I'm personally glad I started with Himi because, in my opinion, when learning a new art medium, it's very important to feel like you can 'waste' supplies I find Himi to be decent quality still, and you get a *ton* for the price, starting with expensive supplies I feel like it's way too easy to get into a mindset where you're afraid of practicing since you don't have much of it, and most people can't afford to get frequent refills, I think it's common for beginner artists to be discouraged by early bad results and stress from wasting materials, starting with a cheap but decent paint you get a ton of was definitely the way to go for me Having to mix every colour, while educational, can also I think feel overwhelming and unfun for a beginner and just contribute more to the 'wasted supply' issue, also preventing them from actually practicing Having tried artist quality gouache now, it's absolutely lovely, but starting out with it as a beginner would have been a stressful nightmare, and I think I would not love gouache as much as I do if I did Additionally, Himi being harder to control made me learn to adapt to it and control it well, which I think has served my gouache skills in general really well, to the point that I had an incredibly easy time painting with professional gouache Not everyone's like me, if you think you wouldn't be worried about wasting paint, or if you can afford a ton of expensive paint regardless, that's fine, but I think for a lot of people, beginning with Himi gouache is the way to go
@@CecileYadro Yeah, definitely! I don't think it's a cut and dry rule, I just wanted to share my experience too since I think it's a bit more complicated than "don't/do start with these supplies"
i agree with you, and also Himi makes me WANT to use gouache in the first place. i think it's a brand that popularize gouache as a medium especially to young people. I knew gouache paint years before Himi, but want to try because of how pretty Himi is. I love it!
@@CecileYadro I agree with you. When I tried to paint with Himi, the lack of opacity and vibrancy, as well as the inconsistency, made me feel really uninspired and I thought gouache wasn't for me. But when I painted with Winsor & Newton gouache, it was a completely different experience and I found myself in love with the process
@@CecileYadroexactly! HIMI was my first gouache and it was such a frustrating experience for me!!!! I finally got a set of Holbein and WN primary sets. Those two little sets made me realize it was the paint not me!!!! I bought a little tube every month. The wonderful thing about the little sets is it forces you to learn color theory and makes your composition cohesive.
I do agree with you but I can’t afford Holbein and just purchased Himi so I will use it to practice. I watched another gouache artist who recommended Daler Rowney Designer gouache which was very good for the price.
Jelly gouache is the primary paint(lower than studio paint) used in the Chinese art college entrance examination due to its convenience, affordability, wide range of colors, and well-blended pre-made colors. It's evident that these advantages are unrelated to the quality of the paint itself; they were created primarily to meet the demand for practicing exam-oriented gouache painting, where paint quality is not a major concern. The disadvantages, on the other hand, are apparent: low pigment content, inaccurate color rendering, lack of single pigments, muddy results when mixing multiple colors, decreased saturation when the paint dries, and low lightfastness. It is still recommended for beginners to purchase artist-grade paints to start their interest in painting. This ensures longer-lasting quality, helps develop a systematic understanding of colors, and demonstrates responsibility for one's own artwork.
I will say. DO begin gouache painting with himi As someone who's had the set for months now. These are the pros and cons. Pro's: 1.If you get your paints dirty as shown in the thumbnail. Give them a mix and add some water. It will become almost identical to when you first opened it. 2. It's cheap 3. Colour selection is amazing, vibrant and opaque. 4. If they dry out,just give all of the paints some water and mix them. It will become good as new. 5. They last a long time Cons: 1. They dry out easily. (Put them in the fridge they won't dry out then) ...I don't have anything else to complain about.
Aww, no, I really love my Himis! I do use a pallet so I don’t contaminate the cups and I added a plastic seal to my lid which stops them from drying out. So far I’ve had great results with them but I haven’t tried any other brand of gouache so have no comparison. I’m mainly a watercolour painter.
Exactly the same! I got artist grade tempera in tubes and himis at the same time and they both feel good to use, but I have no comparison to other gouache as well.
@Turtle Soup I cut a piece of paper a quarter inch smaller that the top of the plastic box that holds all the paint pots then I laminated it and cut it down, bit by bit, until it was a perfect fit. I then rest that on top of the paints before putting the lid on and - this is really important with the Himis - firmly pressing down all the way around the edge of the lid, don’t just close the clips, you need to press it down all the way around the edge to make sure it’s tightly sealed. I opened mine last week after not using them since September and they were perfect.
@@pennybunty holy crap that is so innovative, thank you so much! I'm going to rehydrate my gouache soon so I'll have to try this out then. Do you have the smaller gouache kit, like the 18 or 24-cup ones, or the huge 52-cup one? The clips on mine aren't super great
I agree! Much better to spend the same amount on a set of professional primaries than Himi. I bought a set of himi because I thought I would like it for sketchbooking and not feeling like I’m “wasting paint” practicing with my expensive paints. But they are so different I don’t like using them. Better to practice with the materials I want to paint my finished work in anyway, so I can be ready!
I’ve had my Himi for 2 years now… I keep the mid palette lid over top then store in a ziplock bag then click the top lid on… mine are still wet, not mouldy and I’ve never sprayed them with water or used glycerine 🤗
I wish I saw more reviews like this before I bought HIMI :( I haven't painted in years, I bought the set like many people are saying to do some shitty practice pieces, but I find them so much harder to control than when I'm painting with holbien. Even though my skills are not what they once were, I feel like I can tell the difference.
I had the same experience and I paint pretty frequently. I just don’t like how they perform.. it’s so different from what I’m used to. I just don’t pick it up as much as I thought I would. I might try it for sketching but all in all I don’t really like it.
You are right about Himi. I am a beginner and the Himi sessions always turn out making me think I am a worse artist/painter than I am. Omg my mini Holbein primary set is divine. I use it and think ‘ok I am not that bad’. The experience is something else. Buy small tubes of artist gouache. I am glad you made this video.
For whatever it's worth, I've had good experience with mixing watercolor with poster color using barely any water. The result looks matte and vibrant like gouache, but it doesn't reactivate so it's hard to do blending. I did this because I detest my watercolor set, but I can't bring myself to throw it away 😅. Just share my experience for anyone who can't buy gouache yet, but don't want to skip painting.
