Rick asked me: "Can [gouache] paint which has completely dried and hardened in its tube be rescued and reconstituted to an original consistency, after it has been stored too long?" I didn't feel sure of the answer, so I posed it to the Group Mind on Facebook:
Theresa M Quirk No. I think it goes in the garbage
Паулина Зетина Mine are very hard and I think to cut the tube because it's hard to paint without it but mine were hard after 5 years I say that to me if it works
Robert Tunstall it can't be brought back to its former glory. It does have limited use as a watercolour substitute though. As for tips, I store the tubes cap down on a wall rack I made. I drilled holes in a strip of wood.
Brad Fuller Nope, but it can be used as an indicator you aren’t painting enough.😀
Randy C. Spear Yeah Rick...how long has it been ? Over 30 yrs? LOL!!!
Dirk Shearer Amateur experience: I once poured gouache into little film containers for some reason. Over the years they dried up, and I was able to reconstitute it slowly back to a paste constituency. I’m not a gouache expert, and the gouache I used was not high quality, so I can’t speak to the quality before and after, but I was able to paint with the gouache again to a degree.
Robert Tunstall if they dry out, check they still adhere to paper when applied thick. if not, a touch of gum arabic will help with adhesion.
Cathy Johnson I squeeze mine into a travel palette and allow it to dry. Before painting, maybe 5 minutes before, I rewet and allow to sit. Not the SAME as fresh, but fine for working in the field in my journal. (Some brands rewet better than others...I have the best luck with M. Graham and Schmincke...)
Robert Tunstall schmincke has a finer grind of pigments than WN. It always causes me trouble when using the two brands as they need different amounts of water to achieve the thickness of cream.
Marcus M Mashburn Just stayed up all night doing 6 gouache illustrations. You sure can reuse them. I cut the tube open and grinde them with a mortar, pestle and water. If I'm out a color, I look in the dry tube box. Works great at 2 AM.
...and on Twitter:
Lucille Halfon DanYes, absolutely. Except for the earth colors, which usually don't soften well. Remove the dead gouache tube, let pigment soak in water for a while. Then, 'grind' the color with a firm bristol brush. You may, or not, add a bit of glycerin for added gloss.
carlydrawsI had some success crushing up the dried paint in a pestle and mortar and then soaking it in water and remixing. It was not quite the same as before but was usable!
Travelling Cat Studio
Take the top off and soak in water for several days. Repeat as it only softens near the top. You might also squish it a few times to help the process of absorbing water back into paint. I've also thought of using a syringe with very thin needle to squirt water into paint tube.
Chilly.Chaii
The most I've been able to do is cut open the tube and have the chunks go into a dedicated pallete well and alternate between wetting it and mushing it in so it fuses. But then it's basically a watercolor cake, it doesnt have that acrylic vibe anymore.
Shepherd
If all you want is portable, opaque paint, then I do suggest using small containers of poster paint instead since they keep their fresh consistency & rewet better when dried Eh, definitely less painterly than gouache, but it gets things done
FAQs
There is an easy fix. If gouache dries in your palette while you are painting, it is pretty easy to reactivate it by adding a few drops of water. However, it seems impossible to soften gouache once it gets dry in the tube.
Can gouache be rewetted? ›
“Gouache is different from acrylic, which is another water-based paint, in that it can be rewetted like watercolor, while acrylic cannot. Gouache also has a drier, tackier feel, while acrylic and oil can be applied with a faster stroke,” she explains.
Can you reactivate acrylic gouache with water? ›
Acryla Gouache is basically a mixture of acrylic paint and gouache. Unlike gouache, Acryla Gouache can not be reactivated by water once it has dried up on your palette. It's also much faster in drying, though it's still water soluble while wet.
Can you reuse gouache after it dries? ›
Gouache is a paint that can last for years if stored properly. If you keep your gouache in a cool, dry place and close each tube after use, it will last for a long time. However, if your gouache has dried in the tube, you can still reuse it.
What is the lifespan of gouache? ›
Gouache paint, when properly stored, can last for quite some time. In tube form, it can stay usable for many years, often up to a decade or even longer. The paint inside should maintain quality if the tube is sealed tightly and kept in a cool, dark place.
What to do with hardened gouache? ›
A few drops of water works for me. Just let it sit a while then add more water to get the consistency you want. If it's dried in the tube use a razor blade to cut the tube open and remove the hardened paint. It should be as good as ever.
Does gouache go bad? ›
Gouache paint is water-based and will dry out if left uncovered for an extended period, so it is important to keep the paint sealed and stored in a cool, dry place to extend its shelf life.
What not to do with gouache? ›
8 Common Mistakes to Avoid with Gouache Paint
- Adding too much water to the gouache:
- Using too many layers of gouache:
- Not allowing the paint to dry completely:
- Not cleaning your gouache brush: ...
- Not using a proper surface:
- Not correctly storing the gouache paint:
Gouache is unpopular as it was considered an art supply rather than a painting medium for a long time. Designers used it for flat surfaces, animation used it for backgrounds, painters used it for plein air studies, and kids used it in school. Very few artists used it as their main medium.
Can gouache be reactivated like watercolor? ›
If you rapidly rewet dried gouache paint (like you would do with watercolors), you get a thin, poor, chalky paint, which is quite different from fresh paint – probably because some components (like fillers and opacizers) rewet faster than others.
The fact that gouache is rehydratable makes it a difficult medium. Beginners often find that when they build up gouache in layers, they reactivate the paint beneath, which smudges and disturbs the painting. You'll probably have to grit your teeth through a few such mishaps.
Is there a difference between acrylic gouache and gouache? ›
Acrylic gouache is a unique form of traditional gouache. Also called acryla gouache, the paint is opaque to provide more coverage. But the addition of an acrylic binder turns it from water-soluble to waterproof. This is the feature that attracts artists who love to layer and use vivid colors in their artwork.
What is the difference between gouache and acrylic gouache? ›
Acrylic Gouache. The main difference is Acrylic paints include an acrylic polymer, whereas gouache contains Arabic gum, is water-based and dries to matte finish (the same that is used in watercolors–means that it can be reactivated with water).
How to rehydrate dried gouache? ›
All you need to do is use a dropper to put several drops of gum arabic inside the tube, stir the paint a bit with a toothpick, put the cap back on, and massage the tube gently with your fingers.
Is gouache permanent when dry? ›
Gouache is a non-permanent, water-based paint that contains large pigment particles. Once dry, this paint is easy to reactivate if you want to make touch ups and changes. Similar to its watercolor paint counterpart, you must mix traditional gouache with water before spreading it across a surface or canvas.
