Gouache Database

Welcome to my Gouache Database – a place where I keep track of all the gouache I’ve tried, its properties, costs, and anything else I find interesting. I’ll also post examples of paintings and review videos as they are available.

Prior to 2023, I have been using Winsor & Newton and Schmincke Horadam gouache almost exclusively. In February 2023 I bought all the other brands you see here to familiarize myself with them and gain a deeper understanding of the overall gouache experience in the world. I get endless comments on my videos about these brands and until now, wasn’t able to reply sufficiently. Now I’ll be able to use my own first hand experience while discussing popular gouache brands with the world.

Table of Contents

Sarah’s Gouache Database Table

(updated February 2023)

PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS’ GOUACHE

BrandTube SizeAvg. Cost per tube*Binder Type ***Vegan?**ReviewBuyManufa. Country
Daler Rowney Designer’s Gouache15 ml$5.95Gum Arabic + Calcium CarbonateYes except the colors containing PBk9 (bone black).Review(UK)UK
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Gouache15 ml$11.18Gum ArabicYes, except these colors contain PBk9 bone black: Sepia, Ivory Black, Joseph Z’s Neutral Grey & Payne’s Gray.Review(USA), (EU)USA
Holbein Artist’s Gouache15 ml$12.67Gum ArabicYes, except these colors contain ox gall: Cad Red, Cad Red Purple, Cad Yellow, Cad Lemon, Cad Orange Yellow Ochre, Jaune Brilliant 2, Naples Y, Cad Green Apple, Terre Verte, Co Green Pale, Ulta Light, Grey 1, Grey 2, Permanent White, Primary White, Golds, Silver. Some colors also contain PBk9 (bone black).Review(USA), (UK)Japan
M. Graham & Co. Artist’s Gouache15 ml$10.81Gum Arabic, HoneyNo (contains honey and a proprietary non-vegan ingredient according to their email). Some colors also contain PBk9 (bone black).Review(USA),
(UK), (EU)
USA
Royal Talens Extra Fine Gouache20 ml$8.08DextrinYes except the colors containing PBk9 (bone black).Review(USA)Netherlands
Shinhan Professional Designer’s Gouache15 ml$6.64Gum ArabicYes except the colors containing PBk9 (bone black).Review(UK)South Korea
Schmincke Horadam Artist Gouache15 ml$17.20Gum Arabic, dextrinNo (all colors contain ox gall). Some colors also contain PBk9 (bone black).Review(USA),(UK)Germany
Winsor & Newton Designer’s Gouache14 ml$7.86Gum ArabicYes, except these colors contain ox gall (and some also contain PBk9): Intense Blue, Primary Blue, Burnt Umber, Ivory Black, Lamp Black, Prussian Blue, Sky Blue, Winsor green and Neutral Grey.Review(USA),(UK), (EU)France

This page contains affiliate links through Blick Art Materials and Jacksons Art. If you decide to purchase something using my link, I get a tiny store credit so I can buy more art supplies, so thank you for your support! New Jacksons Art customers will receive a 10% discount on their first order if it is made through any of these links.

STUDENT GRADE GOUACHE

BrandTube SizeAvg. Cost per tube*Binder Type ***Vegan?**ReviewManufa. Country
Arteza Premium Gouache Set12 ml$0.74Gum AcaciaThe binder is, but unconfirmed if they use any PBk9 (bone black)ReviewChina
Caran D’Ache Classic Gouache (tubes + pans)10 ml$5.75DextrinYesReviewSwitzerland
MEEDEN Gouache Paint Set12 ml$0.72UnknownYesReviewChina
Miya Arts HIMI Gouache Set30 ml cups$1.24Petroleum basedThe binder is, but unconfirmed if they use any PBk9 (bone black)ReviewChina
Royal & Langnickel Essentials Gouache Set12 ml$0.82UnconfirmedUnconfirmedAbsolutely horrible! Don’t buy.China

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Notes about my Research

*Prices don’t include shipping or taxes. I converted everything to $ because most of my audience is in the USA. I attempted to find the cheapest price for each item. Then I found the mean cost by this method:

  1. Find the sum of the values by adding them all up.
  2. Divide the sum by the number of values in the data set.

**I’ve emailed each company to confirm what is in their paint. If they haven’t responded I wrote ‘unconfirmed.’ There is a lot of misinformation online so I prefer to get my facts straight from the company. Regarding vegan paint – the reason a paint would not be considered vegan is if it contains animal biproducts such as honey or ox gall in their binders. Some brands that use ‘vegan’ binders use “Ivory Black” or “Bone Black” (PBk9) which is derived from animal bone. So even if the binder is vegan, any colors containing that pigment are not vegan. I’ll update my list as more companies respond.