Thank you for ur review:) key point is it is cheap, and performance is good for the price. It aims art students. They practicing a lot daily, a spray is good enough to keep the pallet wet before 30ml paint is used up and periodically cleaning of paint surface can remove dirty colors. For art lover who does not practice a large amount, of course it is not a good choice :)
I just got my HIMI set last weekend... the 52 color set. I am in LOVE with it but I can definitely see how the things you pointed out can be issues for some. And I also absolutely plan on getting the tube gouache as well (probably Holbein) because I love experimenting with all different types/brands. Happy painting and thank you for your tips!
Thanks for your video! I just bought my first HIMI box because I’ve been seeing so many fantastic paintings on RUclips using HIMI gouache. And opening the little containers was soooooooo satisfying ❤ But I’m having the same concerns about drying out, contamination, pigments and lightfastness. I’ve mostly painted with acrylics, so I’ve been exploring watercolors and gouache. My children love to paint, too, but acrylics is always a big mess and I feel like they miss the opacity and creaminess in watercolors. So I wanted a set of gouache that I could share with them without draining my wallet (and can be washed out of clothes) 🤣 Once I have a feeling for paint-water-ratio, layering, etc. I will open my Winsor and Newton professional set and surrender HIMI to the kids. But the first little painting/coloring I did did not disappoint at all and I’m excited to paint more with them
If you want a happy medium try acrylic gouache which is matte acrylic without adding medium. You get beautiful layers that don’t reactivate and the matteness of regular gouache. Holbein acrylca is my favorite
I was new to gouache and got sucked in by the cute HIMI packaging. I tried it and thought ‘meh’. I didn’t really get why you’d use it coming from a watercolour background. The HIMI just got shelved. Then I tried some Windsor & Newton Designer gouache and loved it immediately. W&N vs HIMI are like night and day! However, now I’m learning and loving gouache I will revisit the HIMI, but with more realistic expectations!! 😊
While these are all true points... I just can't do it. I bought a small set of Holbein and they are AH-MAZE-INGGG. But I'm trying to figure out color tiling and consistency and all this other stuff that seems to take a lot of practice to develop a sense for. And I just can't bring myself to use expensive paint on the regular for that. When I try to, I just don't paint. I've started dishing out the Himi paint in limited palettes in a stay-wet setup and it's going so much better - using it nearly daily for practice and taking out the pro gouache every week or two to remind myself what good paint feels like 🥰
I always try to discourage beginners from using 'cheap' supplies. I think they are starting at a disadvantage and can poison the entire experience. You don't have to get an entire set or the most expensive, but you need to use good, quality supplies in order to help you feel good about a new technique or supply and have fun with it instead of dodging the obsticles that sub-par supplies have. It is far preferred to get just the basic colors in a high quality paint rather than 40 sub-par colors that won't perform well. Thank you for this video. :)
When I was a kid I thought I hated paints and especially watercolor because those cheap little crayola pans were poisoning my experience all the way back then lol
Not everyone is in a position to get proffessional supplies and the example in this video is such a small difference. A beginner isnt going to be analyzing their work to the extreme at which was shown here. Someone starting out is trying new things. Be it different paints, brushes, paper, technique, or the object which they are painting and I think there is something to be said for the exploration in finding what they like and dont like when making their own art. Turning noses because its "cheap" and telling beginners its a disadvantage is more discouraging to read than having them use HIMI paints. Smh.
@@IIKosmosII I respect your thoughts, but as a teacher for over 30 years, I have seen more students discontinue because of faulty supplies than anything. I do believe that there are inexpensive,yet decent supplies available. I never said that anyone needs to get the top brands. I really thought I made that clear. I think you misunderstood me.
Love himi, I use it mostly in a sketchbook, so I don’t care much about lightfastness, I like the variety of colors, and I do use my pallet knife so it is really clean :-) other than that I use Talens gouache and W&N. I’d love to try the Holbein. But they are much too expensive for me, if I buy a small basic set ide lose a lot of paint when mixing the right color, and I never know how much I need! So i’ll Dream about Holbein while I use my cheaper versions of gouache :-)
@@avigail5356 I just watched a Reeves/Arteza/Holbein gouache comparison and she showed she actually used wayyyy less gouache with the Holbein even tho she only had 3 primaries and a black white of Holbein compared to 24 colours of the other 2… and she had to mix every colour compared to them… so I wouldn’t be scared about that!
@@cazkiwinz4300 True, still it is an estimation of how much you need to mix... don't get me wrong, I'd love to get the Holbein one day, until then, I practice with what I have :-)
I just watched this after I told my dad I wanted gouache, and honestly Im glad he doesnt trust online stores, so now I’ll be able to go to the store and I’ll make sure to get the tube gouache
Thank you for your video! I am a professional watercolor artist and I’ve been seeing a lot of videos on gouache lately. Would like to try it of course like anyone else and I’m so thankful for your video because now I will not be buying the cheaper crap that never fully delivers.
Thank you for doing this video! I have just started painting with gouache, and a friend had gifted to me a set of Himi gouache to start out. My first painting actually had a gradient similar to this one in the colors I chose, and I had SO much trouble making a smooth blend. The paint felt sticky and it "dragged" across the paper horribly! I hoped the himi gouache would be a nice sketchbook alternative so I didnt have to use my expensive Holbein paints, but the difference is like night and day! Coming from a background of watercolor painting I love making smooth blends on the paper, and I've just decided that Himi just does not do it to my standards! lol. It's good to see an artist talking about the downsides to these paints since there's a lot of influencers out there who are ignoring it. Thank you for your input!!
This was also my experience with Himi Jelly Gouache. I am a huge fan of mixing my own colors and these somewhat separate on me and really don't marry well. That patchiness put me off on really painting with it. I use mine primarily for my junk journal these days. This was a great experiment, thank you for sharing. I think it's important to point out that, though fun, Himi Jelly Gouache simply isn't a good representation of the medium. Videos like this from people that have experience in the medium make a big difference.
