Yes, gouache is good for illustration. It is water-based like watercolor, but it carries enough pigment to sit on top of the paper as an opaque, matte colour instead of letting the white shine through. For anyone blocking shapes, laying flat colour, painting over ink lines or working from a sketchbook on a train, that opacity is the whole point.
I have watched a lot of illustrators move to gouache for the same reason: colour that lands where you put it. Watercolor rewards patience and light-touch washes, which is beautiful and wrong for a character sheet with twelve flat fills. Gouache gives you a velvety, non-reflective surface that scans cleanly and reads well at thumbnail size, and it still re-wets with a damp brush so you can correct a mistake instead of scrapping the sheet.
This roundup covers the best gouache sets for illustrators available right now, from jelly cups that cost less than a takeaway meal to a professional tube set made for archival work. Ten sets, ordered by how much I would actually reach for them, with honest drawbacks on every one. Product details, tube sizes and ratings come from the manufacturer listings and the accumulated buyer reviews, and every set links straight to its listing so you can check today’s price yourself.
One thing to clear up before we start: a gouache set is a palette decision, not just a quality decision. Twenty-four colours in tiny tubes and ten colours in full-size tubes are very different commitments. The buying guide later in this article covers grade, colour count, tube size and paper pairing, and it is worth reading before you buy.
Table of Contents
How We Picked the Best Gouache Sets for Illustrators
Every set here was judged against the same six criteria, chosen because they are what actually changes how gouache behaves on paper.
Opacity in masstone. A colour that looks strong in the pan but goes semi-transparent on paper is useless for blocking.
Re-wetting behaviour. Traditional gouache comes back with a damp brush. Acrylic-based paint does not, and that difference matters more than any spec sheet.
Pigment load. High-pigment colours cover in one pass and mix cleanly instead of turning chalky.
Colour count logic. Whether the range covers a usable mixing set or is padded with near-duplicates.
Tube volume. A 5 ml tube and a 21 ml tube are not comparable units of colour, and set listings rarely make that obvious.
Refill availability. Whether you can buy the one missing hue later instead of replacing the whole set.
I want to be straight about the limits. I did not run a laboratory pigment analysis, and ratings here are the aggregate buyer scores published with each listing rather than my own scoring. What I did do was read the review volume behind each product and separate the complaints that repeat from the ones that appear once. Where reviewers disagree with the listing, I have said so.
No prices appear in this article. Paint prices move constantly and any figure I typed today would be wrong tomorrow, so each set ends with a price-check button instead.
Top 3 Gouache Sets for Illustrators in 2026
HIMI Gouache Paint Set, 24 Jelly Cups — the most complete beginner kit here, with palette, brushes and case included, and 5708 reviews behind it.
ARTEZA Gouache Set of 60 — the highest-rated set in the group, with 12 metallic shades no other set in this list carries.
ARTEZA Gouache Set of 24 — the sweet spot for illustrators who want tube gouache and full opacity without a huge palette.
HIMI Gouache 24 Jelly Cup Set
- 24 opaque matte colors
- Palette 3 brushes and case included
- Rewets with water after drying
- Non-toxic ASTM D-4236 and EN71
ARTEZA Gouache 60 Color Set
- 60 colors including 12 metallics
- Highest rated set in the group
- Semi-gloss fast-drying finish
- Colour chart printed on the box
ARTEZA Gouache Set of 24
- 24 tubes at 12 ml each
- Creamy and non-streaky
- Opacity marked on each tube
- Reactivates on the palette
Quick Overview of All 10 Sets in 2026
Here is every set in this roundup side by side, with the tube format and volume that most listings bury.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| HIMI Gouache 24 Jelly Cup Set |
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Check Latest Price |
| ARTEZA Gouache Set of 24 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Winsor and Newton Designers Gouache 10 Set |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Royal and Langnickel Gouache 24 Pack |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Caran d’Ache Gouache Studio 15 Tin |
|
Check Latest Price |
 MyArtscape Gouache 12 Set |
|
Check Latest Price |
 U.S. Art Supply Gouache 36 Set |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Holbein Artist Gouache G703 18 Set |
|
Check Latest Price |
 ShinHan Professional Designers 12 Set |
|
Check Latest Price |
| ARTEZA Gouache 60 Color Set |
|
Check Latest Price |
1. HIMI Gouache Paint Set, 24 Jelly Cups in a Carry Case
HIMI Gouache Paint Set, 24 Colors x 1 oz, Jelly Cup, Non-Toxic(Green)
24 colors in 30 ml jelly cups
Opaque matte, rewets with water
Brush, palette and case included
Non-toxic
Pros
- 5708 reviews at 4.7 stars the most proven set here
- 24 highly pigmented colors that mix cleanly
- Everything you need is in the box including three brushes
- Rewets and reworks after drying
- Certified non-toxic to ASTM D-4236 and EN71
Cons
- Jelly cups need regular hydration to stay workable
- Wells are fussier to maintain than tubes
- A 24-color range can hide the need to mix
This is the set I hand to people who say they want to try gouache this weekend. Twenty-four colours sit in a sealed tray of jelly cups, and the box also contains a folding palette, three brushes and a carrying case. Nothing else needs buying before the first session.
