like to paint thick may be better off with these brands. I find myself enjoying W&N very much, they really upgraded their lineup couple years ago and added many "artist" pigments. I don't know why they're is so expensive in NA though, you may be better ordering it through Jackson's (which are a UK based online retailer). I really wish a manufacturer would be bold and create a Extra Premium grade gouache based on aquazol and not Gum Arabic, but that would cost bazillion per tube :)
Wow, you went to a LOT OF TIME and trouble to make this video. Outstanding. New to the medium and so glad I found your review. Lots of help, money saver and just plain, dad gum good. Will rewatch. Subscriber from Florida
I almost always watch with auto-generated captions on (my headphones are never handy...) and I’m dying at “designer squash and artist squash” 🤣🤣🤣 best squash review out there, thanks haha
![[ How to Use Gouache ] // Tutorial for Beginners - Tea to Butter Method // Mary Sanche](/img/n.gif)
NOTE: Several viewers mentioned that Winsor & Newton's lightfastness has improved. This does seem to be true! They've apparently brought several colors up to a higher grade permanence from years past. That said they are still lacking in some colors particularly the reds. The improvement is notable and welcome though.
I just checked their home page and there are now only a few with a low rating
Great video. I've only every used WInsor and Newton but will try the Schmincke! For white, DR PH Martin's Bleed Proof White is my favourite.
This is great to hear cos I just heard they’re not lightfast, and they do say most of their colours are. I have four to supplement the Talens 8-tube set, I’ll need to do my own tests cos I haven’t found much info about them beyond what Talens says. I love their larger cheaper tubes to start off with, though. A lot of these brands aren’t available in the UK, gouache is quite limited in brands compared to watercolour and oils.
@@FelineFurKin when manufacturers say that most of their colours are lightfast, if makes me wonder if they even know how painting works!
I've started setting my tubes of gouache upside down for a bit before using. That seems to let the binder rise. (I do the same thing with nut butters.)
I like to mix brands. Just picked out some Winsor Newton and Holbein colors that seem like the proper pallet for me.
Hi I'm a designer who has used W&N Designer Gouache for many years. Yes, you're right that digital is also used but believe it or not many of us still use painted mock-ups & the finish is PERFECT for photographing and then finishing digitally in Photoshop. I use W&N to make color palettes to match the Pantone palettes every season and we frequently use it for touch-ups on props. FWIW, I know W&N don't rate all the shades as top lightfast/ permanence BUT I have sketchbooks and panels painted from campaigns years ago that haven't faded at all. I'm in NYC so maybe in other locations light and humidity would be more of an issue
This is the Gouache video I've been waiting for. I've been going back and forth on which Gouache to buy, W&N, Holbein, or M Graham. Schmincke was off the table due to it's expense. Because money is a factor in my decision, I'll be going with the Holbein tiny tube set, lol. I currently have Arteza Gouache, and while good for it's price point, isn't artist quality. Thanks, Steve, for this review.
If you weren't concerned with lightfastness, would you recommend the Arteza?
I have an 18 set of 5ml tubes by Holbein, it was pretty affordable on Amazon, I think around $50, but prices on Amazon go up and down, so you have to keep checking.
Geslina M Thanks for the info.
I was literally just about to search YT for the best Artists Gouache and I see you uploaded this video only 5 hours ago? Its a sign. Thank you!
Just started in gouache over a year ago. I kept a journal on a Mission Trip to Ghana last year. I used a toned paper, which I love. The sketching was a lot of fun. The brand I used was the Caran d' Ache. Since I am mainly a watercolor artist, I did not want to spend a bunch of money on gouache. However, I really liked how the Caran d' Ache performed. I liked it so much that I chose to purchase enough for a Gouache class I am teaching in August. Gouache is so much fun..
