Are Poster Paint And Gouache The Same?…

28.03.2009 | Author: Anna Meenaghan | Posted in Art

by Anna Meenaghan

What do we know about Gouache as a paint and is there any difference between this and poster paints? As a paint, this is used to make cards and to copy materials. It is possibe to be able to scan this medium and to then go on and make printed articles from it. It is also an opaque type of paint. Are these really poster paints?

In a nutshell no! Poster paints, you will find, are very cheap. When they are manufactured, they use proteins for these, plus rather a lot of egg.

The surface, poster paint leaves, is different and it is quite usual, that you may find that your paper wrinkles when you use this. In the main, it may be used for craft work and, given its cheapness, we can see why.

This is what is called a safe paint, therefore it is naturally used by children the world over. So, obviously it is used in most of our schools. Sometimes it will flake and basically it is not all that durable, but there again, it does not cost that much, so no wonder schools use it.

Gouache will look better when it is finished, colourwise, than poster paints. You can buy this in tubes and poster paints are usually sold in bottles. It might look the same as poster paints, but this is made with a water base.

Interestingly enough, this paint does not always do what you think it will. If you paint a dark colour, it always dries lighter and light colours dry darker and always with a matt textured finish.

This paint is also used on collages and for decoupage, but it can also be used on a variety of papers and other surfaces. I would go as far as to recommend this paint for painting landscapes, although I would be using a cold pressed paper.

Gouache has gum arabic added to its pigment which makes a nice consistency, similar to cream, and therefore produces a good flow when you use it. It can vary however, as not all paints have a similar amount of chalk added to the pigment. You will notice too, they may be labelled as permanent or semi permanent.

This is quite a useful paint to give the first wash to a picture, but you can add thicker layers at the late stages of your work. I tend to use a sable, or synthetic sable brush, on the whole with this medium. It is quite easy to get rid of mistakes and paint again.

You will not need to do many layers as the paint is quite thick and, if too thick, may crack. I should also stress that it is not advisable to add too much water diluting it. If you would like to frame it, you need to ensure that you have a card mat to place on it, before you put it under glass.

This paint is used quite predominately by artists in the commercial field for advertising, posters, designs and general illustrations. This medium is used by famous artists like Matisse for instance.

About the Author:

Anna Meenaghan, the writer of this article, creates all genres of art from abstract paintings through to art posters. She operates an internet art community where artists and art lovers have a modern, interactive, meeting point. If you are searching for more “how to” guides on art, then feel welcome to visit her site.

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