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Arteza Gouache Review: Is It Worth the Hype?

Finding it hard to get the best gouache for an affordable price?

Don’t worry; you’re not alone. A lot of them are out on the market, but which one is worth buying?

Introducing Arteza, a rising gouache brand, or is it? To help you come up with an answer, here’s an in-depth Arteza gouache review.

In general, Arteza gouache is worth the hype! It’s very beginner’s type—a student-grade gouache that is affordable, safe, and easily available online. However, the tubes come in sets, and some of the labels don’t match the paint colors. The gouache also provides less coverage and is less opaque compared to artist-grade brands. Nevertheless, Arteza Gouache is still an impressive and cheaper alternative to other designer gouaches.

To learn more about this brand, check out this comprehensive yet concise analysis of Arteza gouache, and compare it with one of the best gouache brands, Winsor and Newton.

Arteza Gouache Review

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Is Arteza Gouache Worth It?

Looking for a gouache set worth buying? As an aspiring artist, you should consider Arteza gouache — AP-certified nontoxic, blends well when added with water, is cheaper and provides more selection than other gouache brands.

Pros

  • More color selections
  • AP-certified nontoxic
  • Blends well with other colors
  • More opaque than regular watercolor 
  • Cheaper than designer gouache brands
  • Has lightfastness ratings and pigment numbers
  • With 4.7 stars on Amazon out of 5,198 ratings

Cons

Arteza gouache is promising for beginners, but watch out for the following issues, especially with the application, color variation, and packaging:

  • Doesn’t spread smoothly
  • Some colors are repetitive
  • Can only be purchased in sets, and small sets are only available in tones
  • Water-resistant but not waterproof
  • Difficult to get the paint in a 60-color box 
  • Other colors don’t match the labels.

Read also: Painting with Gouache for Beginners: 7-Step Ultimate Guide


Arteza Gouache Review (In Detail)

If you still can’t decide yet, here’s a comprehensive breakdown of all factors you should consider when choosing the perfect gouache for your hands.

ARTEZA Acrylic Gouache Paint, Acrylic Paint Set of 12 Basic Colors, Matte Finish, (0.74 oz, 22 ml) Tubes, Art Supplies for Professional Artists and Beginners
  • Price ✭✭✭✭✭ (5/5)
  • Colors ✭✭✭✭☆ (4/5) 
  • Packaging ✭✭✭✭☆ (4/5)
  • Brand ✭✭✭✭☆ (4/5)
  • Lightfastness ✭✭✭✭✭(5/5)
  • Opacity ✭✭✭✭☆ (4/5)
  • Coverage ✭✭✭✭☆(4/5)
  • Durability ✭✭✭1/2☆☆ (3.5/5)
  • Waterproof ✭✭☆☆☆(2/5)

Total rating: 3.9/5—a satisfactory rating for an inexpensive gouache brand!

Price

Arteza gouache won’t definitely break your bank. Here’s the breakdown of their prices in different sets based on their website:

Paint Set12 colors (earth, pastel, neon tones)24 colors Acrylic Gouache60 colors (including 12 metallics)36 metallic colors
Price$16.99-17.99around $26around $50around $35

You can buy a set of 24 12-ml gouache tubes on Amazon for only $25.99—or less than a dollar per tube. Even the metallic-colored pack is only around $20. Can you imagine how affordable this brand is? Indeed, it’s budget-friendly!

There is but one drawback: you can’t buy Arteza gouache tubes individually. If you only need one or two colors, you might have to buy at least a set of 12 colors, which isn’t the most practical thing to do.


Colors

The quality of the colors exceeds the expectations of typical student-grade gouache paint.

All colors are also AP-certified and nontoxic, and the majority of the colors in a 24-color Arteza gouache set are also vibrant, opaque but lightfast. However, some colors are not as vivid and opaque as the rest.

What about adding sparkles to your painting? Guess what? Arteza also has the popular metallic gouache set. The colors have a subtle sheen—not too glittery and consistent no matter what the angle is.

List of colors in a 24-tube Arteza gouache set

  • Titanium white 
  • Lemon yellow
  • Mid yellow 
  • Yellow ochre 
  • Light apricot
  • Scarlet red
  • Vermillion red
  • Burnt sienna
  • Crimson red
  • Rose
  • Peach red
  • Prussian blue
  • Ultramarine blue
  • Mauve pale
  • Sky blue
  • Cerulean blue
  • Viridian green
  • Deep green
  • Sap green
  • Pale green
  • Burnt umber
  • Noir
  • Grey
  • White
Colors in the set of 60 paints

Learn how to use a palette and about palette setups: 11 Best Gouache Palette + DIY [Ultimate Gouache Palette Setup]


Packaging

Honestly, the box doesn’t look sturdy but is big enough to store paint tubes in stacked plastic trays. The packaging also has a list of colors with their names, swatches,  lightfastness ratings, opacity levels, and pigment numbers.