Thank you so much for clearing up the difference between designers and artists gouache! This made me realize that designers gouache would actually be pretty perfect for my needs
Wow, Steve! That was so thorough. Well done, man. I really enjoyed it. I started my channel for watercolor since it’s 90% of what I do but people demanded gouache so much my channel has turned into mostly gouache tutorials haha I joke with Brian because every time I post a watercolor video I get a comment or two that say “more gouache” or “go back to gouache” haha compared to water and oil, I suppose there isn’t that much out there for gouache students. This is a great resource that I will happily send people to as often as possible. 👍
Hey thanks Jared. I'm especially happy to get your approval. I actually wish I could have tested even more but this was really eye opening. I love your gouache painting so I join in the chorus to keep them coming. 😄
As you aim at beginners too, I think it should be mentioned, that a 15 buck school paint box is a good starting point to try out opaque painting. When those colors are not brilliant enough or don't do what you expect, get the needed color from whatever brand makes the best product for that application. For me, that was the right way to not be overwhelmed at first and to get to know my colors very well.
Greetings from Düsseldorf, where Schmicke and Lukas colors are made.... ;)
TH-cam labeled this video as 'watched' but I couldn't remember any of it. Watching it again I've realise why: your soothing voice sent me to sleep!
Glad to see someone else had issues with the binder in W&N, I just got their primary gouache set a few weeks ago and since I'm in the UK and they're a UK brand it wasn't too expensive (a local art store usually has sales which helps too!), but this video is really helpful!
Thank you, Steve! I have some old Schmincke goauche my late father had bought decades ago and they are (almost) as good as new even though they have been exposed to heat and frost where they were stored. Because they rewet very easily as some of them have hardened over the years, lay down very flat and opaque as you said and are as vibrant as the day my father bought them, I think they deserve the title.
By the way, my father was an all round talent who did watercolouring where ever he went but in his professional life he was a window dresser/signwriter who used the goauche (as well as Pelikan Plaka, a casein-based paint) to paint graphics and displays for shop windows that lasted many years as they were displayed in shop windows throughout the North of Germany (mainly Apothecaries). My sister and I also learnt that trade/craft but we are not as talented and have only recently started painting again, so need more practice, I guess.
OK your comment is really old by now, but I thought I'd reply anyway 😅. I am from Northern Germany too, and now I wonder If I maybe have seen your father's works at some point somewhere. The world is a small place indeed lol. Do you think some apothecaries still use some of his paintings/backdrops?
I came here because I want to try gouache, after I bought myself a proper schminke horadam watercolor set about two years back. I am absolutely in love with it, so it's out of question for me that my gouache will also be the schminke horadam line. It's really amazing what good quality art supplies do for a piece of art
I finally broke down and bought a set of gouache and got a Holbein set of 12 small tubes. They arrived today and I just swatches them out. Wowee!!! I'm impressed. I couldn't afford the Schminke , maybe someday...
Thanks for the review as my choice was based on your review!!!! I'm a first time gouache user and primarily am transparent watercolor artist and am spreading my wings to new media.
I like gouache a lot. I just always forget how to spell it.
too many vowels in there lmao, so unnecessary!
Yep!😊
I just remember to spell "ache" at the end, and I'm good. lol
@@portgree "Gee, O you ache?"
@@cassiescreations9828 Haha! Yes! Perfect. :)
I’m mid video, but just bursting at the seams to say how excited I am to have a video like this. Just a straight up comparison of a bunch of different brands and how they perform. I am like you, in that I want to try a ton of different brands. But I know I can’t afford to do that with every single medium. Thrilled that you did the gouache. 😆⭐️✨
You, sir, are a national treasure. This is the most thorough, honest, and entertaining video on the top artist’s quality gouache. Thank you. I loved the studio gouache pans. They were my first experience with gouache, but it wasn’t until I found Holbein that I really fell in love with gouache. That was my first review on my channel. Anyways, thank you for this! 🙏🎨
It's Steve to the rescue once again!!! :-D I just passed my two year anniversary since beginning my journey in watercolor and finally have need fto foray into the related world of gouache and I had no idea what company to use. Should I be surprised that you had a great tutorial on gouache? Well, no to be honest, as you've been my go to guy since I started my journey in watercolor. Thanks Steve for so thoughtfully choosing your topics. At least for me, you always have a great informative video or tutorial when I need it and you didn't disappoint in what gouache brands to consider. Thank you so much and I sincerely hope that you and your family are doing well as our we continue to deal with the far reaching effects of the Corona Virus. God bless you and those you hold dear. XX
I just stumbled across this video after watching someone else’s earlier today. I am thankful and impressed by your thoroughness and all of the links you graciously shared. For someone like me new to painting, I really appreciate it. Now to go immerse myself in your channel.
