Talens Gouache
We’re about to take a trip into the most misunderstood, perhaps mysterious and certainly one of the most versatile mediums in our range. For centuries artists, designers, illustrators and educators have been using Gouache for a variety of purposes. Because of its many unique properties and as a result of it being difficult to classify, we like to call it the Platypus of the art material world – or at least I like to call it that.
Gouache as a medium is often known as an opaque watercolor, and with some manufacturers, that is a very adequate description. Many formulas today rely on gum arabic with an opaque filler to alter the natural opacity of the pigment, basically a modification of a watercolor formula. Talens Extra Fine Gouache is one of the few still made in the traditional way with Dextrin, or potato starch as the binder. This ingredient as a binder allows for the paint to take on several unique characteristics. Dextrin is by its nature, thixotropic, meaning that it is self-leveling when agitated. This provides for excellent coverage and a smooth, matte film surface. Because dextrin is not sticky, like gum arabic, it glides smoothly off the brush without drag. Because dextrin is opaque, there is not the need for additional opaque fillers, therefore more room for pigment in the formula, resulting in cleaner and stronger color mixes. Dextrin is also relatively cheap and widely available, so we can offer a professional range of colors in the Extra Fine quality for a lower price!
Gouache has seen a resurgence in outdoor painting circles as a perfect tool for creating studies or finished works. It allows a easy to transport and clean up solution which behaves more closely in oils in some ways, but is also very much like working in watercolors if you dilute them and can even be mixed with transparent watercolors – see why it’s like the beautiful platypus?
Gouache Extra Fine is a high-pigmented opaque water colour. This paint dries quickly and adheres to any non-greasy and somewhat porous ground. After drying the paint layer has a matt appearance with very intense colours. Gouache Extra Fine is used by artists, designers and illustrators, it is also very suitable for educational purposes. The assortment consists of 65 colours, including reflex (fluorescent) colours, metallic colours and also a number of special colours for making illustrations and designs and for practising the colour theory. The paint doesn’t contain pigments based on heavy metals.
If you haven’t tried Talens Extra Fine Gouache, you’re in for a treat. Find out why we are so enamored with the Platypus of the art material world for yourself!