Gouache

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gouache (from the Italian guazzo, "water paint, splash") or Bodycolour (or Bodycolor, the terms preferred by Art historians) is a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water. Gouache differs from watercolour in that the particles are larger, the ratio of pigment to water is much higher, and an additional, inert, white pigment such as chalk is also present. This makes gouache heavier and more opaque, with greater reflective qualities.<ref name="wash_gou">Marjorie B. Cohn, Wash and Gouache, Fogg Museum, 1977.</ref>

1 History
2 Application
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

"Guazzo" was originally a term applied to the early 16th century practice of applying oil paint over a tempera base.<ref name="hand_mat">Mayer, Ralph. The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques, Viking Adult; 5th revised and updated edition, 1991. ISBN 0-670-83701-6</ref> The term was applied to the watermedia in the 18th century in France, although the technique is considerably older. It was used as early as the 12th century in Islamic art and as early as the 14th century in Europe.

[edit] Application

Gouache generally dries to a different value than it appears when wet (lighter tones generally dry darker, while darker tones tend to dry lighter), which can make it difficult to match colors over multiple painting sessions. This, combined with its quick coverage and total hiding power, mean that gouache lends itself to more immediate techniques than watercolour.<ref name="imed_tech">Adolf Dehn, Water Color, Gouache Studio Publishing 1955. ISBN 0-670-75110-3</ref> "En plein air" paintings take advantage of this, as do works by J.M.W. Turner. Very few artists have painted a substantial number of works in gouache, though many famous artists have painted a small number of gouaches. It is used more consistently for graphic works such as posters, and for other design work.

Most 20th Century animations used it to create an opaque color on a cel with watercolor paint used for backgrounds, and gouache as "poster paint" is desirable for its speed and durability. An example can be seen in Kevin Nigel Roy Parratt's work In addition, noted comics artist Alex Ross uses only gouache for his illustrations. A further variation is gouaches découpées created by Matisse, cut paper collages. His Blue Nudes series is a good example of this technique.