The paint itself is thick, creamy and genuinely opaque. Lay it down flat and it stays flat, with a soft matte surface that does not glare under a scanner. Reviewers describe consistent colour across all 24 cups with no watery or separated wells, which is not always true of jelly formats.
The 24 colours are the reason this set keeps its rating at 4.7 across more than 5700 reviews. That is the largest review base of any set in this roundup, and the recurring feedback is that the colour quality holds up for paid illustration work, not just practice.
The main practical issue is format, not quality. Jelly gouache needs water stirred back in when it thickens, and wells that sit open between sessions will skin over. Keep the lid sealed and the paint stays workable; leave it open and you are rehydrating before every use.
Second, the opposite of a problem: a 24-colour set means you may never learn to mix. On r/Gouache, the most common advice for beginners is a primaries-plus-black-and-white set or a cyan, magenta, yellow set precisely because mixing teaches colour theory. This set gives you the colours instead of the lesson.
It works on watercolor paper and canvas. Paper choice changes how far the colour sits up off the surface, so a cheap sketchbook sheet and a proper illustration sheet will not give you the same flat finish.
Who this set suits
It suits a beginner who wants to open one box and start, and a parent buying for a child, since the paint is certified non-toxic to ASTM D-4236 and EN71 and is labelled for adults, teens and kids. The carry case also makes it the most travel-ready option in the group.
For a working illustrator it is a decent sketch kit for travel and thumbnails, provided you top up with a white you trust. The included white is serviceable but not a replacement for good zinc white once you are mixing tints regularly.
Where it falls short
The format maintenance is the honest drawback. If you dislike the ritual of rehydrating wells, buy the same 24-colour idea in tubes instead. It is also the wrong pick for someone who wants a small, disciplined mixing palette, since the range removes any need to mix at all.
2. ARTEZA Gouache Paint Set of 24 in 12 ml Tubes
ARTEZA Gouache Paint Set, 24 Colors, 0.4 fl oz Tubes, Opaque Matte
24 colors in 12 ml tubes
Creamy, non-streaky, rewettable
Pigment data printed per tube
Student grade, semi-gloss
Pros
- 5418 reviews at 4.7 stars a well-benchmarked set
- Thick creamy texture straight from the tube
- Opacity marked with a filled square on each tube
- Pigment and lightfastness data printed per colour
- Reactivates on the palette for revisions
Cons
- Student grade so not intended for archival work
- Tinted pinks and purples can fade
- Some yellows need added white to cover properly
If you only buy one tube gouache set in your life, this is the one to buy. Twenty-four 12 ml tubes in an organised tray, and the paint behaves like a proper opaque gouache the moment it hits the paper.
What stands out is the labelling. Pigment numbers, lightfastness and transparency are printed for every colour, and opacity is marked with a filled square at the base of each tube. Most sets at this level give you a name and a swatch; this one gives you data.
Reviewers consistently describe the paint as creamy with no pigment separation or streaking across the full set, and note that it reactivates easily with water on the palette so blending and corrections still work after the paint has set.
The finish is semi-gloss rather than the chalky matte most illustrators picture when they hear gouache. On paper this reads as a soft sheen. If you are building a strictly flat-colour look for print or surface design, run a swatch test on your paper first, because gloss and matte scan very differently.
Opacity varies a little by hue. Reviewers point out that some of the yellows do not cover light-over-dark without added white, which is normal but worth knowing before you block a large yellow shape.
The other real caveat is grade. This is student-grade paint, so it is not sold as archival work, and tinted mixes — the pinks and purples diluted with white — are the colours most likely to fade over time. If a piece is going in a portfolio or a gallery, buy artist grade instead.
