Meaning & use
gouache paint
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Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
A type of thick, opaque watercolor paint made with gum arabic, often used in illustration and design.
Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the substance: use gouache paint. It can be countable when talking about a particular brand or tube: a gouache.
Patterns
- paint with gouache paint
- use gouache paint
- a tube of gouache paint
The illustrator prefers gouache paint because it covers mistakes easily.
She mixed gouache paint with water to create a lighter wash.
Gouache paint dries quickly, so you must work fast.
Word forms
| plural | gouache paints |
|---|
Common combinations
- gouache paint on paper
- He used gouache paint on textured paper to add depth.
- layer of gouache paint
- A thin layer of gouache paint can create a soft background.
- set of gouache paints
- She bought a set of gouache paints for her art class.
- gouache paint dries matte
- Unlike acrylic, gouache paint dries matte and can be re-wetted.
Synonyms and how they differ
- opaque watercolor
- This is a descriptive term for the same medium, but gouache paint is the specific name used by artists.
- poster paint
- Poster paint is similar but usually cheaper and less pigmented; gouache paint is a higher-quality artist's material.
Word family
- gouache noun
- The shorter, more common name for the same paint, often used without 'paint'.
Commonly confused: gouache paint or gouache?
gouache paint vs gouache
Gouache is the paint itself; 'gouache paint' is a fuller way to say it. Some learners confuse it with 'gauche', which means awkward or socially clumsy.
Practice
The artist decided to ___ the landscape using gouache paint.
Choose one answer.
After 'decided to', we need the base form of the verb: paint. 'Painting' is a gerund or present participle and does not fit. 'Painted' is past tense, which cannot follow 'to'. 'Paints' is third-person singular and would only work with he/she/it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gouache paint”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.