The difference between gouache, acrylic and watercolor colors, methods of use and characteristics of each color

a definition :

        Colors vary depending on the intensity of the color, the strength of its opacity, its transparency or its effect on the surface, and each color is characterized by a specific material. The types of coloring therefore differ from water-based, oily or other colorings. , and can differ depending on the mixing method, such as water, the intermediate tool for a color group, or unique to an intermediate tool, such as oil. The colors also differ in several ways. Factors such as tools, such as softness or rough brushes or differences in application methods. The most important of these differences is the difference between gouache, acrylic and watercolor.

A simplified definition of each color:

   Gouache or gouache: Gouache is watercolor, but it has an opaque character, that is to say that it can hide the surface of the drawing, unlike transparent watercolor. Gouache colors are characterized by their low luminosity and little reflection of light. They have the same tools as watercolor.

Acrylic Colors: Acrylics are water resistant colors after drying. They can also mask the surface and are used on everything from cabinets to walls to glass... Water is used as an intermediate tool to reduce dimming, but it does not. have a significant effect.

Watercolors: The greatest advantage of watercolors is their transparency and the strong harmony of their colors or the ease of combining them. They are characterized by light colors, like no other.

 Other colors cannot hide the surface. Water is the intermediate tool and has a strong effect on colors.

The difference between gouache, acrylic and watercolor:

There are several ways to identify the difference between the three colors, including:

- Tools: Watercolor comes in various forms: dry powders, liquid colors and tubes, and is available in all forms, unlike gouache and acrylic, which are only available in tubes or bottles under liquid form.

- When in use: Acrylic colors are considered difficult to use due to their high dryness and water resistance once dry. They also require a special tool such as a retarder to help color them, while watercolors and gouaches are not waterproof and can be destroyed by water immediately after drying, and the latter two use water as a tool auxiliary either for mixing or strongly lightening colors, while acrylic has less interaction with water

- Surfaces: Surfaces vary depending on each color

Gouache: Watercolor paper or more than 300 grams can also be used on canvas

Acrylic: It is used on watercolor paper, canvas and rough surfaces such as walls, wood, clothing, furniture, glass or plastic.

Watercolors: used on paper weighing more than 300 g

- Brushes: They all use water-based brushes, that is to say soft, with a difference in use, notably acrylic, which dries quickly, which requires keeping the brush wet and cleaning it. wash before colors dry.

Instructions for use: Acrylic and gouache are color stable materials, that is, there is no difference in the color order due to the opaque colors, unlike the watercolor which requires starting with light colors and ending with dark colors due to transparency.

Acrylic, gouache and watercolor are compatible in the medium: water, brushes and paper surfaces. Watercolor differs from gouache and acrylic in darkness, while the latter two have a color texture closer to oil colors after drying.

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