The tubes are black, so the colored labels stand out. But some don’t match the color in the tube, and the tubes’ lids are small and a bit hard to open.

So far, the overall packaging is acceptable, but Arteza could’ve done better by enlarging the box and avoiding misprints.


Brand

Arteza doesn’t disappoint artists with its economical but premium-quality products despite being a newfound brand by Mike Koshatko and Jurgis Plikaitis in 2015.

What started as an e-commerce company that sold pencils is now providing a wide array of art and craft supplies, from gouache, paints, and pastels, to canvas surfaces, brushes, palette knives, and easels.


Lightfastness

Arteza gouache is very lightfast, except for the lighter ones (e.g., peach red and mauve pale). 

22 out of 24 colors have high lightfastness (+++), which means they will most likely resist fading for 100 years in good conditions.


Opacity

Here are the following colors of a 24-tube gouache set categorized according to their opacity level.

Opaque colors

  • Titanium white
  • Yellow ochre
  • Light apricot
  • Crimson red
  • Vermillion red
  • Crimson red
  • Viridian green
  • Sky blue
  • Cerulean blue
  • Burnt sienna
  • Burnt umber
  • Mauve pale
  • Noir
  • Gray
  • White

Semi-opaque colors

  • Lemon yellow
  • Mid yellow
  • Scarlet red
  • Rose
  • Sap green
  • Pale green
  • Deep green

Transparent colors

  • Ultramarine blue
  • Peach red

Here’s the catch: don’t trust the information on the tubes. Though some dark colors are opaque enough to cover the black paper’s surface, most colors, especially the yellows, are only semi-opaque.

The metallic colors are also pretty opaque, but the brighter ones, like the oranges, are not as opaque as the darker ones. 


Coverage

Arteza gouache covers pretty well because it’s thick and opaque, but provides less coverage compared to artist-grade gouaches. You may need to apply at least two layers to cover dark surfaces.

Read also: 18 Gouache Painting Techniques You Should Try To Paint Like Pro


Durability

Arteza gouache’s shelf life is 2 years. Even if it has gone dry in the tube, you can still reuse it by adding water. You’ll know that it has expired when it smells rancid or there’s mold growth.

However, the gouache isn’t permanent even when it’s dry on canvas or paper. That’s because the gouache is water-soluble. So, even if it has already dried on the surface, you can easily alter the painting by just wetting it with a single drop of water. 


Waterproof

Thinking of running in the rain with your gouache art? Sadly, Arteza gouache isn’t waterproof.

But why? The answer: a bigger binder-to-pigment ratio. Gum arabic, its binder, has excellent water solubility. Just a drop of water can alter the opacity and consistency of the color and damage your artwork. 


Arteza vs Winsor and Newton Gouache: Which Should You Choose?

Arteza GouacheWinsor and Newton Gouache
ColorsNontoxic; most colors are vibrant and pretty opaque but have a high lightfastnessNontoxic, more vibrant, more opaque, and very lightfast
Mixing and BlendingColors mix well with water, but over-blending can cause muddinessRequires little water to produce a clean multi-pigmented color
LayeringGood for 1-2 layers; not ideal for highlightingFast-drying and very opaque enough to add layers quickly
Coverage and FinishHas good coverage; has a dried chalky finish but is not streakyBetter coverage; vibrant and has a matte finish
SurfacesGood on canvas and paper, but sinks into cardboard when water is addedToned paper, watercolor paper, canvas, and wood
Packagingin a bigger and thicker box
uses black 12-ml tubes; with lightfastness, opacity, and pigment ratings on the tube and box
in a smaller box
comes in white 12-ml tubes with lightfastness, opacity, permanence reading, and pigment information
Durabilityvery lightfast but not durable on the surface due to its high water-solubilityvery lightfast but not durable on the surface when reactivated with water
Beginner-friendlyYes, especially for students and kidsYes, but ideal for professional artists
Reviews on Amazon4.7 (24-tube set)4.7 (pack of 10)
Cost$23-25 (for 24 tubes)around $36 for a 10-tube set 
Shipping from AmazonWorldwideWorldwide 

Related: Gouache Vs Acrylic: What’s the Difference, and Which is Best for Beginners?

