Gouache and Acrylic

Gouache and acrylic are opaque water-based paints. Unlike watercolor, light colors can cover dark ones, so you can correct, layer and work from dark to light. They're beloved by illustrators, concept artists, muralists and painters who want bold, flat color.

Opaque vs. transparent

In watercolor, light passes through the paint to the white paper. In gouache and acrylic, the paint itself reflects the light. That means:

• You can paint light over dark, so you can fix mistakes.
• White paint is essential: you lighten colors by adding white (or lighter colors), not water.
• You can work in any order: many painters start with the darks or a colored background.

Gouache

Gouache is like watercolor with more pigment and a white filler: opaque, matte and velvety.

• Strengths: flat, even areas of color (perfect for illustration and design), quick drying, can be thinned to work like watercolor.
• Reactivates with water: dry gouache becomes soluble again. Great for blending and corrections, but new layers can lift the ones below. Use a light touch and a loaded brush when painting over dry layers.
• Color shift: light colors dry darker and dark colors dry lighter. Test swatches first.
• Consistency: aim for "heavy cream" or "melted ice cream". Too thick cracks; too thin becomes streaky.

Acrylic

Acrylic is pigment in a plastic polymer binder. When it dries, it becomes water-resistant and flexible.

• Strengths: dries fast, layers without lifting, works on almost any surface (paper, canvas, wood, walls), can be thick (impasto) or thin (glazes).
• Fast drying: great for layering, but blends must be done quickly. A spray bottle, a "stay-wet" palette or a slow-drying medium helps.
• Slight color shift: acrylics dry a little darker.
• Brush care: wash brushes immediately; dried acrylic ruins them.

A typical opaque workflow

1. Tone the surface with a mid-value color (often a warm earth tone). It removes the intimidating white and unifies the painting.
2. Block in big shapes with flat colors, thinking in values.
3. Refine forms: lights, shadows and edges.
4. Details and highlights last, with thicker paint.

Thinking in flat shapes of color (like paper cutouts) is the key to gouache and acrylic. Each shape is one value and one color, placed precisely.