Welcome to The Calligraphy Supply’s review on Schmincke Calligraphy Gouache! Please be aware that we may receive a commission from purchases made through links on this site.
In this review, I’ll talk about my experience with this gouache and where to find it, then a little about Schmincke, and finally list my impressions based on my standard review criteria.
This was the first gouache I used, and found it to be both approachable and super high performance. The first project I completed with this gouache in 2017 has the same gorgeous, matte finish as when it was completed on the inner envelopes for wedding invitations, and metallic gold place cards on the table.
If you’re just starting with dip pen calligraphy, take a look at my checklist.
For this review, I used the Jet Black colour. This is available on Paper & Ink Arts in individual tubes. Their Horadam Gouache is available on Amazon as well.
Company background for Schmincke
Schmincke was established in 1881 and creates highest quality products for artists. They have a fabulous guide to mixing, diluting, and using calligraphy gouache available. Schmincke’s Calligraphy Gouache is designed specifically for hand lettering.
Review of Schmincke Calligraphy Gouache
| Criteria | Review |
|---|---|
| Opacity | This gouache is very opaque when used for calligraphy. This makes it a great choice for writing on any paper colour. See photos below comparing the opacity of this black to a non-gouache black. |
| Flow | Adding a couple drops of water at a time until the consistency is like that of heavy cream creates a great flow for dip pen calligraphy. |
| Finish quality | On 4 paper types, this gouache dried with a rich matte finish with luscious depth. |
| Drying speed | Most of the gouache dried fully in about 1.5 minutes. The areas with heavier gouache dried in about 3 minutes. |
| Gumminess | There was no gumminess experienced with this product. |
| Water resistance | As with most gouaches, this one is not water resistant. If your project may encounter rain, you can use a waterproofing coating after the gouache has fully dried. |
| Colour wet close to colour dry | The dried pigment on white paper was the same rich, neutral black it was when wet. |
| Ease to clean | Very easy to clean from the nib with some water. |