I started with a $3 clearance starter pack of michaels-store brand gouache. Ofc I Fell in love with it and ordered the $30 pack on Amazon. It comes in tomorrow, and hope I like it because there’s no way my broke college student ass can afford paying $15 per tube of good paint.
I basically don't use acrylic gouache, or very rarely. If I have to, it's always gouache on top of acrylic gouache. The other way won't work. You can watch this video to know more: ruclips.net/video/wtKWFW53IK0/видео.html
I started with watercolours, then 2 years later bought Himi gouache to try. I just couldn't get it to work for me so I gave it away. I thought my failure was due to my inexperience with painting, in general. Now after another 2 more years of painting with watercolours, I want to try gouache again. I have a small Holbein tube set but am reluctant to use it (very expensive) and was thinking of buying Himi again. Thanks to your video, I've decided not to buy Himi again 😅. I'll go ahead and use my Holbein tubes 😃.Wonderful informative video! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
At the moment on amazon windsor and Newton decent variety of colours is cheaper than himi 24 colours... this review really helped me decide not tp get himi first. Last year I got kuretake gansai tambi watercolours because of the youtube hype and to this day I regret it, that purchase. I'm still frustrated with them after learning a lot about how to use them lol. That will teach me. I wish there had been a review like this about them. Thanks Cecile
It's so frustrating how materials that are harder to work with are geared towards beginners and some get discouraged thinking they're just a "bad artist"
I understand your points but it’s a review for who lives in the U.S. The country I'm from a Holbein set of primary colors is like 500 dollars, for us to start it’s more worth it with himi and is expensive the same. Thank you for this video, made me think about new things and want Holbein so bad hahahah ❤😂
Yes, I understand it's not suitable everywhere in the world. You have other good brands aside of Holbein, depending on where you live. If you look for 'artist quality' or 'extra-fine quality' you'll get a decent paint.
If you are a serious artist then yes, absolutely you need the professional paints for lightfastness however if not then HIMI are great. To be honest, I actually preferred the HIMI painting because of the texture lol, but that's just me. there were a lot of good points made but for someone that likes journaling or just messing about the HIMI ones are just great.
I have Been using himi to learn, and so far so good. But as my paint ends (guess wich color is already ending?), I will slowly change them for talens (more acessible for me, lightfast and professional, and has at least as many colors as my himi pallet). I train color theory and use it a lot -I also try to stick to pure pigments, at least with my watercolors -, but sometimes I am just lazy and want pretty colors fast 😅. Altought himi is not the best paint, it has a good pallete system for me personaly, one that I will use with better gouache paints in the future. But not everyone can say that... They do dry very fast...
I dont have expensive goauche paint but I bought gouache tube paint like Marie's and HIMI (for hobby purpose). At first I excited to try out HIMI, then I abandoned it due work and stress. When free time, HIMI got mold and have to remove the mold part and wet it using water + clove oil. I try to color like other artist does but the result is too patchy and color look muddy. So I stop using Himi. I watch Gouache paint tutorial and this time I used maries 12 color (for starter). Color from tube seems more fresh than used jelly. some maries color not opaque but I enjoy using it. I will buy expensive paint if I have money. Right now, Im just freelance but struggle to get a fulltime job. Thank you for your advice
It's always better to use tubes, even student quality. The most important is to have fun, the quality of your painting is not entirely connected to the quality of the paint you use.
I started with wn gouache and m.graham but omg gouache style uses so much paint! I had to try himi...I've been a paint artist for over 30 yrs (acrylic, watercolor) so to consume the copious amounts of paint i had to try himi...it doeshave it's plusses For my pro tubes, yes mixing colors is perfect... but i have to mix so much a convenience color tube makes more sense, so then, himi or any other affordable brand makes sense to use up
Well the comparison you have made in this video was the nail in the coffin for me. I am thinking of trying gouache and doing a lot of researches. I was going to get the cheap one to start (even cheaper than HIMI) but if it is not going to let me taste the idea of gouache paint, i don't think it's worth eventually. thank you for the great review and sharing.
this is your first video I watched, and I have to say I'm already hooked! You sound like such a lovely person! I started watercolor a few years ago both because I think it looks lovely, but also because my grandmother was a professional watercolorist. Unfortunately, by the time I picked it up, she was too unwell to share much of her knowledge. You make me think of her, and want to try gouache! I was considering Himi as a first palette, but your review helped me a lot. Thank you very much!
Yeah. I bought the smallest set of himi and for the price and the quantity of paint it was worth it for me. It's perfect for practicing when you don't want to compromise or waste good quality gouache. Like practice brushstrokes, precision, composition or doing quick studies. But for anything serious it sucks lol Mine had 3 colors that had so much binder that I had to remove it with a tissue because mixing the paint wasn't enough. And some colors dry glossy! And I forgot to say, one of my colors, prussian blue, smells like goat. Have you ever pet a goat and then have that cheese like smell in your hands? Like that.
I agree with Cecile Yadro 100%. I bought the Himi jellies first and I regret it. Jellies tends to dry out, you have to fish out clumps of paint to put in your palette, and if you have one color on your brush, you have to be careful to clean the brush before you grab more paint of a different color. Better by far to go to Hobby Lobby and buy a cheap and small set of gouache tubes to start off with. For $5.50, I got a Master's Touch set of 12 tubes, 12ml each. Not a great brand of paint but so much easier to work with than the jelly. If I decide I really like it, I will buy better paints.
Agree! I'd rather buy 6 good quality tubes and learn to mix, than a 20 set of.poot quality. I started with Schminke Akademie Gouache (4€ for 60ml) It is super creamy, lightfast and good quality. Plus, as it is not expensive it is not precious and I am not afraid to use it. I use an air tight palette to keep them moist and take paint out with a palette knife. No problems with opacity as they are very pigmented. A split primary set, plus white, black and burnt sienna. I can get 540ml of good quality gouache for under €40. Last forever and makes a great painting experience. Hope this helps!
