Watercolor vs. Gouache - Which one is right for your art style?

When you’re standing at the edge of a creative idea, choosing your tools can feel like a big decision. If you’ve ever wondered whether watercolor or gouache is the better fit for your art style, know that you’re not alone. Both are beautiful, expressive mediums—but they have different personalities.

The goal isn’t to choose the “best” one. It’s to find the one that helps you express yourself most naturally and fully. So let’s slow it down, breathe a bit, and explore what each has to offer.

This isn’t about labels. It’s about connection.

Watercolor: Soft, flowing, and full of feeling

Watercolor is the paint of movement and light. It loves the unpredictable. It thrives on transparency and layers. If your art style leans toward softness, subtlety, or letting things unfold naturally, watercolor might feel like home.

• Great for loose, expressive work

• Offers light, luminous layers

• Often used for emotional, fluid pieces

• Handmade, eco-friendly watercolors give an organic, earthy feel

It invites you to trust the process—something many of us are learning to do, not just in art, but in life.

Gouache: Bold, matte, and more in control

Gouache is watercolor’s more grounded sibling. It’s also water-based (especially the kind I make), but it’s opaque and velvety, and it allows for more layering and detail work.

If your art style includes bold shapes, precise forms, or you like the look of matte, graphic color—gouache might be calling you.

• More coverage and control

• Perfect for illustrations and graphic work

• Matte finish = soft but strong

• Can be layered and reactivated

The beauty of gouache is that it gives you space to edit and refine. It holds you steady when watercolor might feel too wild.

You don’t have to choose just one

This is my favorite part: watercolor and gouache can work together.

Let one flow. Let the other ground. Let them mirror how you move between softness and clarity, between intuition and structure. There’s no wrong way—just your way.

Some artists start with watercolor and add gouache for highlights or details. Others build whole scenes in gouache and add subtle washes of watercolor to bring life. Try, feel, see what fits.

Still unsure which medium matches your creative energy right now?

👉 Read: The Difference Between Gouache and Watercolor – it breaks it down step by step.