Purchasing tip for Windsor and Newton Designer's Gouche: Michael's sells it by the tube. You can purchase it using their coupons. I have purchased a few tubes this way. I buy them one at a time.
Thanks for this review. I have a Caran d'Ache set from the 80s and it rewets beautifully, so glad you mentioned it. For beginners, the Schmincke Akademie line is excellent, with 4 and 5 🌟 lightfast ratings throughout their line. Generous 60ml tubes retail for around 4€ (4USD at the moment) which is a steal for the quality. They also offer 250ml bottles for €12/14. Prices are valid for 🇩🇪 They compare very well to the Horadam line in terms of opacity and performance. Their white is superb and it is nice to have a 60ml tube, as I use it so much. That price point -and their excellent lightfastness - is unbeatable, considering their are excellent quality, even their student grade paint. The Schmincke Akademie line has 30 colours, including gold and silver, and they can be mixed with any other gouache ad well. Thumbs up all around for me. Thanks for this very comprehensive review, your thoughts on these brands were very useful. Your mention of Maimeri surprised me, as I didn't know they had gouache. I love their watercolours, so I will have to give them a try, especially their super opaque white. Thanks again!
Exactly. It’s a no-brainer, with Schmincke’s Akademie range being highly lightfast. The 60ml + tubes also mean being less precious/freer and doing larger art works.. plus I use the cmyk & white to mix all colours, done ✅. More harmonious final pieces!
@@vincentmonet6172 Thanks for your opinion. Agree that having more affordable products makes experimentation easier, as I don't feel they are too precious. Good point!
Thanks Steve! I have really been enjoying gouache lately. I was curious as to the best. I have a few m graham nut arteza and Lukas has been my go to colors. Great video!
Thanks Lindsay. I ordered some Lukas to try!
@@mindofwatercolor the arteza ones get great reviews btw; though it might not be your cup of tea; i concider them a student gouache; great for practise but perhaps not quite your thing; but for cheaper subs it is deffinately a nice one to review if you ever do a student line comparison.
The Mind of Watercolor how were those lukas ones?
I have tried Winsor and Newton, Schminke and Holbein. Almost all my W&N tubes have seperated in the tube. Some of the Schminke is more like watercolor (really transparent). No complaints with Holbein. Holbein is my main pick. They are thick and opaque, like butter. They really are the best. If you pick the right Schminke they are really good as well.
The Schmincke was fabulous that I tried. And a lot of fine artists prefer more transparent darks. I really do.
We all have different tastes when it comes to art. But honestly Schminke is in my top pick too, I'm just a little bit picky with my paints. I will say they are my favorite (over Holbein) if I do them in a wetter wash because the granulation you get is beautiful.
This was SO helpful! Thank you, Steve. I have a Caran D'ache set in tube form, but it never did it for me. I'm going to try Windsor White and Holbein white in comparison. Windsor won for me in terms of flatness and intensity of color. I also like a chalky look. Going over to Windsor's site I see many of the colors I'd want are lightfast and permanent.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed your review! Thank you, sir!
I absolutely love your channel. You are the “This Old Tony” of watercolor. Thanks for the great content!
Thanks for this great review - I'd been wanting to try gouache, but had gotten the idea gouache should be bought in tubes. Your honorable mention of the Caran d'Ache pans was enough to send me straight to the store for the set of 15. Caran d'Ache products are among the very few things cheaper to buy here in Switzerland than elsewhere, so I'm delighted you rated these so highly! As a beginner, lightfastness is not yet a concern for me - I've a looooong way to go before anything goes up for display ;-) Thank you for all your great videos, and also the recommendations to the other gouache videos, esp. Mary Sanche.
zeldacheri I too love the Caran D'Ache which I bought for my grandchildren initially. They love painting with me but my watercolors are not vibrant enough for their taste so that palette has been perfect. So perfect that I use it now. No issues about cracking or storage issues or anything in fact and it is lasting much longer than I expected. Sadly it was expensive here, like $30 for that palette which is higher than what I like to spend on student paints (but maybe it is pro?) but definitely worth it. For the number of paintings they have produced I would have had to buy many other palettes of other brands. I have had 7 kids at a time slapping that paint on generous size sheets of watercolor paper and the only color showing the bottom of the pan in the middle is black. They all love that totally opaque black!