I am a student and I would just like to experiment with gouache. I don't want to spend a lot of money on my paint because 1. I'm a student and I don't know if I will be able to commit to painting. With this do you think I could buy himi gouache as a beginner that just wants to try it out?
Honestly as a watercolor artist the cons don’t sound bad. Like, with watercolor pans you need to wash your brush between each color, you need to constantly moisturize it, etc. so it seems fine to me.
I understand that coming from watercolor, it's no big deal. But remember that gouache isn't supposed to be used like watercolor, but at a creamy consistency; If you let the paint dry like stone, you'll lose this consistency.
Wonderful and honest review. It doesn't tell you what to do and simply gives a fair comparison of two brands. A friend of mine uses Himi and I painted with her for a little bit. For some reason it didn't feel smooth and after your review I better understand why. Thank you so much!
I practiced with Himi to test if I like gouache. I just got serious with this medium and bought Holbein and am very excited ❤. The difference between the two looking at your video is incomparable. Holbein is bettwe in gradients.
I’ve had tube gouache dry up in the tube all to often. It’s easy to rewet Himi and easy to keep moist if you keep the lid closed tight when not in use. It is a good airtight container.
I love a good cheap art supply, but paint is not really something I would cut corners on. I used to think I hated using watercolors until I got a professional quality set, and now it's one of my favorite mediums. I bought a himi gouache set over a year ago and have not even opened it yet because I'm realizing how much of a hassle they are to store. I don't know if I'm ready to put in so much prep time before painting and continue to take care of it while it's not even in use... funny how the gimmick it relies on is also one of the biggest complaints against the product itself.
I appreciate honest reviews. I am playing with himi now but like understanding the short comings. I look forward to upgrading and the joy seeing my improvement. Plus the fun of “window shopping” and hunting for the best price
Because of you I bought the royal and langnickel gouache set in tubes and im in LOVE. I'm only a beginner but I understand why you say get the tubes. Thank you, thank you, thank you! ❤ Hope to catch a live soon!
l wanted to get R&L too but l saw reviews in some blogs of study people saying they were too cheap student grade that could limit the experience so l got concerned even if lm a beginner 😅lm on a budget so l was thinking of buying a set of obertone but lm thinking if its good or not 😢
@@hkhkhkhkhkhkhk honestly i bought a R&L set and it was very pale, then I bought the Himi gouache and I surprised by how vibrant and bright it is. So if you're into dull, low saturation look go for R&L, vibrant style go for something different
Poor Himi has been mistreated physically and verbally. 😁However, I can tell by your experiment that the Holbein flows smoothly and is lovely. Himi is not bad, but Holbein is for better work.
I bought Himi and I’m not too happy with my experience with them. It streaks and looks very bad and is hard to control. Lovely paints but bad experience especially for a beginner like me.
I think as long as you keep in mind the disadvantages of himi ( its not a good paint, clearly not as good as Holbein ) that its not bad to pick it up to practice with, I use Holbein gouache myself but it can be expensive to use it for practice, so I practice with the himi....which has saved me a small fortune and if I do something that I think kinda looks cool with the himi I use it as a reference while recreating it with my better supplies, I dont need to worry about giving something I started painting with himi to my kids and letting them finish it lol
@CecileYadro fair enough, it is difficult to work with, I prefer to think of it as more of a sketching tool, it helps to use it like watercolor initially to put down a base layer and gradually use thicker paint to avoid colors from lifting, plenty of things to not like about it honestly, but for just throwing some colors down and experimenting it's not the worst if you know what your doing, though I agree 100% starting with better stuff then himi is the best thing to do
I bought himi as a beginner in gouache ( they were oretty so.. yeah😅) it was a year ago, and ok, to be honest, if it weren't for my knowledge of watercolour and oil painting media, it would be quite the struggle. However i fell in love with goache thanks to Himi, and just ordered a set of shinhan gouache ( next try will be holbein - I already used their watercolours which are gorgeous). Himi well, to get decent results, you need to fight them.all.the.time! 😔My main problem was to get a correct mix ( either too thin or too gooey). This said, i had a bad case of mold with Talens grade gouaches, with Himi so far, never ( but I used filtered water, spritz them regularly for them not to dry, and am precious about not tainting the colours cup). All in all a fun experience, but I cannot wait to get better paints.😊
Why are you not talking about the price being one of the most influential factors in why beginners go with himi VS individual tubes from a premier paint brand? We artists know very well painting is not one of the most wallet-friendly hobbies/skills and puts many beginners off the idea of starting.
I'm also using gouache I love it and am a fan of himi Cups but I realise that himi gouche is like iPhone company. first they create a problem then they sell the solutions like it keeps dry so u use a string set to revive it and spray water then your colour start getting moulds so you buy a gouche spray for molds sometimes it feels like they're scamming by giving a reason to purchase unnecessary products to keep our gouche cup looks good on camera... What's your view?
I saw you on tik tok before saying don't buy himi gouache and it was like a divine sign cuz I was saving for the twin cup set because mine were already full of mold lol, so after seeing this video too I decided that I'm gonna buy the Holbein primary set! Thank you!
I have a question, i want to give my friend gouache paint for her graduation bc she loves to draw, should i buy her the tube one or himi one that looks like sauce pacgage?
Great tips! Sadly, I had to scrape and scrounge for all art supplies and Himi is a great starting point for me. Also, I have all my paint in one spot. I often don’t paint because I have chronic pain and getting up and down to switch out my paints due to limited space deters me. 😢
Thank you for sharing your experience! I'm really happy to hear that Himi is a good fit for you. Your determination to create despite the challenges is truly inspiring!
I'm very glad I looked up himi gouache before buying! A lot of the problems you mentioned would probably bother me a lot. The way you presented the video was really engaging by the way! I think it's because I can really tell you're passionate about gouache through the intensity of your words, and because of how much information and substance was in the video. Thanks for the info!
I find when working with Hemi it is better to use it with less water glazing doesn't work as well with it. But i personal like the fact that the background of the Hemi one was the way it was it looks like clouds or mist.
