The Differences Between Gouache And Poster Paints!
What is gouache paint and is it exactly the same as poster paints? Well, this really is a paint that is opaque. You can use this to reproduce materials and cards, because of this factor. I have known friends to actually scan prints to go on to make printed items.
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.
This creates a different type of surface and it is highly likely that you will end up with your paper wrinkling. You will find that it is very cheap, so maybe this is why it is used so much for craft projects.
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.
Whereas gouache may appear similar, but this paint, as a medium, is water based. This is better than poster paint as a medium, because it gives you a better colour finish than poster paints would. Gouache paints are sold by the tube, whereas poster paints are sold in pots.
The finish this paint achieves is a matt surface. It can be quite puzzling to use, at first, because, when it dries, it is not perhaps what you expect. If you are using light shades, they dry darker and vice versa with dark shades.
You could try using this paint, if you are into landscapes, using a cold pressed paper. I would choose the 140lb. It has so many uses as it can be used wth all different papers, on colllages, for decoupage and many other surfaces.
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.
A sable, or synthetic style of sable brush, should be used for this and these are ideal for laying your first paint wash and you can always add thicker layers before you finish your painting. It can be fairly easy to make minor adjustments with errors and then repaint.
This can crack as the paint is quite thick, so I would not recommend painting too many layers, but whatever you may do, refrain from diluting this too much with water. You can put these in a glass frame, but you would need a passe partout mat to stop them touching the glass.
Henri Matisse is one painter of notability that employed this medium, but today this is used to create designs for illustrations, posters and advertising in the commercial sector.