Excellent comparison. I love everything Schmincke makes.
THANK YOU STEVE! I have been painting and showing with gouache as my favorite, for 30 years. Yr video helped me stay on top of my art. Dory
Great video - a really interesting and well-executed brand comparison. I'm really glad you included the Caran D'Ache pan set, even though it's not a direct comparison with the artist quality tubes. Gouache seems to be getting very popular right now, so I'm sure lots of people will find this very helpful.
Steve, thanks for the reviews. I am a watercolorist, pastelist and oil painter. I have not used gouache very much as most of the opaque work was done in pastel and oil. However, I see the value in the gouache and plan to try it. Thanks for the info. I decided on Holbein, 24 15ml tubes for $111 directly from Japan. Schminke looked really good, but was more costly than I wished to spend at this point. I have always enjoyed your videos but hadn't commented in the past. Keep up the great work. Best to you my friend.
I've just been getting into gouache after 12 years of watercolouring, and I honestly did not know where to start. Of course I started off with some cheap ones just to learn and understand the medium, and it's great! I'd like to upgrade my gouache set and this video helped a lot... thanks so much for the video steve!!
Great video! I think something worth mentioning is the ability of the paint to rewet. I got into gouache this year and tried W&N, Holbein, and M. Graham. Out of the three, I was disappointed in the W&N. It didn't rewet very well and eventually started forming chunks that didn't rewet at all making the paint unusable. Plus, it was difficult to find pure colors. The Burnt Umber I bought was mixed with a yellow which is annoying because I expected it to be a single pigment and the mixture negatively affected my mixes. Overall, I'm exceptionally happy with M. Graham and Holbein. They rewet beautifully and are an absolute joy to paint with.
On the Winsor, Just add a drop or two of glycerin and grind it again. They'll go back to a creamy moist consistency. That's what I did. I just spray some water every now and then when I see them getting thirsty and they stay moisty.
This was the best review I have seen on Guache. it was just what I needed, so a big thank you from me.
Since M Graham is the only brand I've used (our teacher recommended this brand to us), I'm planning to explore more different brands. I learned a lot from this video. Thank you so much!
Great video Steve. Love everything you do! Thank you
In my experience, W & N is the best bang for the buck. High quality at a decent price. The binder separation issue is no big deal. It just means there’s very little filler mixed in.
Very, very helpful and well done! Thank you! I knew nothing about gouche and now I do!
Yesterday I found your watercolor basic palette. Today the best gouache brands.
*/me is now subscribed*
I will check out your content and I am already happy to get educated! Great content!
I'd love it if you could do a tutorial on how to work with gouache. I'm new to painting and would like to start out with gouache because of the re-workability (from what I've read). I believe watercolours might be a bit hard as a newbie. Thanks for the reviews and tutorials.
I'm just getting into this medium, thank you! I appreciate the straight forward and easy to understand presentation. You've likely saved me a fair amount of hard earned $
Thanks so much for your videos! I have learned so much!!!! Because of this video, I save a bucket of cash by buying white to try out gouache using my Mitchel paint pallet with white I got on ebay super cheap! Thanks!
I'm just learning about gouache and how to add it to my watercolor paintings so this is video is such perfect timing. I know you don't want to do a how to video for gouache but I'm interested in learning how you incorporate it into your regular work. Thank you for existing! I feel so fortunate to learn from your tips.
Thanks, this was useful! Maybe you could do a tutorial for mixing white gouache with watercolors?
Thanks for the review, that helped me alot to decide which gouache is best for me.