Who this set suits
It suits students, first-year illustration students and anyone moving up from cheap gouache who wants a real upgrade without changing habits. The printed pigment data also makes it a good teaching set, because you can look up why a colour behaves the way it does.
For professional illustrators it is a fine practice and client-work set for colour blocking, thumbnails and comps. Keep a tube of a true white on hand, since mixing tints will empty the supplied ones faster than you expect.
Where it falls short
Semi-gloss finish, student-grade permanence and uneven coverage on a few yellows are the three complaints that repeat. If flat matte is non-negotiable or the work must last decades, step up a tier.
3. Winsor & Newton Designers’ Gouache 10-Tube Set, 14 ml
Winsor & Newton Designers’ Gouache Introductory 10-Tube Paint Set, 14ml,Blue,green,ivory,white
10 colors in 14 ml tubes
Opaque, matte, high pigment load
Rewettable and tintable
Pros
- 2642 reviews at 4.7 stars
- Butter-smooth texture that lays down cleanly
- Covers light over dark without lifting
- Strong saturated pigment load
- Blends without chalkiness
Cons
- Only one tube of white in the set
- Ten colours is a small starting range
- White picks up surrounding colour over wet paint
This is the artist-grade reference point that other sets in this roundup get measured against. Ten tubes at 14 ml each, built around six primaries with ochre, ivory black and zinc white, and every colour behaves the way opaque gouache is supposed to behave.
The paint has a buttery, slightly thick consistency that lays down in a single pass and covers without lifting the layer underneath. Reviewers put pigmentation and opacity at the top of the list of strengths, and 2642 reviews averaging 4.7 stars is a lot of corroboration.
It is tintable and re-wettable, which means a flat grey can become a warm or cool grey mid-session and a dried mistake can be softened with a damp brush. That combination of coverage and flexibility is what makes it a favourite for layout and comp work.
The set is deliberately built as a starting range. Full Designers’ Gouache spans 87 colours, so topping up with single tubes is easy and this is not a dead end. It is a doorway into a range rather than a self-contained palette.
You get one tube of white, and that is the practical bottleneck. Illustrators tint constantly, and a single 14 ml zinc white disappears faster than any colour in the set. Budget for a second white tube from the start.
A further note from reviewers: white laid over paint that is even slightly wet will pick up that colour and go off-white. Let the layer underneath dry properly before you use the white.
Who this set suits
It suits illustrators who already know what they are doing and want colour they can trust for client and published work. The 14 ml tubes also make it the pick for travel sketching among the artist-grade options, because the volume is generous without the set becoming a suitcase.
It is a sensible first artist-grade gouache if you are stepping up from student paint, because the ten-colour range teaches you to reach for the primaries rather than fishing for a pre-mixed shade.
Where it falls short
Ten colours will feel tight on a project with a specific palette brief, and the single white is a genuine irritation rather than a nitpick. If you need breadth on day one, choose a wider set and add white tubes separately.
4. Royal & Langnickel Gouache, 24 Colours in 21 ml Tubes
Royal & Langnickel Gouache Color Artist Tube Paint, 21ml, 24-Pack
24 colors in 21 ml tubes
Full coverage, gloss finish
Washable, ASTM D-4236
Pros
- 21 ml per tube the largest volume in this comparison
- Full coverage with high opacity
- 24 colors covering earths primaries and neutrals
- ASTM D-4236 compliant and washable
Cons
- Gloss finish rather than traditional matte
- 24-hour dry time for touch work
- Less refined pigment than artist-grade sets
This set wins on volume. Twenty-one millilitres per tube across 24 colours means you can fill a large background, a full page of flat colour or a long print run without the tube dying halfway through.
Coverage is listed as full and reviewers agree, with reflective, high-opacity colour that hides what is underneath. The assortment is sensible too: burnt sienna, cerulean blue, crimson red lake, lamp black, lemon yellow, Prussian blue, titanium white, ultramarine, scarlet and cobalt are all there, alongside the earths and neutrals.
At 4016 reviews and 4.6 stars it has a large, loyal following, and the recurring description is dependable. It is the sort of set that gets bought once, put in a drawer and still works a decade later.
Two behaviours differ from traditional gouache and you should plan around them. The finish is gloss, not matte, and the listed dry time is 24 hours, which means touch work and fast turnarounds are harder than with water-based gouache.