Very, very useful channel! Thank you for sharing Cecile. I have Himi and i can say that all what you said it's true. I' m beginner Gouache artist and i have those problems with the paint....I love my Himi, i don't fear to paint with a lot of paint on my paintings...and to "lose" a paint..for me the paint is good for very beginners....but when i finish my Himi, i will go definitely to paint in Tubes.
Do you have any suggestions for cheaper gouache sets that are still good quality? I'm a student wanting to get into gouache but I'm worried about Himi due to it being more tempera textured and I feel that could discourage me from painting in gouache and could cause to sensory issues. I really don't like tempera's texture. Holbein gouache sounds neat, but it's just too expensive for how many tubes it comes with for someone who doesn't have a job yet.
Here you will find a list of my favorite gouache supplies for three different budgets, I'm sure you'll find something for you: cecileyadro.com/favorite-gouache-materials/
I put my himis in a large ziplock bag and it stayed moist. I didn’t like the cups getting exposed and the box was not airtight but they were amazing when I started out. It’s cute shelf decoration now that I moved on to tubes.
Yessss finally someone is saying this about Him. Its packaging is sooo uncomfortable to use. And it is messy, I always got all over dirty, and needless to say how fast it dries
i just bought artist loft jelly Gouache because i wanted to try it. But i regret it. Jelly Gouache in general is a mess just trying to get the covers off. and since ive gotten it its a hassle trying to keep it wet.
@CecileYadro I found a solution for keeping jelly Gouache damp. I made a DIY wet pallette in a Tupperware container and put the jelly cups inside. So far, they have been keeping them damp for almost a month now.
Thank you!! I started out with Himi and thought I hated gouache. I had some Holbein that I was avoiding using because I didn’t want to waste it by not knowing what I was doing. I finally tried it and it was amazing. I’m not a great artist but everything I made with Holbein was amazing. It was so easy to use. I am spoiled for everything else.
It was a very interesting video! I am a manga artist in Japan, and having grown tired of digital work, I felt like playing with analog for a change. That's when I came across something interesting called HIMI. I think it's a cheap and good toy for personal enjoyment. HIMI inspired me to restart analog watercolor as a hobby. Since then, I've been trying out various brands. Holbein is affordable and common in Japan, but the export tariffs are high 😰 I hope it becomes cheaper with the weaker yen. I recently tried Schmincke gouache and it was very pleasant to use 🥰 I love your channel. It's always enlightening.
Thank you so much for your video!!! I don't buy this gouache. I very much time thought buy or don't this paints, but now I made a choise. Thank you so much!!!😀😃🥰
I use a palette knife to transfer paint from my Arrtx (also made by Himi, might even be the same paint) jelly cups to my palette. That way it all stays clean! I have made some cute paintings with my set but do struggle with layers reactivating too easily and muddying the final effect. It takes some skill to keep colours sharp with this brand. But do find them fun colours to work with and will continue to use my set!
its a good point made, if himi was a door opening into gouache that's great you can expand and feel comfortable with better paints, but if it doesn't work for you you might need to try another brand to see if its simply an incompatibility and not an issue of the medium. I've been a bit frustrated with my himi set but i think i might buy a few tubes of something better to see if its the medium or the brand.
it’s fine, just think how you’re not wasting very expensive paint as a beginner. Experiment with himi then after you’ve learned and finish the whole container then go buy a better one! Also Just saying you can still make good painting with these
I agree with you! Im a begginer in gouche, and I thought to buy Himi gouche...but, I would prefer to try another chepear product call Marie's Gouche, OMG! This gouches are a nightmare! They dry fast, they're translucent, not so opaque, they're not fluent on the paper, feel very dry, and you have to add much water, and then the opacity are gone! At first, I think it was me, becuase Im a beginner of course! But, I want to try another good gouche, Winsor and Newton designer gouche, and they're too different than the Marie's gouche! I loss my money in Marie's gouche! So...Thank you for your expertise about gouche 😊
What about the Sonnet Gouache? Do you think that one would be good for beginners? They come in little plastic jars with an air tight lid on them. And I know the Sonnet watercolors are good for beginners (Im using them myself).
@@CecileYadro I see, thanks. Sonnet is the student grade line by Nevskaya Palitra. A russian artists supply brand. Actually the one used by most russian professional artists and universities. They are very good quality and affordable. I highly recommend them.
@@CecileYadro "I'm starting to use gouache, and of course, I'm not going to use expensive paints to start with. I looked for references on RUclips and found great works using Himi paint."
I started with a large set of Himi gouache that I don’t really like. I then got Winsor Newton designer’s gouache 10 tubes from Amazon while it was on sale. The differences are amazing. However, I plan to use all of the Himi. It’s past the return window, and several colors are used quite a bit.
ya i regret trying himi my first time, its fun i hate that i had to open every single color from the start because when putting them back in the case the plastic overlaps. and two of my colors weren't even full. I ended up taping the plastic lids together and laying it over them to slow them from drying while i was painting
Thank you so much for this video! I already have cheap gouache colors at home and as you said i thought i didn´t like gouache. Now i wanted to try it again with some other gouache colors and thought about buying HIMI. Thankfully i came across your video and now i think i know what my issue with those colors was and why i wasnt able to enjoy painting as much as i wanted. I guess i will invest in a better brand :)
I have started with jelly gouache ( himi and i have a big palette of 56 himi or miya colors). And i really enjoy them. I really advice people to start with them, you know why? First because they have a big range of colors, that is not easy to find in gouache range. Second, because they aren't expensive but they still do a good work. Theres' not a lot of brandt that produce great gouache quality for a reasonable price (HOLBEIN are too expensive, and i wouldn't advice to buy a so expensive product for a beginner, that need to make a lot of test). So yes, i could really advice beginners to start with the himi or jelly gouache, for the range of colors and the quality that is not so bad. For example, i found the pebeo studio gouache (little tube) awful. Lots of granulation and we could see that the quality is bad (almost schoolar quality). But not with the Himi, that are far better. So if some could start with the little tube of pebeo studio gouache, i guess they could start with himi gouache even more, it would be their best choice. They could complete by buying little tube of winsor and newton, linel gouache, to have some quality tubes. But i could confess that i was able to make a great work with himi gouache. And most of all, they really have a big range of colors, which is rare to find in gouache. Jelly gouache is not expensive, and it could really allow beginners to make a lot of tests with it! Even if it's not a high quality, but finally it's the same for many others products. I think that sometimes, beginners need a big amount of paintings, just because they need to test. So sometimes you have to compromise a little with quality, to be able to have a first approach of a technic. On my channel, i have fews painting made with himi and jelly gouache. The painting with gradiant backround and black silhouette is not enough relevant for me (to be honest i totally dislike when i see artists making tutorial with this kind of painting), because it don't exploit all the potential of the gouache. Gouache could be used in watercolor mode, in opaque mode and finally this painting don't show this abilities. So we could hardly judge the potential of this gouache, if it's not used at his best potential.The black silhouette and gradiant background concept is too basic for me. But i saw your others paintings on your video, and they are very great.
