10 Best Gouache Paint 2026 in the United States

The M. Graham 1/2-Ounce Tube 5 Color Gouache Paint Primary Set is an artist-quality gouache paint ideal for serious artists and hobbyists alike. One of its standout features is the use of pure blackberry honey, which helps maintain a smooth consistency, making it easy to apply and mix. This gouache paint set is free from chalk and opacifying adulterants, ensuring high pigment quality and deep, dense colors, which result in excellent opacity. This makes it suitable for bold and vibrant artwork that stands out on paper.

Additionally, the paint offers a reflective matte finish, allowing it to be used alone or in mixed media combinations with watercolor, making it versatile for various artistic techniques. The paint is chip-resistant, further enhancing its durability for indoor use on paper surfaces. Made in the USA, this product has received high praise from users, as indicated by its 4.8-star rating from over 2,000 reviews. However, it is important to note that the gouache is not waterproof, which means it may not be suitable for projects that require water resistance.

Its drying time is reasonable, but artists should be aware that gouache generally dries faster than other types of paint, which might require a quicker work pace. The re-wettability of the paint is a useful feature, allowing artists to rework areas if needed. Given its high pigment quality and excellent opacity, this gouache paint set is particularly beneficial for those looking to create vibrant, detailed artwork with a matte finish.

Winsor & Newton Designer's Gouache in Burnt Umber offers excellent pigment quality, using finely ground pigments to deliver rich, vibrant color with strong opacity. This means your paint layers will cover underlying colors well, which is ideal for gouache techniques that rely on solid, matte finishes. Its lightfastness rating (ASTM I, permanence AA) ensures the color resists fading over time, making it a dependable choice for artwork meant to last.

The paint has a smooth, consistent texture that many artists find easy to work with, allowing for good control whether you’re layering or blending. It dries to a flat matte finish, typical of gouache, and can be re-wetted after drying, which helps with corrections or blending at later stages. While drying time is generally moderate, it may vary with thickness and environmental conditions; some users might notice it takes a bit longer to dry fully compared to other brands.

The 14 ml tube size is convenient for both beginners and more experienced painters who want a reliable color without committing to a larger quantity. A consideration is that the paint is mainly recommended for use on paper, so it might not perform as well on other surfaces. This gouache is well suited for artists looking for professional-quality, durable color with strong opacity and good re-wettability, making it a solid pick for detailed and layered gouache work.

The Holbein Artist Gouache Set of 24 is a strong choice for artists looking for high-quality gouache paints. These tubes contain vibrant, rich colors with very good pigment quality, meaning the colors are vivid and true to their labels. The paint offers excellent opacity, so it covers surfaces well without needing multiple layers. One of the standout features is its excellent lightfastness, which means your artwork will resist fading over time when exposed to light.

The consistency is smooth and creamy, making it easy to apply evenly, and it dries to a matte finish, typical for gouache. Holbein gouache is known to dry moderately fast, allowing for layering without long waits. Another benefit is good re-wettability—dried paint can be reactivated with water, making corrections and blending easier. On the downside, this set is not water resistant or waterproof after drying, so finished work should be protected from moisture.

It’s priced toward serious hobbyists or professional artists, which might be more than casual users need. The 15ml tubes offer a practical amount of paint, and the set covers a broad color range suitable for varied projects, both indoor and outdoor. This set suits artists who want dependable, richly pigmented gouache with strong coverage and lasting color, though it requires some care to protect finished works from water.