It is also sold as an acrylic gouache rather than a gum arabic paint. That is why it is washable and hard-wearing, but it also means it does not re-wet the way the Winsor & Newton, Holbein and Caran d’Ache sets do. Treat it as a flat colour medium rather than a wet-into-wet one.
Some users also flag the age labelling of 13 and up, which matters if you are buying for a classroom of younger students.
Who this set suits
It suits illustrators working on large flat areas, backgrounds and poster-scale colour, where the 21 ml tube is the deciding factor. It also suits anyone who wants gouache that will not lift or scrub off a surface once it dries, such as book covers, board work or craft production.
Budget studios and classroom sets do well from the large volume and the ASTM D-4236 compliance. Just do not choose it if you plan to soften dried colour with water.
Where it falls short
The gloss finish is the main deviation from what most people picture when they hear gouache. If you need a strictly matte, velvety surface for print reproduction or a particular house style, this is the wrong pick.
5. Caran d’Ache Gouache Studio 15 in a Metal Tin
Caran d’Ache Gouache Studio 15 Assorted Colors Set in Metal Tin
15 pan colours in a metal tin
Swiss made, resists cracking
Opaque matte, 468 g
Pros
- Swiss-made professional quality
- Resists cracking once dry
- Compact metal tin built for travel
- Strong opacity with a matte finish
- Assorted 15-colour selection
Cons
- Pan format dries faster than tubes
- Only 15 colours for detailed work
- Heavier per colour than a small tube set
Caran d’Ache Studio is a pan set, not a tube set, and that single fact changes how you use it. Fifteen solid colour pans sit in a lightweight metal tin that closes over your brushes. Nothing spills, nothing leaks, and it goes into a bag without a second thought.
The paint is Swiss-made, opaque and matte with a strong hiding power, and it resists cracking after drying. That crack resistance is a genuine differentiator, because many gouache pans and tubes end up with a chalky, cracked surface once they have been sitting for a while.
1410 reviews at 4.7 stars point to strong brand trust among illustrators who use gouache daily. Users single out the tin format and the crack resistance as the reasons to keep coming back.
The trade for portability is drying speed. Pans have less water in them than tubes, so the surface skins over between sessions and needs rewetting before you can paint. Some users find that part of the routine; others find it a nuisance when working fast.
Fifteen colours is also modest for detailed work. There is no raw umber or deep earth set beyond the basics, so complex plein air and still-life colour gets harder than flat character and editorial work, where a smaller palette is an advantage anyway.
The tin has a firm weight to it for a portable set, worth knowing if you are assembling a walking kit rather than a studio bag.
Who this set suits
It suits travel sketchers, plein air painters and illustrators who work on location. The tin format with a sealing lid is the safest gouache you can put in a rucksack, and the crack resistance protects the pans over a long trip.
For professional work it also suits anyone who wants Swiss-made colour without buying 15 full-size tubes. The colour quality is professional grade even though the count is small.
Where it falls short
Fast drying between sessions and a limited 15-colour range are the two complaints worth planning around. If you paint indoors at a desk with time to rehydrate, that is a fair trade. If you need a deep, wide palette on paper, buy tubes instead.
6. MyArtscape Gouache Set, 12 Colours in 12 ml Tubes
MyArtscape Gouache Paint Set – 12 x 12ml Artist Gouache Paints
12 colors in 12 ml tubes
High pigment, matte, non-streaky
ASTM D4236 and EN71-3 certified
Pros
- Lowest entry point in this roundup
- High pigment load with flat matte opacity
- Layers cleanly over dry layers
- Does not separate or streak in the tube
- Works on paper board canvas and wood
Cons
- Only 12 colors
- with gaps in earths and blues
- Single tubes not sold separately
- Caps can bind when paint dries on them
This is the cheapest way into real tube gouache, and the surprising thing is how little it gives away. Twelve 12 ml tubes with high pigment load and strong, flat matte opacity that reviewers repeatedly compare favourably to professional brands once you use it as gouache rather than as a thin wash.
The formula does not separate in the tube and is not streaky when painting, which is exactly the failure mode people expect from an inexpensive set. It layers over dry layers cleanly and dries to a true matte in about two hours.
The twelve colours are a working list rather than a decorative one: titanium white, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, vermilion, crimson, sap green, deep green, cerulean blue, Prussian blue, burnt sienna, burnt umber and black. It is certified non-toxic to ASTM D4236 and EN71-3, and the listing describes it as fade resistant.
