Basic Information
Holbein Acryla Gouache (acrylic gouache) is available from a few sources here in the UK, and is actually cheaper than their traditional gouache. The tubes are 20ml, with the option for even larger white (yay) and come in a thick plastic tube.
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Swatches & Permanency
Swatches were quite vibrant and opaque, even the primary magenta and lemon yellow, which is more rare (usually those colors are more transparent in gouache). Below are the swatches of the colors I own along with some mixes.
I did not notice a huge difference between titanium white or super white in person. There seems to be a very slight difference in the scan.
The permanency test shows slight color lifting, but hardly. To test it, I let the paint dry thoroughly. Then I wet a brush and rub the swatch rigorously several times. I expected more lift, but was happy to see it barely changed.
Lightfast tests are currently being conducted – check my gouache database later in 2024 for updates.
Holbein Acryla Gouache Review
Acrylic gouache takes a bit of getting used to, as it dries extremely fast, and once dry it cannot be rewet on the palette like regular gouache. I found myself struggling to mix enough color. Most often, I mixed a color, used it, then later when I wanted the same color, realized my mix was totally dry so I had to remix it. This happened over and over during the painting process. This could be remedied by using larger piles of paint and mixing much more than you need from the beginning, but that is a challenging habit to form when you are used to painting with smaller amounts of paint. Therefore in fairness I won’t judge the paint on this learning curve.
To make sure I wasn’t totally crazy, I also tested the same painting on white watercolor paper using a tiny bit more water, but the paint still dried just as fast. I also added some Blending Medium which helped a little with flow, but again I still didn’t mix enough as I painted.
The opacity of the paint was excellent. I always do test paintings on beige paper so that I can really see that opacity in action. If you dilute it with water, the opacity decreases, therefore the paint needs to have a good flow and strong opacity to keep up. I did notice that because it dried so quickly, the flow struggled. The paint moves beautifully at first, but within minutes becomes very tacky/sticky. Instead of fighting it, I ended up using this to my advantage as best as I could. Since I LOVE dry-brush textures, Found that I could lay down a base color, then go over that with sticky paint to achieve incredibly dry brush strokes. This ultimately created a very painterly effect.
Overall Holbein Acryla gouache allows for a wide range of techniques, and the opacity is especially nice. If I want to dilute it I can, or use it very dry/sticky. The dry brush effects I can create are phenomenal. I would definitely recommend this brand to others who want the look of gouache with the bonus of a permanent surface.
Why choose acrylic gouache over traditional gouache?
Since acrylic gouache is basically just “matte acrylic” this comes down to preference. Do you need a permanent surface?
I will continue to play with acrylic gouache because I love the permanency of it. That would allow me to paint outside without worrying about rain, or accidentally getting my painting wet for whatever reason. I’ve ruined many pages in my gouache sketchbooks over the years by accident and it’s always a bummer.
But I have to admit I am not in love with how quickly it dries (even faster than traditional gouache) OR the palette/brush maintenance. I much prefer taking my time and being able to use my color mixes over a longer period of time, as I do with traditional gouache, and not worrying about ruining my brushes if I forget to wash them. By the way, I suggest only use a glass palette when using acrylic gouache so that it’s easier to clean.
So ultimately, the only times I will choose to use acrylic gouache will be when I want a permanent surface. That will most likely be when I’m outside. Otherwise, I’m happy to stick with my beloved traditional gouache! See my Holbein Artist’s Gouache review here.
Have you tried painting with Holbein Acrylic Gouache on Ampersand Aquabord?
Use A Masterson’s STA-WET HANDY PALETTE to keep Acrylic Gouache Paints from drying out or.. when painting a large area such as a background us Artist’s Loft Plastic paint cups that have an attached cover so you can close them. Or some other plastic container with a cover that you can throw away once done with that color.
Sarah as always very interesting thankyou sarah for your wonderful tutorials
Sarah,
I always look forward to your posts and videos! I’ve been tinkering with acryla gouache for the past three years, and I’ve found that using a butcher tray with a little water, a layer of paper towels, and a sheet of parchment paper over that works well. This keeps the paint wet for hours at a time. You will need decent piles of paint, thought, because little dollops will quickly absorb the water through the paper towels and parchment paper layers and get watery. I also tried a medium one time to make the paint more fluid and less sticky, but I forget if I used watercolor medium or some sort of acrylic retarder. In any case, you may enjoy experimenting with adding a medium to your acryla gouache, and you can get a butcher tray on Amazon if that interests you.
Butcher tray setup is a great idea. I have seen artists doing that with regular gouache. I do have a few “stay wet palettes” that I have used with oils and acrylics in the past, so would probably just use them as I continue to experiment with acrylic gouache.