Very helpful! I didn't expect the Caran D'Ache gouache to perform so well because I assumed this was for children, but it looks very good in your swatches.
Hello Steve
Thanks for your video. You have missed the linel lefranc bourgeois gouache which is the only gouache still containing only gum arabic for binder, has 124 different hues and is extra-fine. It's a very velvety and opaque gouache. I think you might love it !
Very interesting and thorough review. It will certainly help me decide which gouache to buy. Thank you very much
You beat me to it! Haha. I've been collecting gouache as well and meaning to make a video as well but hadn't gotten to it yet. This is so helpful for the brands I haven't yet tried, and I'm so glad to have your thoughts available on the matter. Though I haven't tried all of these brands, I completely agree with you on the top spot. Schmincke is unlike any other I've used in its feel when painting as well as it's flexibility when dry. I use gouache quite thickly so cracking is a concern, but just not an issue at all with Schmincke :)
Hey, that's cool Denise. I look forward to that episode. Our individual takes on art supplies enrich the community mind so to speak. Glad you agree about Schmincke. Its something you almost feel as you use it, and the swatching doesn't really show that feeling. I've got two more that I'll be reviewing some day in the future. I had tons of viewers say I shouldn't have left out Royal Talens, something I had a poor experience with in the distant past but I'll be giving it another shot. And Lindsay recommended Lukas so I'll be trying both of those. Thanks for stopping by!
@@mindofwatercolor i was not to happy with the talens gouache, it was oozing out of the tube and it smells nasty, i know minnie small did the gouache 101 with talens tho and she loved it
In Liquid Color Has this video happened yet? Please!!
@@mindofwatercolor schmincke is best for all paints. In my humble opinion. I have 8 boxes of watercolour and use their acrylics. Worth every penny
Thank you for your insight on gouache paints. I’ve been debating on which brand of paints to purchase. This has been very informative.
Thank you for all your videos. I love your channel -- it's taught me so much about watercolors and paper and everything else. I'm always inspired to do something with my paints any time I watch one of your vids. Cheers!
I love your criteria for evaluation. I think it is insightful and translates well to actually working with the paint, even though you're presentation is very analytical. I think it would be a fun design challenge to create a design that could be made into an information graphic poster to hang in the studio. Kind of like the Josef Albers / Bauhaus color wheel that is triangular.
Thank you! Im just about to order gouache and this helped solidify my decision on which brand.
Steve, I totally agree with your judgement. I mostly use Schmincke Horadam Gouache (which are made here in my region, about 30 miles away from my home...) plus some W&N Gouache, which I also love. Schmincke is quite expensive, and I think they are even more expensive in the US than here in Germany, but: you get what you pay for. I rather buy something more expensive that makes me happy than to save a few bucks to buy something that disappoints me in the long run... :-)
Bruno Dickhoff what I have picked up from this video is what's local to you is better in price. Here in U.K. M.graham is expensive much more so than w &newton.
I agree with your conclusion. I do think I like the Holbein while the most, too.
So awesome. Appreciate your demos, which really help me select an artist-grade gouache.
Winsor & Newton is cheaper than Schmincke and Holbein in the UK, and Royal Talens cheaper again, so I’m glad to hear W&N’s lightfastness has improved. I don’t find a bad smell from the Talens paint as I’ve heard people say, unless I get up very close. Good to have a few more options I can find here, even if they’re pricier.
Thank you! Going out right now to get a tube of white 😊
Honestly, from what I saw in the video the Winsor & Newton gouache looked the best, they were very smooth and the most opaque of the bunch.
That said, lightfastness is a huge issue for gouache as all of the white filler reflects light on to the pigments causing them to fade faster than they would in watercolors.
They are quite good and most of the line is now lightfast. I think they have some manufacturing consistency issues and that's my main beef. Opacity is not the top gouache criteria for all fine artists. I know several that prefer to work more transparent in the deeper colors. DaVinci manufactures their gouache to this preference. But yeah if all the colors being highly opaque is your thing, Winsor Newton is tops.
