I’ve never owned a set of gouache but, based on a glowing recommendation, I decided to purchase a 15-color set of Caran d’Ache Classic Gouache. As soon as I opened the package, it was love at first sight. The presentation is beautiful.
The set comes with 14 colors of gouache and a tube of white. They include a size 8 synthetic brush which I liked very much. There are also 5 large wells on the lid for mixing.
The only qualm I have with the presentation was the absence of color names on the pans. It required a bit of research to identify the colors. The pans include the product numbers on the side in very small print, so I had to find the official chart with corresponding color names.
Before I did swatches, I labeled my pans with the information I found for easy identification when I am painting.
I found the pigment information on Wet Canvas which will be helpful when mixing colors. Note that they call product number 090 “Magenta” while the official name is “Purple.”
The Verdict: This is a very useful, versatile set of paints. It contains warm primaries consisting of Yellow (010), Vermilion (060), and Ultramarine (140). There are also cool primaries: Lemon Yellow (240), Purple (090), and Carmine (080). These colors alone will give you a wide range of hues. I anticipate the other colors in the set will produce lovely mixes as well.
Caran d’Ache does it again. I was never very interested in gouache, but I certainly am now.
The Color Chronicles 