***I’ve emailed the companies to confirm the binder materials and the manufacturing location. If they didn’t respond, I will write ‘unconfirmed’ until I hear back. However I don’t think all the companies are being forthright about their ingredients. Example: When I emailed Schmincke (twice), I had to specifically ask whether they include dextrin. If I didn’t ask, they didn’t include it in their ingredient list. I don’t think brands are trying to hide anything, I think they assume people don’t care what the exact ingredients are. I also think it’s likely that most of the brands use at least a little dextrin in the binder, but may not disclose this because it’s a very small amount. Does it matter? Not really. But I’m just trying to be super accurate for you all. Many people assume gouache always uses a gum arabic binder, but that’s not always the case, especially in cheaper brands. Dextrin is a cheaper type of binder (a starchy glue), and can be used to replace gum arabic or used in addition to it. It improves the binder strength and matte finish. But it’s a bit stickier than pure gum arabic. So a little seems fine, but if the entire binder is dextrin, I noticed the paint doesn’t flow very well.

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Gouache Brand ComparisonsRANKINGS (opens a separate page)

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Gouache Lightfast Tests (12 Brands)

Some pigments will fade in sunlight. If you sell your original artwork, or want them to last a long time on the wall, it’s important to avoid ‘fugitive’ colors. Testing the lightfastness of a color is easy. Simply paint a swatch, hang it in a sunny window, and compare it to the original color after a few months. Many artists have done this for watercolors and oils, and a small selection of gouache colors, But I cannot find a single database of gouache lightfast tests online. So I decided to make my own. Handprint and Pigment database (both of which are widely considered the best resources for pigment data) offer insights into what pigments tend to fade.

My gouache lightfastness tests began Feb 10, 2023.

The colors sit in my window 24/7

4 MONTH GOUACHE LIGHTFAST TEST UPDATE: June 10, 2023.

Watch the full reveal video on youtube.

We get a lot of condensation on our windows in winter, so I have to frame my swatches for the tests to avoid moisture getting on the colors. I live in northeast Scotland, which gets less sunshine than some other locations. The best window I have is facing west, so signs of fading may take longer to show in my tests.

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Color Swatches of Each Brand

I don’t own every color in every brand, but these are the swatches I have created with what I own. More information can be found in the individual review posts.

I did not swatch Royal & Langnickel because the moment I opened it, it smelled horrific, and almost every single color had binder gushing out of the tube. To put it kindly, it’s not worth my time.

These are high resolution scans so they may take some time to load.

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Mold Tests – Comparing 12 Brands of Gouache

Gouache mold tests 12 brand comparison

I’m performing a “mold test” on all of these brands in my database. This will require time and patience, so check back to see what happens!

Phase One

Experiment Setup/Rules

  • Fresh paint is squeezed from the tube directly into an air-tight palette. I have not added any extra water or treatment to these palettes. The palette is sealed shut and set on the shelf. I will check them regularly to see if anything is growing.
  • I have a control palette with my usual gouache setup, which includes clove but oil (a natural treatment for preventing growth). This is what I’m comparing the others to, since I’ve been using it for over a year with no issues.
BrandColors in the testFeb 13 NotesFeb 19 NotesFeb 24 NotesMarch 5 NotesMarch 9 Notes
Arteza Premium GouacheTaupe, Toffee Brown, Latte BrownSlight discoloration in corners – Possible binder separationNo changeA little more discoloration on edgesMore discoloration, possible mold started on ‘Latte Brown’Mold on Latte Brown
Caran D’Ache Classic GouacheWhite, Primary Yellow, Scarlet, Cyan, BlackNo changeNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Daler Rowney Designer’s GouacheBlack, White, Neutral GrayNo changeNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Daniel Smith Extra Fine GouacheHansa Yellow Light, Pyrrol Red, Ultramarine, Lamp BlackNo changeNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Holbein Artist’s GouacheCobalt Blue, Cadmium Lemon YellowNo changeNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
M. Graham & Co. Artists’ GouacheAzo Yellow, Naphthol Red, Cobalt Blue, Ivory BlackPossible discoloration on the yellowNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Miya Arts HIMI GouacheWhite, Lemon Yellow, Deep Red, Ultramarine, Jade Green, BlackNo changeBinder separation in lighter colors but no moldMore binder separation in more colorsMore binder separation in more colorsMore binder separation in more colors
Royal Talens Extra Fine GouacheYellow, Vermillion, Neutral GrayNo changeNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Royal Langnickel Essentials GouacheYellow Mid, Rose, Cobalt Blue, Mauve, Deep Green, Prussian BlueNo changeNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Shinhan Professional Designer’s GouacheCadmium Lemon Yellow, Quinacridone Red,
Ultramarine Deep
No changeNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Schmincke HoradamEnglish Red, Helio Blue, Titanium Gold OchreSlight discoloration in the yellow corners – Possible binder separationNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Winsor & Newton Designer’s GouachePrimary Blue, Yellow Ochre, Winsor GreenNo changeNo changeNo changeNo changeNo change
I’m checking the gouache every 3-5 days, and writing notes of what I see here. Check back regularly if you’re interested in the results!