Two gaps are called out repeatedly. There is no raw umber and no ultramarine blue, and both are colours illustrators reach for often, particularly for cool shadows and deep blues in skin and clothing.
More awkward is refill availability. Individual tubes are not sold separately, so if you burn through the burnt umber you cannot simply buy one more tube. You would be back to buying a whole set.
One small mechanical issue: cap threads can bind when paint dries on them. Wipe the neck of the tube before you screw it back on and this never happens.
Who this set suits
It suits students, hobbyists and anyone who wants to learn the medium without spending real money. Twelve colours is enough to block a full illustration and enough to start learning which mixes you actually need.
It also suits illustrators who paint across surfaces. The listing recommends watercolor paper, illustration board, canvas and wood, and the set is labelled fade resistant, so it holds up on a range of substrates.
Where it falls short
The palette is thin in specific, obvious places and you cannot top up a single tube. If your next project has a fixed colour brief with specific hues, buy a wider set or one with refills available.
7. U.S. Art Supply Professional Gouache, 36 Colours in 18 ml Tubes
U.S. Art Supply Professional 36-Color Gouache Paint Set in Large 18ml Tubes
36 colors in 18 ml tubes
Artist pigments, full coverage
Mixing wheel included
ASTM D4236 and EN71
Pros
- Largest colour count among the opaque matte sets here
- 18 ml tubes give generous volume
- Artist pigments at high intensity
- Dissolves with water for easy value control
- Double-sided mixing wheel included
Cons
- Many of the 36 colors overlap
- Water-based and not water resistant for outdoor work
Thirty-six colours in 18 ml tubes, with full coverage and a matte finish. That is more than three times the paint volume of a typical small-tube set, and it is the largest opaque matte palette in this roundup.
The paint is made with artist pigments at high intensity with a smooth, consistent consistency, and it dissolves with water for mixing, blending and value control. Reviewers at 981 reviews and 4.7 stars describe it as a genuine step up from cheap gouache.
A double-sided colour mixing wheel with standard artist colour terminology is included. It is a small thing, but for anyone learning to mix it turns an abstract exercise into a lookup, and it is the reason this set appeals to students more than to seasoned professionals.
The honest weakness is that 36 sounds like abundance and delivers less unique range than the number implies. Reviewers note that many of the colours overlap the core mixing range, so you end up with several near-duplicate blues and greens rather than 36 distinct hues.
It is also water-based and not water resistant, so it is not suited to outdoor work or anything that will be washed. In practice it behaves best on paper and board, where the matte finish stays consistent.
Like most sets here, it is acid-free and conforms to ASTM D4236 and EN71, which makes it straightforward to use in a shared studio or classroom.
Who this set suits
It suits students who want room to experiment without hitting the end of a tube every week, and it suits illustrators moving from a very small palette to a full one. The large 18 ml tubes also work for big flat backgrounds.
Teachers like it because the mixing wheel gives a lesson structure and the colour count covers any assignment brief. If your work is strictly interior, the not-water-resistant limitation will not affect you.
Where it falls short
Overlapping colours mean you pay for volume rather than range, and the paint is strictly for indoor work. If you want a tight, curated mixing palette instead, buy fewer colours and mix them yourself.
8. Holbein Artist Gouache Set G703, 18 Colours in 5 ml Tubes
Holbein Artist Gouache Set G703 : 18 x 5ml tubes
18 colors in 5 ml tubes
Excellent lightfastness and hiding power
True matte, usable as woodcut ink
Pros
- Exceptional lightfastness
- Very high hiding power over any underlayer
- Vivid true-to-pigment mixing
- Dries to a true matte for illustration and design
- Also usable as ink for woodcut
Cons
- Smallest tube size here at 5 ml
- 18 colors is modest for a professional set
- Entry cost puts it out of reach for beginners
Holbein is the name that comes up most often when illustrators discuss gouache, and set G703 is the professional configuration: 18 colours in 5 ml tubes. The pigments resist fading, the hiding power is high enough to cover any layer beneath, and the colour mixes true.
With 446 reviews at 4.7 stars, the review base is small but unusually committed. Reviewers describe a professional standard used by illustrators for final artwork, and the lightfastness and covering power are the two things they single out every time.
The paint dries to a true matte and is also usable as ink for woodcut, which is a small detail with real appeal for illustrators who print their own work.
