The Only 5 Shades of Gouache You'll Ever Need

I have a very minimalist approach to art supplies, which is why I love gouache. It’s portable, easy to use, and doesn’t make a mess. The only complication with gouache is deciding which shades to purchase. If you use many tubes of paint, it becomes less portable and takes up more space on your desktop.

Therefore, my philosophy is to use as few shades as possible. After trying almost every color on the shelf, I’ve found the shades that work for me. I’ve been using these shades for several years now. I love how I can stock up on them and never have to deliberate over colors again. Side note - I don’t recommend the sampler packs of colors sold at the art store. They rarely have the best shades, and it’s a great way to make your work look generic.

I use Winsor & Newton Gouache, but every brand sells the colors I’m about to mention. Feel free to use the brand you prefer. Alright, let’s get to the shades in my toolkit.

If video content is your more style, you can watch the tutorial I created on this topic:

1. Permanent White

I buy large tubes of this shade, because I go through it so quickly. I mix it with all the other colors to create light to medium shades. It’s the most opaque white on the market, almost like a whiteout, so I love to layer it over colors as well. Just know that even though it’s opaque, it won’t layer well over large areas of extremely dark colors.

2. Lamp Black

I buy the large tubes of this shade as well, because I use a lot of black paint in my work. Most of the line work in my paintings is this color. It’s a rich, opaque black. I would call it a true black, unlike Ivory Black, which is a bit more muted. My favorite thing about this color is how stunning the paint looks when you add a little Permanent White (as seen below).

3. Cadmium Scarlett

When you’re trying to minimize the shades in your palette, you want to go with a primary color approach (red + blue + yellow). This is the best way to get a wide range of colors out of just a few tubes. I don’t like traditional reds, so Cadmium Scarlett is my preference. It’s bright and vibrant, with a slightly orange undertone. It mixes great with other colors to create a range of timeless shades. When mixed with Permanent White, it creates lovely coral and blush tones.

*I use “Cadmium-free” Scarlett because the ingredients are safer and I don’t notice much of a color difference.

4. Ultramarine

To me, this is the perfect blue. I find this color incredibly versatile. It’s similar to the shade found in classic blue and white floral ceramics. It’s really bright, with a slightly purple hue. On its own, it’s the most lovely, vibrant color. When mixed with Permanent White, it creates lovely sky blue tones.

5. Yellow Ochre

I’m not a fan of traditional shades of yellow. This shade looks a bit like mustard. You may think it doesn’t mix well with other colors, but it’s actually the opposite. Because it’s muted, it really compliments my bright shades of Cadmium Scarlett and Ultramarine. When mixed with Permanent White, you get a wide range of buttery ivory tones.

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Here are some ways you can use these colors together:

Cadmium Scarlett+ Ultramarine

Creates dusty mauves and plums. Add Permanent White to lighten the shades.

Ultramarine + Yellow Ochre

Creates olive and hunter greens. Add Permanent White to get a range of sage or mint greens.

Cadmium Scarlett + Yellow Ochre

Creates clay and burnt sienna tones. Add Permanent White for lighter flesh tones. Add a bit of Lamp Black for darker flesh tones.

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You can see just how versatile these shades are when you start mixing them together. While I have more than these five shades in my toolkit, I only need these five. When I travel, I only bring these colors. The other colors I use are either shortcut shades (so I don’t have to mix as often) or they’re really bright (almost neon) shades that I occasionally use and couldn’t derive from these paints.

I’m going to give a few neon shades honorable mention:

Viridian

Linden Green

Opera Rose