This was G R E A T ! Thank you for taking the time & spending the $ and sharing the results
Thanks for sharing your findings. I'm getting into gouache this year, and I've started with the Holbein's primary mixing and 12 color sets. Nice to know the brand is in the top three. I may have to pick up a couple of Schminke tubes if I really get into it.
YAY Steve. I love Gouache. I am learning and started w Holbein, but in the convenience of less mixing, just ordered Arteza 60. I love opaque WC. It's ery forgiving for beginning painters. Thanks for this video.
More gouache videos please! I would love a beginner series.
Great video. Just getting into gouache now; Ive been an exclusive watercolor and colored pencil artist for the last 2 years. I found this video super helpful. I know Im super late, but thank you for sharing. Much love♥️
thank you all your videos are great i just got started in watercolor and i find you to be very inspiring
The old W&N tubes made me so happy to see, I don't know why. I kinda miss these gouaches, as back then there was a lot more weird/neon (and poorly lightfast) colors in their range. I have one W&N tube of an odd neon red that smells of cinnamon, gift from a friend who has an old set. It is my Precious ;)
I really love Holbein's gouache, they are super nice!
I was surprised to find out how many W&N colors are permanent now. Its interesting that their product description still only targets designers and commercial illustrators implying its not suitable for fine art. And Holbein, yes, it definitely got my attention. Very impressed.
Wow. Just. Wow. This video was very informative, and I want to thank you for going through the time to sample each paint from each company… it made it easier for me to decide which gouache set I wanna get when I have saved enough money to buy some. I’ve always wanted to try gouache and now that I’ve seen this video, I know what I want.
Thank you for the review! Since I live in Germany, Schmincke is quite affordable for me (of course their artist lines are never cheap). I bought a Gouache Horadam titanium white to be combined with water colours and love the quality and effect. I just recently bought some tubes from their other gouache lines to test them and was surprised how different they were. The Akademie is the studio line but while still being nice paints, their are worlds between the whites! I also got black from Akademie and the new Calligraphy line (I thought that may be good for adding small details) and again was surprised how different the paints are (the jet black from the Calligraphy line is a gorgeous really deep smoth black).
Thanks for the info!
The distinction between designer and artist grades is interesting- in the old days it was about art made for printing, then it was tossed or stored. Now it's about being digitized by photography or scanning, so I would think the fugitive colors still have a lot of value for people publishing their work online.
Thank you for this vid! I only found out about Holbein today after doing some more research on top quality watercolor brands. I really appreciate seeing the samples together. I like to try W&N and Schmincke so much but they are quite expensive for now, so I'm glad the Holbein is also good to try cause it's little bit more cheaper than the others but good quality. Thanks again!
Been wanting to try Gouache -thank you for this information!
Thanks, Steve. I needed this! I have a Winsor Newton set, and I don't use the colors much, but I do use the white sometimes. This video was a big help to me.
Full of knowledge, incredible helpful. Thank you ! Wow! Well done !
Very informative. Was surprised to see M. Graham could not make it to no. 1 spot. Thank you Steve
Top 5 were almost equal. You can't go wrong with any of them.
I’m half way through this video and it is excellent! I’ve watched a lot of gouache comparison videos and they do not compare to this. I like the extra information about all the different brands. These swatches are great (I don’t know if that has to do with the fact that these are all top rated brands) and I like how they are higher quality which is what I was looking for. Subscribed
The first time I tried out the Schmincke Horadam gouache I was completely blown away! Granted, I live in Europe, but even if I didn't I think the added price may very well be worth it. They're just an absolute dream to work with.
Such a great and useful video Steve! I was looking for something exactly like this so thank you
Excellent review!!! This is so helpful for us newbies. :) I am so grateful for your reviews.
No no no.. don't be upset about separation. Additives to make that creamy consistency in paint affect lightfastness and/or longevity. It's a problem in oil paints and brands that keep additives away from their paints are highly sought after.
Oh! You mentioned Hajra in the video notes! I love the information and art history she shares. :) I'll have to check out the other artists you mention too.
This was very helpful...i have been checking out gouache(the very cheap kind in acrylic) and have found them interesting.this will help me pick out a good watercolor.and will look closer at the better acrylics.Thank you
🖒Thanks, Steve, for doing the legwork and presenting, as always, an unbiased, helpful, and enjoyable review.
