Busted. While traditional gouaches DO need water to easily brush out color, our Acrylic Gouache is different. You don’t need to dilute it.

When you think of gouache, you think of intense color. Traditionally made with a massive pigment load, this intensity comes at a cost. With so much powdered pigment to pack in, there isn’t much room for the usual binding ingredients in other gouaches. When brushed onto the palette, gouaches often have a dry, stiff structure and need an extra bit of fluid to get flowing.

When you think of traditional gouache, matte, opaque color comes to mind. Opacity is achieved through a very high pigment load, but that comes at a cost.  The higher pigment to binder ratio can make for a brittle paint film. Liquitex Acrylic Gouache maintains its flexibility due to its’ acrylic binder.

We formulated our Acrylic Gouache differently, making it ready-to-go as soon as inspiration strikes. No need to add water or dilute. The technology inside is complex. The research and development team took two years in the lab to develop the range. The result is an innovative formula with a super-concentration of pure, ultra-fine pigments. All dispersed evenly in a flexible acrylic vehicle.

Each color has been mixed individually because the various pigments have different particle sizes and behaviors. It was a labor of love that paid off, and the range now boasts 50 vibrant, pigment-packed colors. Uniformly smooth and fluid, each without needing diluting to give the glide and feel you want.

This Acrylic Gouache has a creamy, fluid texture with superb brushout, straight from the bottle. The fact it’s bottled - not tubed - says a lot. The application feels effortless and flowing, with no drag - making it perfect for large area coverage or fine detail. Because you don’t need to add water, your colors keep their true vibrancy. This range contains the highest intensity of pigment in all of our paints, giving you serious color payoff every time.

Diluting weakens color intensity. And in acrylics, it breaks down its inherent structure. Acrylics are water-based but once formulated they don’t like too much extra water. Why? Excess water upsets the ingredient balance (pigment, acrylic polymer and water) and your paint won’t dry structurally sound.

Take a look behind-the-scenes at the development of our Acrylic Gouache.