Gouache vs. Poster Paints

  • Hello All,


    I noticed several discussions regarding gouache and it's use in card modeling. I've done a little research and experimenting and found that the expensive sets sold in tubes can be replaced for the most part with commonly available poster paints at comparatively low cost (approximately $4.00 U.S./litre). Michael's, an arts and craft chain store in the states, offers a 6-pack of primary colors for $4.99 U.S. allowing the mixing of nearly any color required (6 - 4oz. bottles). The key ingredient is a whitener such as calcium carbonate (chalk) or chinese white (porcelain clay). It dries lighter than when wet with a matte sheen. It fills paper well and can be used with impunity if the paper surface is first treated with a thinned lacquer such as instrument lacquer (nitrate dope). Upon completion of the sanding and filling cycle a final coat can be applied and sealed with either matte or gloss acrylic spray.


    -Gil Russell


    Hallo Zusammen,
    ich habe bemerkt, daß hier einige Diskussionen zum Thema Gouache Farben und deren Verwendung im Kartonmodellbau laufen. Ich habe ein bisschen Forschung betrieben und Experimente gemacht und herausgefunden, daß die teuren Sets mit den Tuben an den meisten Stellen ersetzt werden können durch überall erhältliche 'Poster Farben', die vergleichbar billig sind (ungefähr 4 Dollar/Liter). Michael's, ein Kette für Künstler- und Bastelbedarf, bietet einen 6er Pack an Grundfarben zum Preis von $4,99 an. Damit kann man fast jede benötigte Farbe mischen (6 Flaschen a 4 Unzen). Der Hauptbestandteil ist ein Weißmittel, wie etwa Kalzium Carbonat (Kreide) oder chinesisch Weiß (Porzellanerde). Es wird heller als im naßen Zustand, wenns trocken ist und bekommt einen matten Glanz. Es füllt Papier sehr gut und kann bedenkenlos verwendet werden, wenn die Papieroberfläche mit verdünntem Klarlack vorbehandelt worden ist. Nachdem schleifen und füllern kann dann noch eine finale Schicht aufgebracht werden und entweder mit mattem oder glänzendem Acrylspray versiegelt werden.

  • Interesting Gil! (And me just buying the expensive gouache set, finest kind; no matter though - it's such a good feeling to have them.)


    Leif


    I'll make a link of this in the "Index" section, the searchable data base on the site, under the special heading there, "Gouache colours".

    Dankbar für die Gelegenheit auf Englisch schreiben zu dürfen, kann aber Antworten problemlos auf Deutsch lesen.

  • Hi Gil,
    I got a question: Does the poster paint also dry in the same way as gouche? I mean, can you reuse it with brush and water when dried?
    Problem is, what brand is it here in Germany. What is sold here as Gouache was formerly called Plakatfarbe (poster paint) :(



    Regards
    Jan

  • Leif, Jan,


    First I would like to admit that I too am the proud owner of so much expensive hobby paint that it will probably all go bad in the bottle before it ever gets used..., One thing about expensive gouache is that color mixing will remain fairly consistent over time. But this is most probably true of the lower cost poster paint due to the very nature of it's manufacture.


    Poster paint dries exactly like gouache because it is very nearly the same. Gouache is only a more concentrated form in a tube. Add water to dried poster paint and Voila! ready to paint once again! That's why I recommended stabilizing the surface with an acrylic fixative. Another nice feature of this medium is the ability to paint over just about anything. Gouache was the original paint used on clear acetate to fill-in areas for cartoon animation. One other neat piece is that it can be used to paint on glass for advertising or seasonal decoration. It comes off easily with warm water with a little ammonia added when done.


    Where to find "Plakatfarbe" in Germany? I would begin by looking in the children's art sections of school supply stores. Fine art stores are most likely to look down on such a lowly and profitless item. Poster Paint is classically used for "finger painting" work in preschool agendas. It also comes in a dry powder form which allows for more compact storage (and a lifetime supply). Please let us know what you find!


    -Gil

  • the paints i use are 3 brands that are basicly the same craft paint. folk art brans, americana and delta ceramcoat, all craft paints and i find they work th best and so far among each brand there is a total of over 600+ shades and are all easy to mix with soap and water clean up and range in price from $0.97 each to $1.29 each :) and gets 2 ounces of paint. today i went out and got the needed colors for the regulus and will do the hull below the waterline in red oxide which seems to be the most realistic hull color and will thin it down lightly to rust it, plus will be renaming it to the vivian and do some repainting :) to thin this kind of paint down just use tap water. another type of paint i use for gloss and metallics is tamiya acryilics. stink like crap but great paints and the metallics are the best metallics i've seen and by far the only acryilic model paint i use next to the craft paint but thats more expensive at $4 per 23ml pot :( and only one hobby shop near me carries it :( (and thats a 50+ mile drive one way just for paint >.<) but the tamiya paints actualy clean up best with rubbing alcohol instead of water since the tamiya paints are alcohol based but says water clean up.

  • The Tamiya brand acrylics are some of the best enamel replacements on the market. They are on the expensive side though.


    I've found that adding an amount of acrylic gloss medium has an interesting effect on poster paints. First it offers some protection from water and second it yields a more flexible coating that is resistant to cracking and debonding from the surface. Only a small amount of acrylic gloss medium is required to obtain these positive characteristics (less than 10% or so).


    -Gil

  • So, Gil & Ms. Mouse, adding 10 percent of acrylic gloss medium to poster paint (or designers gouache) will make it possible to varnish the surface with matt acrylic without dissolving the paint?


    For practical purposes, it will turn the paint into acrylics, so to speak?


    That is interesting. Removes one of my fears for using it extensively.


    Gloss acrylics medium, it is. Off to the artists dealer. Again.


    Leif

    Dankbar für die Gelegenheit auf Englisch schreiben zu dürfen, kann aber Antworten problemlos auf Deutsch lesen.

  • for the regulas i was just gonna paint over the ships name, reg number and call sign on the hull and do my own and again name her viviian then once built, spray her down with a few light coats of spray varithane.