An opaque watercolor paint made by mixing pigments with water and a white chalky material like chalk or zinc oxide. The medium dries to a matte finish and allows for layering and corrections unlike transparent watercolor.
From French, possibly derived from Italian 'guazzo' meaning 'water paint' or 'puddle.' The term has been used since the 18th century to distinguish this opaque water-based medium from transparent watercolor.
Gouache is like watercolor's confident older sibling - while watercolor embraces transparency and happy accidents, gouache lets you paint light colors over dark ones and make bold corrections! It was the secret weapon of botanical illustrators and fashion designers because it could capture both delicate details and vibrant, flat color areas.
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