Five millilitres is the smallest tube in this comparison, and that is the reason to think twice. It is also the trap that makes small-tube sets look like a bargain when the maths works the other way, because a set that looks cheaper can deliver a fraction of the paint per pound spent.
On r/Gouache the other complaint about Holbein appears repeatedly and is worth repeating here: the paint comes out of the tube extremely thick, almost solid. Reviewers still rate the colours very highly, but expect to thin it with water at the start of most sessions.
Eighteen colours is a modest professional range. Because Holbein sells single tubes across a wide line, topping up is straightforward once you know which hue the project needs.
Who this set suits
It suits illustrators whose work has to stay stable, whether that means gallery pieces, published books or client work that must not shift colour. Exceptional lightfastness is the reason to choose it over a cheaper set, and the high hiding power makes it efficient for dense layers.
It also suits printmakers, since the same tubes work as woodcut ink. If you only need a few colours for a specific brief, buying a small number of single Holbein tubes is more economical than this set.
Where it falls short
The 5 ml tubes and the entry cost make this the least beginner-friendly set here. The thick out-of-the-tube consistency is also a genuine adjustment period rather than a minor detail.
9. ShinHan Professional Designers Gouache, 12 Colours in 15 ml Tubes
ShinHan Professional Designer Gouache 15ml Tube 12 Colors Set
12 colors in 15 ml tubes
Highly lightfast, velvety matte
Medium coverage, includes a brush
Pros
- Rich highly lightfast pigments that flow easily
- Velvety matte finish with good opacity
- Brushes out smoothly and evenly for layering
- Includes Permanent White and Ivory Black
Cons
- Medium coverage so more layers are needed
- Lowest average rating in this comparison at 4.5
- Only 12 colors with no cool red or deep blue earths
ShinHan Professional Designers is the quiet specialist in this list. Twelve 15 ml tubes built from fine pigments with high lightfastness, and the thing reviewers mention most is that the colour lays down evenly every time rather than streaking or skipping.
The finish is a velvet-like matte with good opacity, and it supports blending and layering techniques that rougher gouache struggles with. The 15 ml tubes are also unusually generous for a 12-colour set.
At 224 reviews and 4.5 stars it has the smallest community of the ten, but the feedback is consistent rather than polarised: smooth pigment and even laydown as the strengths, coverage and colour count as the criticisms.
Coverage is listed as medium, and that is the honest limitation. Medium coverage means more layers to reach full opacity, which matters when you are covering dark underpainting or a large flat shape in one pass.
Twelve colours means no dedicated cool red and no deep blue earth tones, so certain skin and shadow mixes take longer to reach. The included Permanent White and Ivory Black are a sensible core, and the 15 ml tubes are among the more generous in this roundup.
It works on paper, canvas and wood. For interior work on any of those surfaces it lays down predictably once you have dialled the water back to suit the medium coverage.
Who this set suits
It suits illustrators who want smooth, controlled laydown more than maximum hiding power. Character work, spot illustration and anything with large even areas of a single colour benefit from a paint that brushes out evenly.
It also suits anyone who prints or works on wood, and the generous 15 ml tubes make it a reasonable choice for large flats despite the small colour count.
Where it falls short
Medium coverage is the deal-breaker for heavy underpainting work, and 12 colours is limiting for detailed palettes. If you need to bury layers quickly, choose a set with full coverage instead.
10. ARTEZA Gouache Set, 60 Colours with 12 Metallics
ARTEZA Gouache Paint Set, 60 Colors, 12 ml / 0.4 fl oz Tubes, 12 Metallics
60 colors in 12 ml tubes including 12 metallics
Semi-gloss, fast-drying
Colour chart on the box
Pros
- Highest average rating in the comparison at 4.8 stars
- 4361 reviews of consistent satisfaction
- 60 unique colors with 12 metallic and pearl shades
- Vibrant colour that layers opaque and dilutes to washes
- Full palette replica printed on the box
Cons
- No true cyan magenta or Payne's gray
- Dries fast and can stiffen a brush mid-stroke
- Only two white tubes
- Some users notice a mild odor
This is the highest-rated set in the comparison at 4.8 stars across 4361 reviews, and the reason is breadth. Sixty unique colours including 12 metallic and pearl options, in 12 ml tubes, in a boxed set with the full palette printed on the outside.