Thankyou for the video. Very helpful. I am looking for the links you mentioned to gouache beginner videos.
Thank you so very much for all the information and the links to tutorials!
I'm really into watercolour at the moment and I am looking to gouache to bring in some opacity when needed and, indeed, mixing watercolour with a good white gouache is a great idea. The video is very helpful and encouraging. Thanks. PS. The most important piece of info in the video was that designer gouache is not light fast.
The "designer" term does not hold as true to that these days. W&N has upped the lightfastness of many colors. So the term may not indicate that a problem like it used to. Artists gouache for fine artists used to be a rarity. Used mainly by illustrators. Nowdays its used by many fine artists too. You just have to check the ratings of each brand and color if lightfastness is important to you.
Thank you! Great review.
Wondering why you didn't include Turner.
I bought my daughter the Renesans gouache set for Xmas, I can report that it seems v good quality (and great value) like the watercolour line. The rewettability is fair, and a big factor for me. With kids so much paint can be wasted, it’s better to be able to rewet if at all possible.
With oil paints, the oil will collect near the tube opening if it was stored for a long time, and almost always stored hanging from the lid. If you store the paint lid-down, the oil will (should) collect on the opposite side. I guess worth a shot with watercolor/gouache.
Im just going to play with the WN white gouche for a bit and step in to a mini set of holbein. Good video!
Good choice!
This is a review from an Amazon user -- granted - we can't say if their test was accurate but it is encouraging. Especially since you like the way the pan colors perform. I am looking for reasons to give Caran d'ache pan colours a high mark. Maybe I should do my own light fast test -- compare these with a top brand -- window test. Ok. I will.
A reviewer wrote------
Very convenient. Great color. The magenta and sap green are quite transparent. Pans can be removed.
P.S.
SInce this review I have performed a lightfast test by swatching out the paint and vutting the swatches in half, setting one set in the window and thd other in a drawer. All colors are fairly fade resistant with the exception of Fuchia. It faded tremendously. It is however a beautiful color. Just keep this in mind when using this set.
Great video, Steve. I especially liked your explanation between designer and artist. I wasn't aware of the distinction. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks April. The distinction is becoming less important but it at least gives the artist an alert to look further.
So, so helpful. Thank you! I'm new to gouache and really enjoy it thus far.... mostly because I am hopeless with watercolor lol.
The Caran D’Ache line also comes in tubes! They’re nice for sketching
Thank you for putting together this video Steve! I have a selection of Schmincke at home for my artwork and W&N at work for my scanned illustrations but it's still great to know how all the brands relate should I need a more transparent color or want to try another just for fun! (Not gonna lie, kind of intrigued by the Holbein.) I've enjoyed the Schmincke so far very much, and although I don't use my gouache as much as my watercolor, I always wonder why not every-time I break them out and lose track of time while enjoying their creamy boldness and ability to add little light details over dark areas, yay! I have my Schmincke in a Mijello airtight palette, each color mixed with a drop a glycerin, and so far the only two colors that have cracked in any way are the titanium white and black, but this is also after my first time filling, so I may need to adjust their mixtures if they're dryer pigments naturally. Another aside, while purchasing, after deciding on Schmincke, I researched prices and found ordering them through Jackson's was more affordable than from anywhere within the States (I live in NY state).
Jill Gustavis 👋 hey I follow you on IG. So cool to see people you admire fans of other people you admire❤️
@@ashleynicole9036 Oh yes! It's definitely a great feeling! It also makes the community nature of sharing art on Instagram/online so much more tangible too, like having lots of friends that love art. Thank you for following along with my art, I'm always honored when someone chooses to include me in their artistic journey!
Thanks very much, Steve! Excellent video! I recently got some inexpensive gouache to see if I liked it and am delighted to have your ratings for when/if I want to upgrade!
Thank you so much for the information on gouache, it's really very helpful.
Great review ! Thank you for sharing all this information, it was very helpful and certainly very useful.
