Gold is one of the specialty colours, and it works differently from the standard range. Holbein makes it from PW20, listed as Titanated Mica. Mica is a naturally platey mineral, so what you see depends on how those particles sit and catch the light. Holbein publishes no Munsell notation for it, which is telling: there is no single flat value to quote when the appearance shifts with viewing angle.

On the brush it behaves like the rest of the range, so you can work it flat and opaque alongside your other colours rather than treating it as a separate medium. Good for lettering and illuminated detail, borders and ornament, and small accents on a matte ground. Model makers use colours like this for trim and hardware, and it is a regular on card and packaging work.

What Makes This Colour Special

Pigment, lightfastness and series as published by Holbein. Holbein does not publish an opacity rating for individual colours; the range as a whole is described by Holbein as opaque.

Acrylic Gouache, Not Traditional Gouache

For anyone new to it: Holbein Acrylic Gouache is an opaque acrylic paint with the flat, matte character of gouache. Unlike traditional gouache, which stays soluble indefinitely, it dries permanently and is water resistant once dry, so layers hold when you work over them. Holbein lists it as suitable for paper, canvas, cloth, stone, wood, leather, plexiglass and concrete. More on our Holbein page.

Why Holbein Acrylic Gouache Is in Serious Studios

• Genuinely opaque. Holbein describes the range simply as an opaque acrylic paint. It covers, including over darker colour, which is the whole point of reaching for gouache rather than watercolour.
• Velvety matte, no sheen. Holbein describes the colour as opaque, intense, smooth and velvety. It dries flat, which is why it photographs and scans without glare.
• Water resistant once dry, so you can layer. Holbein’s own wording, and the reason the range exists. A dry layer will take another one over the top without lifting.
• The colour you mix is the colour you get. Holbein states it does not shift in colour tone from wet to dried colour. Anyone who has watched a perfect grey dry into a different grey will appreciate that.
• Built to use straight from the tube. Holbein says it is specifically designed to be used directly from the tube and will dry to even, uniform paint layers.
• Works on more than paper. Holbein lists paper, canvas, cloth, stone, wood, leather, plexiglass and concrete, with excellent adhesion, and full compatibility with all acrylic mediums.

Getting the Most Out of This Tube

Straight from the tube is the default. This is what Holbein designed it for, and it is where you get those even, flat, uniform layers. Add a little water to loosen it, but go easy: very diluted washes can dry streaky across a large flat area, so build coverage in thin even coats rather than flooding it on.

Watch the palette, not the clock. Holbein gives an open time of roughly 10 to 30 minutes and notes the drying time is much like ordinary watercolour. The practical consequence is that paint left sitting on the palette will go off and will not come back, so squeeze out small amounts as you need them.

It plays well with acrylic mediums. Holbein states the range is compatible with all acrylic mediums, so you can change the body or extend the working time if you want to. Soft synthetic brushes suit it, since they hold enough paint to lay a flat area without dragging.

Questions About Holbein Gold