I got my Himi gouache on sale for $12 USD. Im glad I purchased it. It is inferior to professional paints, but I personally added Winsor & Newton white gouache in my mixes of Himi and it made it work for me. I understand some people would not like to have to do that, but I already had the WN white gouache and it was the right thing for me with my budget when I first started gouache :)
Thank you very much for your video. You are so right. The Himi Gouache look amazing. I tested the gouache a while ago, but it was bad. At the moment I was thinking about trying it again. But after your video I definitely don't do that. I use Winsor and Netwon and Schmincke Designer Gouache and was very disappointed with the quality of the Himi Gouache. I will be very happy to watch your videos as you have a lot of gouache tips online. Thank you very much and warm greetings from Germany. Janine
I agree with all the points you made cent pour cent! First gouache I tried was faber-castell bottle gouaches and even though they each had caps I found them unusable after my first painting. It's funny that I see this video after what I shared about my own personal experience 😄 Thank you for the clear explanation❤
On a second note your Holbein gouache painting came out so beautiful! 💕I love your straightforwardness as well! You don't compromise on what you believe in as I see some artists do just to get popular and earn a few more bucks, unfortunately.
I just bought himi gouache. And Im just learning to paint. Omg i feel like this is gonna make things harder for me 😭 Also I have a fear of using tube paints. I always squeeze out more than i wanted, lol
thank you for the review. as someone who is just about to try gouache, your review is very interesting. I don't know what brands are good and suitable for beginners who are just learning like me. I was interested in buying himi because of the cheap price and the cute packaging. but after seeing your review, I don't think I'll try it.
You can see my Holbein review here: ruclips.net/video/Fk38RLbwex4/видео.html
I liked that you mentioned how it feels. That is very important in making choices about the medium and materials for me too.
I'm personally glad I started with Himi because, in my opinion, when learning a new art medium, it's very important to feel like you can 'waste' supplies
I find Himi to be decent quality still, and you get a *ton* for the price, starting with expensive supplies I feel like it's way too easy to get into a mindset where you're afraid of practicing since you don't have much of it, and most people can't afford to get frequent refills, I think it's common for beginner artists to be discouraged by early bad results and stress from wasting materials, starting with a cheap but decent paint you get a ton of was definitely the way to go for me
Having to mix every colour, while educational, can also I think feel overwhelming and unfun for a beginner and just contribute more to the 'wasted supply' issue, also preventing them from actually practicing
Having tried artist quality gouache now, it's absolutely lovely, but starting out with it as a beginner would have been a stressful nightmare, and I think I would not love gouache as much as I do if I did
Additionally, Himi being harder to control made me learn to adapt to it and control it well, which I think has served my gouache skills in general really well, to the point that I had an incredibly easy time painting with professional gouache
Not everyone's like me, if you think you wouldn't be worried about wasting paint, or if you can afford a ton of expensive paint regardless, that's fine, but I think for a lot of people, beginning with Himi gouache is the way to go
And for other people it will discourage them of gouache because it's more difficult to handle than quality paint. So I guess it's up to everyone!
@@CecileYadro Yeah, definitely! I don't think it's a cut and dry rule, I just wanted to share my experience too since I think it's a bit more complicated than "don't/do start with these supplies"
i agree with you, and also Himi makes me WANT to use gouache in the first place. i think it's a brand that popularize gouache as a medium especially to young people. I knew gouache paint years before Himi, but want to try because of how pretty Himi is. I love it!
@@CecileYadro I agree with you. When I tried to paint with Himi, the lack of opacity and vibrancy, as well as the inconsistency, made me feel really uninspired and I thought gouache wasn't for me. But when I painted with Winsor & Newton gouache, it was a completely different experience and I found myself in love with the process
@@CecileYadroexactly! HIMI was my first gouache and it was such a frustrating experience for me!!!! I finally got a set of Holbein and WN primary sets. Those two little sets made me realize it was the paint not me!!!! I bought a little tube every month. The wonderful thing about the little sets is it forces you to learn color theory and makes your composition cohesive.
A bit unfair to be comparing student grade Himi to artist grade paints, don't you think?
Sure!
I agree with you but in my experience, even as a beginner if you try better quality paints then there is no going back. Your art improves drastically
I do agree with you but I can’t afford Holbein and just purchased Himi so I will use it to practice. I watched another gouache artist who recommended Daler Rowney Designer gouache which was very good for the price.
Life aint fair.
@@artistgenixpriyanshigupta752 Beautifully said!
Jelly gouache is the primary paint(lower than studio paint) used in the Chinese art college entrance examination due to its convenience, affordability, wide range of colors, and well-blended pre-made colors. It's evident that these advantages are unrelated to the quality of the paint itself; they were created primarily to meet the demand for practicing exam-oriented gouache painting, where paint quality is not a major concern. The disadvantages, on the other hand, are apparent: low pigment content, inaccurate color rendering, lack of single pigments, muddy results when mixing multiple colors, decreased saturation when the paint dries, and low lightfastness. It is still recommended for beginners to purchase artist-grade paints to start their interest in painting. This ensures longer-lasting quality, helps develop a systematic understanding of colors, and demonstrates responsibility for one's own artwork.