Every commercial, design, and graphic Art's class I've ever taken has insisted that the student know the working qualities of their paints, and gouache is one media that will benefit from doing swatches with solid tones, gradients, admixture of hues, and layering for full scope of what each is capable of. All the documented evidence on any media can never prepare you for just how some colours react when using them. With the advent of all digital manipulation of the Arts, the suppliers are having to find ways to cut cost to stay afloat, the biggest being pigments, and the inert filler's they carry the pigments in, while trying to keep all those generous qualities that many applaud. Not going into chemistry, since most don't care, but a great many colors have inherent opacity issues to start with. Not mentioning colors here, since each brand, and segment sales slot will vary all over the place. Will tell you the finest colors are invariably the most expensive, but we bite the bullet and pay our $60 for that Cobalt Violet, or trendy named Yellow, because we love using them. I'm not welking on W & N, since so many cut their teeth on the Designer Line, but have found far better products with fewer random separation issues that the brand has always had. If you can afford higher quality, for heaven's sake pay the price. You'll thank yourself later in the trouble you'll avert.
Hi Steve…Here it is 2+ years from this review. I am just now getting more interested in gouache. I decided to start a small collection of WN Designer gouache being that I knew it to be of such fantastic quality. I bought 4 tubes when my local fine art supply store had a sale. But every time I I’m gonna add another tube, I’m stopped because of the cost. And I’ve got plenty artist quality wc, so I don’t HAVE to have them. My fave “almost pro quality” are the Pelikan opaque and transparent sets. They are really beautiful, but Pelikan (Germany) mainly markets to schools and kids and I guess have no interest in going “pro” with their watercolors. When I do use the Pelikan sets for finished art work, I only use the work for making prints from. And I understand now that high quality giclee printing inks are highly archival, (70+years) so that really helps when you create something you want to sell but are uncertain about the lightfastness. But for sales of originals, it’s obviously just best to choose the most lightfast colors possible to start with ( of the colors you need for your art.) Thanks for this helpful info. I’m gonna watch your other video review of Royal Talens XF gouache. 👍
This was fabulous information, Steve ..
I bought a cheap set of arteza gouache , just to try ( knowing it was more student grade ) .. I have been very pleasantly surprised by how nice they are to work with experiment with, to get the feel of gouache ...
I am pretty sure I will buy artist quality gouache , at some point , but the arteza was very pleasant surprise and great entry into the world of gouache ...
Thanks for this video so much !!!!
I’ve been increasing my gouache experience over the last few years and have been planning to purchase more and this helped so much. Traditionally, I am used to oils but I wanted something different and finally feel able to make some official pieces with gouache.
Still being new to it though, I wondered if you had a video or input on how to seal gouache paintings to protect them from fading and increase permanence.
I have one on watercolors but there are several methods. This is that video. th-cam.com/video/3hIVbZYNWJw/w-d-xo.html
Another product to look up is Dorland's Wax (videos done by others are here on YT). I plan to do a video on that at some point. Good product.
There is no surprise that Schmincke's Bismuth Yellow and Coblat blue would be more opaque than other brands Hansa yellow and Phthalo blues. When comparing this brands there is a need to also match pigments. In my tests W&N where the most opaque but that's because they add opacifiers to many of their transparent colors. A side effect of that is the tendency of the paint film to crack when painting thickly. Holbain does not add any opacifiers neither does Schminke artists who like to paint thick may be better off with these brands. I find myself enjoying W&N very much, they really upgraded their lineup couple years ago and added many "artist" pigments. I don't know why they're is so expensive in NA though, you may be better ordering it through Jackson's (which are a UK based online retailer). I really wish a manufacturer would be bold and create a Extra Premium grade gouache based on aquazol and not Gum Arabic, but that would cost bazillion per tube :)
Wow, you went to a LOT OF TIME and trouble to make this video. Outstanding. New to the medium and so glad I found your review. Lots of help, money saver and just plain, dad gum good. Will rewatch. Subscriber from Florida
I almost always watch with auto-generated captions on (my headphones are never handy...) and I’m dying at “designer squash and artist squash” 🤣🤣🤣 best squash review out there, thanks haha