The gouache meaning is a type of water based paint that is opaque, so it covers the paper or the colour beneath it instead of letting it show through. The same word names a picture made with this paint: "She sold two gouaches at the fair."
Think of it as watercolour's bolder cousin. It uses similar pigments and the same water for thinning, but it dries flat, matte and solid, like a poster. This page gives a plain gouache definition, explains how to say the word, shows how artists use it, and compares it with watercolour and acrylic.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Opaque water based paint; a painting done in it; the method of painting with itPart of speech
NounPronunciation
GWAHSH (also goo-AHSH)Plural
gouachesOrigin
French gouache, from Italian guazzo, a splash or puddle; in English since the later 1800sClose words
opaque watercolour, bodycolour, poster paint, temperaRegister
Neutral; used in art classes, galleries and design studios
Gouache meaning for painters and viewers
To define gouache properly, look at its three uses:
- The paint: pigment mixed with a water soluble binder, traditionally gum arabic, often with a white filler such as chalk that makes it thick and opaque.
- The technique: painting with that paint, as in "she works in gouache".
- The finished work: a picture made with it, as in "a small gouache of a harbour".
In British art writing you may also see bodycolour, an older term for opaque watercolour. In schools, cheap poster paint is a rough relative, although artists' gouache has finer pigment and more of it.
How to pronounce gouache
Most English speakers say GWAHSH, one syllable, rhyming with wash in many accents. Some say goo-AHSH in two syllables, which is closer to the French. Both are accepted. The spelling looks tricky because of the French letters: gou makes the gw sound, and ache here sounds like ash, not like a pain.
Gouache, watercolour and acrylic side by side
| Feature | Watercolour | Gouache | Acrylic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover | Transparent, paper glows through | Opaque, hides what is below | Opaque or transparent |
| Finish | Soft, luminous | Flat and matte | Often slightly glossy |
| Once dry | Can be rewetted | Can be rewetted and lifted | Becomes waterproof plastic |
| Light colours | Made by adding water | Made by adding white | Made by adding white |
Because gouache stays soluble, a new layer can soften the one under it, so painters work with a light touch. Acrylic gouache is a newer variety that dries water resistant, like acrylic, while keeping the flat look.
Gouache in sentences
- The children's book was illustrated in gouache, which gives the pages their soft, chalky colour.
- He blocked in the sky with one smooth layer of blue gouache.
- The museum has a gallery of travel posters, many first painted as gouaches.
- Our art teacher asked us to bring a set of gouache paints and two flat brushes.
- She fixed the mistake by painting white gouache over it once the area was dry.
From an Italian puddle to the art shop
The word gouache reached English from French in the second half of the 1800s. French gouache came from Italian guazzo, which had meant a splash, puddle or pool before it came to mean watercolour painting. The Italian word goes back to Latin aquatio, a watering or watering place, from aqua, water.
The kind of paint is far older than the English word. Opaque water based colours were used for illuminated manuscripts and for miniature paintings in many cultures long before artists called them gouache. Earth colours such as ocher have been ground into paints like this for centuries.
Who uses gouache today
Illustrators like gouache because it scans and prints with even, flat colour. Designers once used it for poster art and lettering by hand; animators painted backgrounds with it. Hobby painters choose it because it is easy to clean up with water, can be reworked, and forgives mistakes better than watercolour. It suits a certain aesthetic: bold shapes, cosy scenes, a slightly vintage look. Terms for talking about books, style and other creative work live in the literary terms section.
Frequently asked questions
What does gouache mean in simple words?
Gouache is a thick water paint that you cannot see through. It dries flat and matte, and the same word is used for a painting made with it.
Is it gwash or goo-ash?
Most people say GWAHSH, in one syllable. A two syllable version, goo-AHSH, is also heard and is fine.
Is gouache the same as watercolour?
It is related but not the same. Both use water and similar pigments, but watercolour is transparent and gouache is opaque, so gouache can cover dark colours with light ones.
Is gouache waterproof when dry?
Traditional gouache is not. Water can wake it up again, which lets you blend or lift colour later. Acrylic gouache is the exception, since it dries water resistant.
Is gouache good for beginners?
Many teachers think so. It is easy to correct, cleans up with water and does not need special solvents, although layering takes some practice.
What is the plural of gouache?
Gouaches, for several paintings made in it. When talking about the paint as a material, people simply say gouache.