Very interesting, thank you!
What are the two brushes you use and where can I get them?
I will say.
DO begin gouache painting with himi
As someone who's had the set for months now. These are the pros and cons.
Pro's:
1.If you get your paints dirty as shown in the thumbnail. Give them a mix and add some water. It will become almost identical to when you first opened it.
2. It's cheap
3. Colour selection is amazing, vibrant and opaque.
4. If they dry out,just give all of the paints some water and mix them. It will become good as new.
5. They last a long time
Cons:
1. They dry out easily. (Put them in the fridge they won't dry out then)
...I don't have anything else to complain about.
Thanks for your point of view.
Aww, no, I really love my Himis! I do use a pallet so I don’t contaminate the cups and I added a plastic seal to my lid which stops them from drying out. So far I’ve had great results with them but I haven’t tried any other brand of gouache so have no comparison. I’m mainly a watercolour painter.
As I said in the video some people have good results with it, so keep going! but imagine what I would be with another brand?
Exactly the same! I got artist grade tempera in tubes and himis at the same time and they both feel good to use, but I have no comparison to other gouache as well.
I keep mine in 2 plastic bags and spray with water about once a week, how did you add a seal to yours? I might just do that instead lol
@Turtle Soup I cut a piece of paper a quarter inch smaller that the top of the plastic box that holds all the paint pots then I laminated it and cut it down, bit by bit, until it was a perfect fit. I then rest that on top of the paints before putting the lid on and - this is really important with the Himis - firmly pressing down all the way around the edge of the lid, don’t just close the clips, you need to press it down all the way around the edge to make sure it’s tightly sealed. I opened mine last week after not using them since September and they were perfect.
@@pennybunty holy crap that is so innovative, thank you so much! I'm going to rehydrate my gouache soon so I'll have to try this out then. Do you have the smaller gouache kit, like the 18 or 24-cup ones, or the huge 52-cup one? The clips on mine aren't super great
I agree! Much better to spend the same amount on a set of professional primaries than Himi. I bought a set of himi because I thought I would like it for sketchbooking and not feeling like I’m “wasting paint” practicing with my expensive paints. But they are so different I don’t like using them. Better to practice with the materials I want to paint my finished work in anyway, so I can be ready!
Saaaaame!
Same !!!! I learn more with artist grade than these awful Himi I have .
I’ve had my Himi for 2 years now… I keep the mid palette lid over top then store in a ziplock bag then click the top lid on… mine are still wet, not mouldy and I’ve never sprayed them with water or used glycerine 🤗
wow! impressive!
awesome! thank you so muchfor sharing this! i just got a himi gouache set for my bday and i want to make sure i dont destroy it XD
I wish I saw more reviews like this before I bought HIMI :( I haven't painted in years, I bought the set like many people are saying to do some shitty practice pieces, but I find them so much harder to control than when I'm painting with holbien. Even though my skills are not what they once were, I feel like I can tell the difference.
Thanks for your messag
I had the same experience and I paint pretty frequently. I just don’t like how they perform.. it’s so different from what I’m used to. I just don’t pick it up as much as I thought I would. I might try it for sketching but all in all I don’t really like it.
You are right about Himi. I am a beginner and the Himi sessions always turn out making me think I am a worse artist/painter than I am. Omg my mini Holbein primary set is divine. I use it and think ‘ok I am not that bad’. The experience is something else. Buy small tubes of artist gouache. I am glad you made this video.
I'm so happy to read this! Thank you for your message!
For whatever it's worth, I've had good experience with mixing watercolor with poster color using barely any water. The result looks matte and vibrant like gouache, but it doesn't reactivate so it's hard to do blending. I did this because I detest my watercolor set, but I can't bring myself to throw it away 😅. Just share my experience for anyone who can't buy gouache yet, but don't want to skip painting.
That's an idea!
you could give it to someone. there are buy nothing groups.
Thank you for ur review:) key point is it is cheap, and performance is good for the price. It aims art students. They practicing a lot daily, a spray is good enough to keep the pallet wet before 30ml paint is used up and periodically cleaning of paint surface can remove dirty colors. For art lover who does not practice a large amount, of course it is not a good choice :)
Although, even for students, the painting experience is not great!
I just got my HIMI set last weekend... the 52 color set. I am in LOVE with it but I can definitely see how the things you pointed out can be issues for some. And I also absolutely plan on getting the tube gouache as well (probably Holbein) because I love experimenting with all different types/brands. Happy painting and thank you for your tips!
Happy painting too! It's good to know some love Himi!
😊 I enjoy my Himi. It’s lovely for my thin-paged journals and coloring books. It’s a crafting media for me, so for those uses, it’s perfect. :)
I totally agree!
Been using my himi for 3 years now and never had any problems. One of the best sets ive spent my money on.
You're one of the people who can work with Himi, and I'm happy you're enjoying it!
Thanks for your video! I just bought my first HIMI box because I’ve been seeing so many fantastic paintings on RUclips using HIMI gouache. And opening the little containers was soooooooo satisfying ❤ But I’m having the same concerns about drying out, contamination, pigments and lightfastness.
I’ve mostly painted with acrylics, so I’ve been exploring watercolors and gouache. My children love to paint, too, but acrylics is always a big mess and I feel like they miss the opacity and creaminess in watercolors. So I wanted a set of gouache that I could share with them without draining my wallet (and can be washed out of clothes) 🤣 Once I have a feeling for paint-water-ratio, layering, etc. I will open my Winsor and Newton professional set and surrender HIMI to the kids. But the first little painting/coloring I did did not disappoint at all and I’m excited to paint more with them
Himi is perfect for kids: fun, lots of colors, easy to wash. That's how I would use it!
If you want a happy medium try acrylic gouache which is matte acrylic without adding medium. You get beautiful layers that don’t reactivate and the matteness of regular gouache. Holbein acrylca is my favorite
I wish someone made this 2 years ago before I bought my himi, I always thought I've been doing something wrong
Oh! no! it’s not you!
