Aqua Blue is a tint that has kept its brightness, which is not a common combination. Holbein publishes a value of 7.0, well up the light scale, with a chroma of 8.0 that is still respectable, so it is light without being washed out. Hue 9.0B places it near the green end of blue. Only two pigments in it, PB15:3 copper phthalocyanine and PW6 titanium white, so it is a straightforward tint of a very strong blue.

This is the pale blue that still reads from across the room. Shallow water, pool tiles, summer skies, and the kind of clean flat background used in editorial and packaging work. Because the white is already in the mix it sits over a darker layer instead of sinking into it, which makes it useful for lifting a highlight back out of a deep blue or a teal. Designers use tints like this to keep large flat areas consistent, since matching a hand-mixed pale blue across a whole panel is harder than it sounds.

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

Since the name causes confusion, acrylic gouache is not traditional gouache with a new label. Holbein Acrylic Gouache dries to a matte opaque finish and is water resistant once dry, so it does not reactivate with water like traditional gouache. It is made to be used more or less straight from the tube, thinned with a little water for finer work, and it rewards a brush that carries a decent load. Soft synthetic watercolour brushes do the job well. Wash them out promptly, because dried acrylic does not come out of a ferrule.

The difference from traditional gouache shows up the moment you glaze. A gum arabic gouache lifts when you brush over it, so a pale layer picks up the colour underneath and goes muddy. This dries water resistant, which is why a light tint like this one stays light when you put it over something dark.

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 Aqua Blue