Phase 01 Results (1 month)

The only major changes have been on the Arteza Latte Brown which started discoloring quickly and is now officially growing mold (started at 3.5 weeks).

Arteza gouache mold check Feb. 24, 2023
Arteza gouache mold check Feb. 24, 2023
Arteza gouache mold check March 9, 2023
Arteza gouache mold check March 9, 2023

Phase Two

Experiment Setup/Rules

Phase Two consists of painting with the colors from the palette. This means I’ll be introducing water to them. My theory is that the paint itself does not inherently promote mold growth. It’s what we add to the palettes and how often we use them that contributes to mold growth. After painting with each color, I will then seal the palettes again and check them every 4-5 days for another month.

Update: used/mixed/water added on: March 9, March 24

BrandColors in the testDate Started (useD)Checked Mar. 16 Used
Mar. 23
Checked
Mar. 30
Checked april 10
(final check)
Arteza Premium GouacheTaupe, Toffee Brown, Latte BrownMarch 9, 2023Growth visible on TaupeMore mold on Arteza (see below)Mold continues to thickenMold continues to thicken
Caran D’Ache Classic GouacheWhite, Primary Yellow, Scarlet, Cyan, BlackMarch 9, 2023No changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Daler Rowney Designer’s GouacheBlack, White, Neutral GrayMarch 9, 2023No changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Daniel Smith Extra Fine GouacheHansa Yellow Light, Pyrrol Red, Ultramarine, Lamp BlackMarch 9, 2023No changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Holbein Artist’s GouacheCobalt Blue, Cadmium Lemon YellowMarch 9, 2023No changeNo changeNo changeNo change
M. Graham & Co. Artists’ GouacheAzo Yellow, Naphthol Red, Cobalt Blue, Ivory BlackMarch 9, 2023No changeNo changeFuzzy patches on Ivory BlackIvory Black completely covered in fuzzy mold
Miya Arts HIMI GouacheWhite, Lemon Yellow, Deep Red, Ultramarine, Jade Green, BlackMarch 9, 2023No changeSlight binder separationNo changeNo change
Royal Talens Extra Fine GouacheYellow, Vermillion, Neutral GrayMarch 9, 2023No changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Royal Langnickel Essentials GouacheYellow Mid, Rose, Cobalt Blue, Mauve, Deep Green, Prussian BlueMarch 9, 2023No changeBinder separationNo changeNo change
Shinhan Professional Designer’s GouacheCadmium Lemon Yellow, Quinacridone Red,
Ultramarine Deep
March 9, 2023No changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Schmincke HoradamEnglish Red, Helio Blue, Titanium Gold OchreMarch 9, 2023No changeNo changeNo changeNo change
Winsor & Newton Designer’s GouachePrimary Blue, Yellow Ochre, Winsor GreenMarch 9, 2023No changeNo changeNo changeNo change
I’m checking the gouache every 7 days, and writing notes of what I see here. Check back regularly if you’re interested in the results!
mold growing on Arteza gouache
March 16 – noticed visible mold growth on Arteza “Taupe”
Mold growing on Arteza gouache
March 24 – noticed visible mold growth on Arteza “Taupe” and “Latte Brown”
Mold growing on Arteza gouache
March 30 – Mold on Arteza continues to thicken
Mold growing on M Graham gouache
March 30 – discovered patches of fuzzy mold on surface of M. Graham Ivory Black
Arteza slime mold thickens, black dots appear
April 10 – Arteza slime mold thickens, black dots appear
M Graham Ivory Black covered in fuzzy mold
April 10 – M Graham Ivory Black covered in fuzzy mold

Phase 02 Results (2 months)

The only visible issues after Phase 02 are the Arteza Taupe and Latte Brown, and the M Graham Ivory Black.

Conclusion

Since the experiment started over two months ago, I’ve learned that some brands use biocide in their paint (like Miya HIMI, who even offer a spray bottle of fungicide for their gouache). It’s reasonable to assume that many brands include biocide in their paint but don’t say anything, because it’s the industry standard (not just artist paints, but all industries). Without emailing each of them again, I can’t confirm that. So if this matters to you, perhaps try reaching out to whichever brand you’re interested in.

The Arteza and M. Graham gouache had issues, and this coincides with many reports I’ve received from viewers in the comments of my YouTube channel. I can reasonably assume those brands do not include biocide in their paint. Care should be taken when using those brands in an air-tight palette.

I will continue to use my own strategies for keeping my gouache mold-free, since it has worked for me for over a year. If you want to learn more about that, check out this blog post.

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