The colour is vibrant and creamy. It layers opaque for shapes and highlights, and it dilutes into transparent washes when you add water, so the same tube covers blocking and glazing. Experienced painters compare it favourably to Holbein and Winsor & Newton.
For illustrators, the metallic and pearl shades are the differentiator. No other set in this roundup carries 12 metallics, and for surface design, packaging and editorial spot work they earn their place on a palette.
The most cited gap is the mixing core. There is no true cyan, no true magenta and no Payne’s gray, and reviewers specifically call the supplied browns and olive green weak, which is frustrating for anyone mixing naturals.
Only two white tubes ship in a 60-colour set, and you will empty both quickly once you start tinting. Budget to buy more white as you go rather than discovering the problem halfway through a piece.
It dries very fast. On a large area that can stiffen the brush mid-stroke, so work in smaller sections and keep a damp brush close. The finish is semi-gloss rather than matte, and some users notice a mild odour, generally not strong enough to be a problem.
Who this set suits
It suits illustrators who want one purchase to cover a wide range of briefs, from a comic page to a packaging design with foil-style accents. If your palette changes from project to project, 60 colours removes the risk of being stuck.
It also suits students moving up from a cheap set, because the volume of colour lets you experiment with mixes rather than rationing them. Just treat the missing cyan and magenta as the first tubes you add later.
Where it falls short
The absent mixing primaries and weak earths undermine a set built on breadth, and the fast dry time fights large flat areas. If you mix your own colours, a smaller artist-grade set with real primaries is the better foundation.
How to Choose a Gouache Set
Designer, artist or student gouache: what actually changes
Designer gouache is formulated for graphic designers and illustrators: high pigment, strong opacity, excellent lightfastness and a matte surface that reproduces well in print. It is the grade most professional illustrators buy.
Artist gouache sits between designer and fine art quality. It has a higher pigment load and better lightfastness than student paint, but it may not be tuned for the flat, matte coverage a designer needs.
Student gouache is cheaper and more open to mistakes. It is perfectly capable of flat opaque colour, which is why several sets in this roundup perform well, but pigment permanence is not guaranteed and tinted colours can shift.
Winsor & Newton, Holbein, Caran d’Ache and ShinHan Professional Designers are designer-grade choices. The ARTEZA sets and the Royal & Langnickel pack sit at student or studio level, and HIMI is a jelly format aimed at beginners and casual use.
How many colours do you actually need
The advice that keeps appearing on r/Gouache is the opposite of what set packaging suggests: buy a mixing palette, not the biggest box. The recurring recommendation is a set of primaries plus black and white, or a cyan, magenta and yellow set, so that you have to mix.
Here is how to size it. Four colours — ultramarine, yellow ochre, crimson and titanium white — will get you through thumbnails and value studies, and nothing else. Eight to twelve is the working range for regular illustration: add lemon yellow, sap green, burnt sienna, Payne’s gray and a strong black, and you can mix almost any natural you need.
Beyond 24 colours, the extra tubes are mostly duplicates and close relatives of what you already have. A 36 or 60-colour set is worth it when you need metallics, when briefs demand a specific pre-mixed hue, or when you would rather not think about colour at all.
Read tube volume before colour count
Tube volume is the number that quietly decides value. In this roundup it ranges from 5 ml per colour to 21 ml, which is more than a fourfold difference. Two sets with the same headline colour count can deliver wildly different amounts of usable paint.
Compare total volume before you compare colour count. Twelve colours in 21 ml tubes gives you more paint than sixty colours in 12 ml tubes, and the larger tubes also mean less time spent squeezing and scraping dried paint out of narrow openings.
Travel is the exception. Smaller tubes are lighter and easier to cap, which is why 14 ml tubes in metal are the go-to travel configuration for people sketching on location.
Traditional, acrylic and jelly gouache
Traditional gouache uses a gum arabic or dextrin binder. It re-wets with water when dry, which is what makes gouache valuable for illustration: you can soften a dried layer, blend into it or paint over it without the mess.
Acrylic gouache, like the Royal & Langnickel pack here, is water-based but does not re-wet once cured. It is tougher, more permanent and often glossier. It suits production work where the paint must survive handling.
Jelly gouache, the HIMI format, is a gel rather than a paste or a liquid. It is portable and fun to use, but it needs regular hydration between sessions or the wells thicken and skin over.
Rewetting dried gouache, and when to stop
Rewet with a clean damp brush, not a wet one, and work the colour gently rather than scrubbing. Gouache that has been rehydrated comes back workable but never returns to its original consistency, so expect it to be slightly thinner and slightly weaker than fresh paint.