If you need to compare Arteza to cheap gouache like Reeves, check this review: Reeves Gouache Review: Bad Rep Or Good Paint?

Once you are ready to upgrade your gouache set, I suggest investing in professional set, like Holbein.

Here is my full review: Holbein Gouache Review [Artist’s 12 Colors Set] – Top-Notch Quality


Colors

Both are nontoxic, but Winsor and Newton’s gouache wins the game in brilliance and opacity. 

As a whole, Winsor and Newton’s gouaches have brighter and very opaque colors due to their high and premium pigmentation. Its concentrated gouache is already vibrant but becomes slightly more vivid when water is added to it.

Mixing and Blending

You just simply need to mix water with a pigment to reduce its opacity, but mixing different pigments can cause clumps, which can happen with Arteza gouache.

But with Winsor and Newton, you only need a little water for mixing and blending, and you’ll still get a neat multi-pigmented mixture or blend.

Layering

Winsor and Newton’s gouache is the ideal medium for applying multiple layers. Not only is it fast-drying, but also its high opacity makes it a lot easier to layer dark colors on light colors, and vice versa.

Though you can add 1-2 layers using Arteza gouache, you might not like using it for highlighting.

Coverage and Finish

If you want better coverage and a better finish, choose Winsor and Newton designer gouache.

Its high opacity and thick consistency make it easy to cover your desired surface with a single layer, even on a black surface.

When Arteza gouache dries up quickly, you can feel the chalky finish. But with Winsor and Newton, the gouache feels matte but very smooth to the touch.

Surfaces

Winsor and Newton’s gouache is the better option for canvas, paper, illustration board, and wood since you need little water to achieve watercolor-like effects. 

What about Arteza gouache? It also works well on canvas and paper but may sink into cardboard or thin paper when diluted in water.

Packaging

Both brands have all the necessary information on their tubes, but Arteza’s packaging style is more visually pleasing and the box looks sturdier compared to Winsor and Newton. 

Arteza’s 12-ml tubes are also black, emphasizing the color of the gouache paint. But with Winsor and Newton, the colored labels are barely noticeable on the white tubes.

Durability

Both brands have high lightfastness ratings, and the colors won’t fade for up to 100 years under good conditions.

They also have a shelf life of 2–5 years as long as you store them in cool temperatures to keep the gouache moist.

However, they are not durable and waterproof once applied on the surface because they can easily be reactivated with just a few water droplets.

Beginner-friendly

They are safe gouache brands for beginners, professionals, and people of all ages.

If you’re particular about hiding your mistakes, using the white gouache from Winsor and Newton is better. To practice mixing and blending colors, you can start with Arteza gouache first.

Reviews on Amazon

Both gouache brands got 4.7 out of 5. Many customers have left positive comments about their opacity and pigmentation.

However, they also mentioned some drawbacks. Some said that Arteza’s gouache would crack and peel due to a lack of moisture, while Winsor and Newton’s gouache stained their brushes. Other customers also received old stocks, affecting their overall experience.

Cost

Arteza gouache sets are cheaper than Winsor and Newton, even on Amazon. It’s also more affordable to buy on Amazon than on their company websites. 

You can buy a 24-tube Arteza gouache set for $23–25 (the price sometimes fluctuates), but you’ll have to shell out $36 for a 10-tube set from Winsor and Newton. What a big difference!

Shipping from Amazon

The good news is that Amazon ships both gouache brands worldwide. The shipping fees are also relatively cheaper than on their websites, so you can save a lot!


FAQ: Arteza Gouache

Is Arteza gouache artist grade?

No, Arteza gouache is a student-grade gouache due to the quality of the pigments. But you can say that Arteza is better than most student-grade brands.

Is Arteza gouache acrylic based?

No, most Arteza gouache is water-based. Instead of acrylic polymers, it uses GA (gum arabic) as its binder, making it very soluble in water. However, Arteza makes acrylic gouache, but only in a set of 24 colors.

Is arteza gouache lightfast?

Yes, it is lightfast! The majority of the colors have a high lightfastness rating (+++). The colors won’t fade immediately, so they are ideal for long-term storage and exhibits.


Definitely Your Type, Worth the Hype!

If you’re a beginner, you should consider buying Arteza gouache because it’s worth the hype and money! 

You can have fun playing with different colors without risking your health and the quality of your painting. Plus, it’s readily available on Amazon, so you can purchase the set and start working on your artwork whenever and wherever you are.

If you are looking for more options and absolute winner among gouache paints, check my top list: 15 Best Gouache Paint Sets in 2023 For Beginners and Pros.

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API