{"id":3490,"date":"2026-10-09T08:15:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T00:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/?p=3490"},"modified":"2026-10-09T08:15:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T00:15:18","slug":"are-there-natural-gouache-paints-43b2-6bd3c4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/09\/are-there-natural-gouache-paints-43b2-6bd3c4\/","title":{"rendered":"Are there natural gouache paints?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey guys, let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2014if you\u2019ve ever wandered the art supply aisle, squinted at a paint tube labeled \u201cnatural gouache,\u201d and thought, \u201cWait, is that even a real thing, or just fancy marketing to get me to buy overpriced paint?\u201d you\u2019re not alone. As someone who\u2019s been running a gouache paint supply shop for almost 10 years, I\u2019ve fielded this question at least a hundred times. Artists ask at craft fairs, DM me on Instagram, even stop me at art workshops while I\u2019m hauling my own paint kits around. And honestly? The short answer is yes\u2014there absolutely are natural gouache paints\u2014but it\u2019s not as straightforward as just \u201cthrow some dirt in a tube and call it a day.\u201d Let me break this down without all the stuffy art jargon, promise. Gouache Paint<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s recap what gouache even is, because half the confusion here comes from people mixing it up with other paints. Gouache is that opaque, water-based paint, right? Think of it as watercolor\u2019s thicker, more bold cousin\u2014you can layer it, cover up mistakes, and it dries to a matte finish (unless you get the matte version vs. a slightly shiny one, but that\u2019s a tangent). The key ingredients in any gouache, natural or synthetic, are pigment, binder, and extender. That\u2019s the base triad every paintmaker uses. Now, \u201cnatural\u201d just means those ingredients come from natural, non-lab-made sources, not chemical formulas cooked up in a lab.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s start with pigments, because that\u2019s where most natural gouache gets its personality. Natural pigments are basically ground-up stuff from the earth or plants\u2014iron oxides for reds, yellows, browns; charcoal for blacks; titanium dioxide used to be natural (from mineral rutile, not the synthetic lab stuff now) for whites; even things like indigo from plants for blues. Wait, but hold on\u2014you can\u2019t just grind up a rock and turn it into paint. That pigment needs to stick to the paper, right? That\u2019s where the binder comes in. For natural gouache, the binder is usually something like gum arabic, which you get from the sap of acacia trees. That\u2019s a big one\u2014synthetic gouache often uses acrylic binders or modified glues, but natural ones stick to gum arabic as the main binder.<\/p>\n

Extenders are the fillers that thin the paint a bit so you don\u2019t need a ton of pigment to make a full tube. For natural gouache, those extenders are things like kaolin clay or talc, both mined straight from the ground, no synthetic additives. Compare that to modern mass-produced synthetic gouache, which might use things like calcium carbonate or even plastic-based fillers to cut costs. The big difference here is that natural gouache\u2019s ingredients are all derived from renewable or earth sources, so they\u2019re often more eco-friendly, less irritating for people with sensitive skin, and yeah, they have that unique, rich tone that lab-made pigments just can\u2019t replicate.<\/p>\n

Wait, but let\u2019s talk about the catch here\u2014natural gouache isn\u2019t perfect. Let me tell you a story from when I first started out, messing around with small batches of natural gouache in my kitchen (back when I was just selling out of a garage, not a real shop). I made a batch of that beautiful deep raw sienna using ground clay from a local quarry, gum arabic from a specialty supplier, and a bit of kaolin. It looked amazing when it was wet, but once it dried? It was chalky. Like, I could rub it right off the paper with my thumb. Why? Because natural pigments don\u2019t have the same binding power as synthetic ones. The binders used in natural gouache are a bit less flexible, so when the paint dries, it can crack or flake if you layer it too thickly, or if you apply it to a rough surface that doesn\u2019t grip well. Also, natural pigments are often less consistent. One batch of red iron oxide might be a little warmer or darker than the last, because the mineral composition of the quarry changes slightly every season. That\u2019s a plus for unique tones, but a minus if you\u2019re working on a large commissioned piece and need exact color matching every time.<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s not get this twisted\u2014\u201cnatural\u201d doesn\u2019t mean \u201cnon-toxic.\u201d A lot of old natural pigments are actually super toxic, like lead white or cadmium red, which were used in gouache back in the 1800s. We still see some cheap \u201cnatural\u201d gouache on the market that uses these toxic pigments to save costs, so you have to be careful. At my shop, we only sell natural gouache that uses non-toxic, food-grade natural pigments now\u2014we stopped carrying any with lead or heavy metals a few years back, after an artist told me she was using it for kids\u2019 craft projects and was worried about her niece\u2019s hands. That\u2019s the kind of stuff that matters.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s clear up the marketing hype, because a lot of brands slap \u201cnatural\u201d on their paint tubes just to charge more. You\u2019ve probably seen it too\u2014$50 for a single tube of gouache labeled \u201c100% natural.\u201d Let\u2019s be real: no gouache is 100% natural, because even the purest gum arabic has to be processed a little, and you need small amounts of preservative to keep the paint from going moldy (water + organic ingredients = bacteria central, am I right?). So most reputable natural gouache brands will call themselves \u201cnatural-derived\u201d or \u201cnatural-formula,\u201d which is the real deal. The fakes are the ones that just use a tiny bit of natural pigment mixed with mostly synthetic binders and fillers, then mark it up 30% for the \u201cnatural\u201d label.<\/p>\n