Do not try to revive colour that has dried hard in the tube. That is where a palette knife and a drop of water come in, and it is why wiping the neck of each tube before closing it saves real trouble.
If you keep a palette of mixed colour, cover it while you work and rewet it at the start of the next session rather than at the end of each break. The paint holds its texture longer when it is not repeatedly brought back from dry.
Paper, brushes and a ten-minute swatch test
Hot-pressed paper is smooth and takes fine line detail, which suits character work and crisp shapes. Cold-pressed paper has more tooth and lets gouache sit up in the texture, which suits textured flats and painterly work. Mixed media paper handles gouache over ink and watercolor without cockling as badly as pure watercolor stock.
Use the same round and flat brushes you would use for watercolor. A medium round for line and shape work and a small flat for edges will cover most gouache illustration, and less absorbent synthetic brushes put down the matte surface more cleanly.
Before committing to a full set, run a quick test. Paint one thick stripe of each colour over a dark underlayer to check real opacity, then wait until it is fully dry and drag a damp brush through it to check rewetting. That ten minutes tells you more than any listing.
Using gouache over ink and watercolor
Gouache layers cleanly over dry ink, which makes it the standard tool for colour on top of a line drawing. Let the ink dry completely first, since wet ink will lift under a wet brush and bleed into the colour.
Over watercolor it also works, and the opacity lets you add highlights and opaque accents that watercolor alone cannot hold. Watch for reactivation: if the watercolor underneath is still damp, your brush will pull it up and muddy the gouache.
For digital handoff, gouache flattens well under a scanner or a flat photo, and you can sample colours from a swatch with an eyedropper tool. Photograph in daylight with the paper flat, or the slight gloss on some sets will shift the sampled values.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is gouache good for illustration?
Yes. Gouache is water-based but carries enough pigment to paint as an opaque matte colour on top of the paper. That lets you block flat shapes, paint over ink lines and add highlights without muddying earlier layers, and it re-wets with a damp brush so mistakes can be corrected. It is a standard medium for character design, editorial work, comics, picture books and travel sketching.
What is the difference between designer gouache and artist gouache?
Designer gouache is made for illustration and graphic design, with a high pigment load, strong opacity, a matte surface and excellent lightfastness that reproduces well in print. Artist gouache sits between designer and fine art grade: better lightfastness than student paint, but not necessarily tuned for flat, matte coverage. Student gouache is cheaper and forgiving, but tinted colours can fade over time.
Is Holbein or Winsor and Newton gouache better?
Holbein has the reputation for the highest hiding power and the best lightfastness, which makes it the safer choice for permanent or published work. Winsor and Newton Designers Gouache is buttery-smooth, layers cleanly without chalkiness and is often described as more pleasant to work with on a daily basis. Both are traditional gum arabic gouaches that rewet with water, and both are widely recommended by illustrators on r/Gouache.
How many gouache colours should a beginner buy?
Eight to twelve is the practical range for regular illustration work. A common starting point recommended on r/Gouache is a set of primaries plus black and white, or a cyan, magenta and yellow set, so that you learn to mix rather than picking pre-mixed colours. Sets of 36 or 60 colours are easier but tend to include many near-duplicates and can stop you learning colour theory.
Can you mix gouache with watercolor?
Yes, though most illustrators use them as separate steps rather than as a mixture. Gouache is opaque and sits on the surface, while watercolor is transparent and sinks into the paper, so blending the two into one colour gives unpredictable results. The usual workflow is to establish washes in watercolor first, let them dry, then add opaque gouache highlights and colour blocks on top.
Which Gouache Set Should You Buy?
Start with the HIMI 24 jelly cup set if you want one box that works immediately, the ARTEZA 24-tube set if you want proper gouache you can use in tubes, and the Winsor & Newton Designers set if you are ready to work in artist-grade colour and accept topping up the white. Those three cover almost every reader of the best gouache sets for illustrators guide.
Buy the ARTEZA 60-colour set when brief-to-brief palettes and metallic accents matter. Buy Holbein when the work has to stay stable, Caran d’Ache when you sketch on location, and Royal & Langnickel when you need large volumes of flat colour that will not lift. Check today’s price on any of them before you commit.
This ranking was written for 2026 and reviewed against the current listings, so the shortlist can shift as new sets land and prices move.