Watercolor vs Gouache: What’s Different?
Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday!
Let's play with color! In today's video, I'm comparing watercolor and gouache side by side. I’m using two different “primary” palettes. One in watercolor and one in gouache. Then I paint the same subject twice to see how the paints behave.
How do they mix? How does opacity or transparency makes a difference for the result? This isn’t about creating perfect drawings. It’s all about experimenting, getting to know your materials better, and seeing what happens when you allow yourself to play.
You’ll see the whole process, from sketch to finish, with tips along the way for color mixing, layering, and making the most of your chosen palette.
Whether you’ve worked with these paints before or you’re just curious to try them, this is a fun way to explore and learn through doing.
Want more inspiration on color mixing? Watch this video too.
Your assignment this week:
Choose a simple subject and draw it twice.
Paint it once in watercolor, once in gouache (or any other kind of paint you have). Use a limited palette of three “primary” colors and mix everything from those. Pay attention to how the paints feel, how they mix, and what you like about each one. It’s not about the perfect outcome, just have fun experimenting!
Materials used in this video:
Hahnemühle Watercolor pad
Daniel Smith watercolors*
Winsor&Newton Designers Gouache**
Faber-Castell round brush no.6
Faber-Castell PITT oil based extra soft black pencil
*Watercolors in my yellow Case For Making box:
Quinacridone Rose
Transparent Pyrrol Orange
Hansa yellow medium
New Gamboge (=warm yellow)
Monte Amiata natural Sienna
Sap Green
Cerulean Blue, Chromium
Ultramarine Blue
Indigo
Van Dyck Brown
Italian Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
**Gouache colors in my Art Toolkit box:
Prussian blue
Cobalt turquoise light
Opera pink
Naples yellow
Raw sienna
zinc white
Join me in Spain, to fill your travel sketchbook in one week.