As a supplier, I get why artists are obsessed with natural gouache lately. More and more people are switching to eco-friendly art supplies, tired of supporting brands that use plastic packaging (we use recyclable tubes for all our natural gouache, by the way) or toxic ingredients. Also, the texture is different\u2014natural gouache dries a little softer, more velvety, than synthetic, and the color has that depth you just can\u2019t get from lab-made pigments. I had a freelance illustrator come to me last year, she does botanical art, and she swears by our natural sap green\u2014she says it makes her paintings look like actual leaves, not just flat green. That\u2019s the kind of feedback that makes running this shop worth it.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s be honest, natural gouache isn\u2019t for everyone. If you\u2019re a student just starting out, working on a budget, or doing large pieces that need uniform color across 50 tubes, synthetic gouache is probably the better call. It\u2019s cheaper, more consistent, and less likely to flake if you\u2019re heavy-handed. But if you\u2019re a professional artist chasing that unique tone, eco-conscious, or tired of synthetic paints that feel a little generic, natural gouache is absolutely worth testing.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen a lot of new brands popping up lately claiming to sell natural gouache, but most of them haven\u2019t done their research. A while back, a guy messaged me saying he was making natural gouache in his basement, using only dirt from his backyard and store-bought glue. I asked him about the binder, and he said he was using white school glue. Let\u2019s just say that batch would have cracked and peeled within a month\u2014school glue isn\u2019t designed to mix with paint pigments for long-term use. That\u2019s the problem with DIY natural gouache too; it\u2019s easy to mix up something that looks fine for a week but falls apart later.<\/p>\n

For anyone who\u2019s curious to try real natural gouache, the thing to look for is the ingredients list. It should say things like \u201cgum arabic\u201d as the binder, natural pigments (iron oxide, indigo, charcoal, rutile titanium dioxide), and maybe a small amount of potassium sorbate as a preservative. If you see \u201cacrylic polymer\u201d or \u201cmodified starch\u201d listed, that\u2019s synthetic or semi-synthetic, so it\u2019s not pure natural formula.<\/p>\n

At my shop, we\u2019ve spent over a year testing batches of natural gouache to get the formula right\u2014we fixed the flaking issue by adjusting the binder ratio, so now it\u2019s flexible enough to layer without cracking, while still keeping that rich natural tone. We work with a small mill in the Pacific Northwest that sources all our natural pigments locally, so we can track exactly where every tube\u2019s ingredients come from, which is a big deal for us. We even do custom mixes for artists who want specific natural shades, like that deep umber from Oregon\u2019s coastal clay or a soft rose from crushed beetroot (wait, beetroot pigment is real, by the way\u2014makes a beautiful muted pink that\u2019s perfect for skin tones).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I know this topic can be confusing, especially with all the marketing noise out there. A lot of artists get frustrated because they thought they were buying natural, only to realize it\u2019s just regular paint with a fancy label. That\u2019s why I love answering these questions\u2014cutting through the BS and telling it like it is. Natural gouache isn\u2019t some mythical, perfect paint, but it\u2019s a real alternative to synthetic, with its own benefits and tradeoffs.<\/p>\n

DIY Toys<\/a> If you\u2019re a store owner, art studio, or independent artist looking to add genuine natural gouache to your stock, or if you just have more questions about how we make our batches, hit us up. We work with artists of all levels, from hobbyists to big-name illustrators, and we\u2019re happy to send sample batches for testing or walk you through the differences between natural and synthetic gouache over a quick call. Don\u2019t fall for the \u201cnatural\u201d marketing fluff\u2014ask about ingredients, ask about the formula, and if you need a trusted supplier that\u2019s been in the game long enough to know the difference, we\u2019re here.<\/p>\n

References<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Eastaugh, N., Walsh, V., Chaplin, T., & Siddall, R. (2004). Pigment Compendium: A Dictionary of Historical Pigments<\/em>. Butterworth-Heinemann.<\/li>\n
  2. Learner, T., Smithen, P., Krueger, J., & Schilling, M. R. (2004). Artist\u2019s Pigments: A Study of Their History and Characteristics<\/em>. Archetype Publications.<\/li>\n
  3. Rowe, A. (2019). Natural Colorants: Historical, Processing and Sustainable Practices<\/em>. Royal Society of Chemistry.<\/li>\n
  4. Wallert, A., Hermens, E., & Pehl, M. (Eds.). (2012). Artistic Technology: Materials, Techniques, and Studio Practice in the European Painting Tradition<\/em>. Getty Publications.<\/li>\n
  5. Australian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety. (2021). Toxicity of Art Materials: Pigments and Binders<\/em>. Retrieved from industry safety guidelines for art supply manufacturing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Zhejiang Lanxi Haotian Stationery Co., Ltd.<\/a><\/p>\n

    Address: No. 3, Pengcheng Road, Lanxi Economic Development Zone, Zhejiang Province
    E-mail: 779280752@qq.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.cnhtstationery.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Hey guys, let\u2019s cut to the chase\u2014if you\u2019ve ever wandered the art supply aisle, squinted at … Are there natural gouache paints?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":150,"featured_media":3490,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3453],"class_list":["post-3490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-gouache-paint-4265-6c3328"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/150"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.votonmachinery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}