Gouache Paint

Gouache Paint Deals: Compare Prices, Sales and Discounts Across UK Retailers

Gouache sits somewhere between watercolour and acrylic, and that’s exactly why so many illustrators, designers and hobby painters love it. It’s water-based, it mixes like watercolour, but the pigment is opaque, so it covers cleanly and gives you those flat, matt, velvety areas of colour that other paints struggle to match. Because it can be reactivated with water even after it’s dried, it’s also forgiving in a way that acrylic isn’t. If you’ve never tried it, it’s one of the friendliest ways to get strong, solid colour onto paper.

I’m Paul Worrall, and I spent nearly a decade running digital marketing for ARTdiscount, one of the UK’s largest online art retailers, before starting Discount Art Supplies. Across sixteen years in this industry I’ve watched what artists buy, what they go back for and what they regret, and gouache is a category where prices vary far more than most people realise. The same tube or set can cost noticeably more at one retailer than another, and the gap changes week to week as sales come and go. That’s the whole reason this page exists. We pull prices from Cass Art, Jackson’s, Amazon and other UK retailers into one place, so you can see who’s cheapest today without opening ten tabs.

The range here covers the main ways gouache is sold. Single tubes are the best place to start if you already know which colours you use most, and they’re also how most artists top up a palette once they’ve settled on a favourite brand. Sets are where the value usually is, especially for beginners, because a good starter set of primary colours plus a few extras will let you mix almost anything. Larger sets of twenty or more colours are popular with illustrators who want a wide range without having to mix every shade, and they often carry the biggest discounts when retailers run a promotion. You’ll also find larger tubes and jars for artists who get through paint quickly, which tend to cost less per millilitre.

Brand matters in gouache more than in a lot of other paint types. Winsor and Newton’s Designers Gouache is probably the most recognised name in the UK and a reliable all-rounder, while Schmincke Horadam sits at the premium end, with a smooth, very rich feel that artists tend to either love or find too expensive for everyday use. Caran d’Ache and Daler-Rowney both offer well-regarded ranges, and Holbein is a favourite with illustrators who want consistent, strong colour. Student ranges cost a lot less, and for practising, sketching and learning how the paint behaves, they’re a perfectly sensible choice. I’d save the artist-grade tubes for work you want to last.

A few practical points are worth knowing before you buy. Gouache can shift slightly in tone as it dries, usually a touch darker or lighter depending on the colour, so it’s worth testing a swatch before committing to a large area. It works best on watercolour paper, illustration board or any surface that can cope with water, and thicker papers stop buckling when you lay down big flat areas. It’s best to keep a few clean brushes and a jar of water close by, and to avoid piling on thick layers, which can crack once dry. None of that is complicated, but it does explain why artists who enjoy gouache stay with it for years.

When it comes to getting the best deal, there are a few habits that work. First, check the price comparison on any product page before buying, because the cheapest retailer is often not the one you’d have guessed. Second, watch for sales. Retailers tend to discount gouache during seasonal promotions and brand-specific events, and I post those as they land, so it’s worth joining the newsletter if you’d like them straight to your inbox. Third, think about delivery. A cheaper tube can end up costing more once postage is added, so look at the total, not just the sticker price. And finally, don’t be afraid to buy a set instead of singles if you’ll use most of the colours. The saving can be considerable, and the difference shows when you compare the price per tube.

Gouache isn’t a cheap hobby, but it doesn’t need to be an expensive one either. Whether you’re picking up a first set, restocking a favourite white or upgrading to artist-grade colours, the prices on this page are there to make sure you don’t pay more than you need to. We update them regularly, and we’re always adding new products and brands.

Is gouache the same as watercolour? Not quite. Both are water-based, but gouache is opaque, so you can paint light colours over dark ones, whereas watercolour is transparent and relies on the white of the paper.

Can I use gouache on canvas? It’s designed for paper and board, and occassionally artists use it on primed surfaces, but it isn’t flexible when dry, so a rigid surface is safer.

Is student-grade gouache worth buying? For learning and sketching, yes. The colours are usually less intense and the pigment load is lower, but it costs much less, which makes it the sensible choice untill you’re sure gouache is for you.

How do I find the cheapest gouache? Use the price comparison on each product, which shows every UK retailer we track side by side, and check the sales and discounts section for current offers.

Browse the deals above to compare gouache prices today, or join our newsletter and our Facebook group of artists to get the latest sales, discounts and offers as soon as they appear.