I was new to gouache and got sucked in by the cute HIMI packaging. I tried it and thought ‘meh’. I didn’t really get why you’d use it coming from a watercolour background. The HIMI just got shelved. Then I tried some Windsor & Newton Designer gouache and loved it immediately. W&N vs HIMI are like night and day! However, now I’m learning and loving gouache I will revisit the HIMI, but with more realistic expectations!! 😊
Happy painting!
While these are all true points... I just can't do it. I bought a small set of Holbein and they are AH-MAZE-INGGG. But I'm trying to figure out color tiling and consistency and all this other stuff that seems to take a lot of practice to develop a sense for. And I just can't bring myself to use expensive paint on the regular for that. When I try to, I just don't paint. I've started dishing out the Himi paint in limited palettes in a stay-wet setup and it's going so much better - using it nearly daily for practice and taking out the pro gouache every week or two to remind myself what good paint feels like 🥰
That’s a good point, it’s better to paint with Himi than not painting at all!
I always try to discourage beginners from using 'cheap' supplies. I think they are starting at a disadvantage and can poison the entire experience. You don't have to get an entire set or the most expensive, but you need to use good, quality supplies in order to help you feel good about a new technique or supply and have fun with it instead of dodging the obsticles that sub-par supplies have. It is far preferred to get just the basic colors in a high quality paint rather than 40 sub-par colors that won't perform well. Thank you for this video. :)
So so so true! Exactly what I stand for! Thanks for your message.
When I was a kid I thought I hated paints and especially watercolor because those cheap little crayola pans were poisoning my experience all the way back then lol
Not everyone is in a position to get proffessional supplies and the example in this video is such a small difference. A beginner isnt going to be analyzing their work to the extreme at which was shown here. Someone starting out is trying new things. Be it different paints, brushes, paper, technique, or the object which they are painting and I think there is something to be said for the exploration in finding what they like and dont like when making their own art. Turning noses because its "cheap" and telling beginners its a disadvantage is more discouraging to read than having them use HIMI paints. Smh.
@@IIKosmosII I respect your thoughts, but as a teacher for over 30 years, I have seen more students discontinue because of faulty supplies than anything. I do believe that there are inexpensive,yet decent supplies available. I never said that anyone needs to get the top brands. I really thought I made that clear. I think you misunderstood me.
@@SheilaLandryit’s inexpensive and usable though there are issues but they aren’t so massive you can’t learn and explore.
Me watching this with my jelly gouache paints beside me.
😁😉
Friends don't let friends use Himi gouache
I love this!
Love himi, I use it mostly in a sketchbook, so I don’t care much about lightfastness, I like the variety of colors, and I do use my pallet knife so it is really clean :-) other than that I use Talens gouache and W&N. I’d love to try the Holbein. But they are much too expensive for me, if I buy a small basic set ide lose a lot of paint when mixing the right color, and I never know how much I need! So i’ll Dream about Holbein while I use my cheaper versions of gouache :-)
But I forgot to thank you for your review, I do enjoy your videos
I get that! Colors and price are appealing!
Thanks!
@@avigail5356 I just watched a Reeves/Arteza/Holbein gouache comparison and she showed she actually used wayyyy less gouache with the Holbein even tho she only had 3 primaries and a black white of Holbein compared to 24 colours of the other 2… and she had to mix every colour compared to them… so I wouldn’t be scared about that!
@@cazkiwinz4300 True, still it is an estimation of how much you need to mix... don't get me wrong, I'd love to get the Holbein one day, until then, I practice with what I have :-)
I just watched this after I told my dad I wanted gouache, and honestly Im glad he doesnt trust online stores, so now I’ll be able to go to the store and I’ll make sure to get the tube gouache
Happy painting!
Thank you for your video! I am a professional watercolor artist and I’ve been seeing a lot of videos on gouache lately. Would like to try it of course like anyone else and I’m so thankful for your video because now I will not be buying the cheaper crap that never fully delivers.
Hehehe 😜
Thank you for doing this video! I have just started painting with gouache, and a friend had gifted to me a set of Himi gouache to start out. My first painting actually had a gradient similar to this one in the colors I chose, and I had SO much trouble making a smooth blend. The paint felt sticky and it "dragged" across the paper horribly! I hoped the himi gouache would be a nice sketchbook alternative so I didnt have to use my expensive Holbein paints, but the difference is like night and day! Coming from a background of watercolor painting I love making smooth blends on the paper, and I've just decided that Himi just does not do it to my standards! lol.
It's good to see an artist talking about the downsides to these paints since there's a lot of influencers out there who are ignoring it. Thank you for your input!!
You’re welcome!
This was also my experience with Himi Jelly Gouache. I am a huge fan of mixing my own colors and these somewhat separate on me and really don't marry well. That patchiness put me off on really painting with it. I use mine primarily for my junk journal these days.
This was a great experiment, thank you for sharing. I think it's important to point out that, though fun, Himi Jelly Gouache simply isn't a good representation of the medium. Videos like this from people that have experience in the medium make a big difference.
Thanks a lot! your comment warms my heart.
I started with a $3 clearance starter pack of michaels-store brand gouache. Ofc I Fell in love with it and ordered the $30 pack on Amazon. It comes in tomorrow, and hope I like it because there’s no way my broke college student ass can afford paying $15 per tube of good paint.
You’re lucky to have a good first experience with the very cheap brand. and good to see you’re getting better paint!
Do you prefer using Acrylic Gouache over Gouache or the other way around?
I basically don't use acrylic gouache, or very rarely. If I have to, it's always gouache on top of acrylic gouache. The other way won't work. You can watch this video to know more: ruclips.net/video/wtKWFW53IK0/видео.html
I started with watercolours, then 2 years later bought Himi gouache to try. I just couldn't get it to work for me so I gave it away. I thought my failure was due to my inexperience with painting, in general. Now after another 2 more years of painting with watercolours, I want to try gouache again. I have a small Holbein tube set but am reluctant to use it (very expensive) and was thinking of buying Himi again. Thanks to your video, I've decided not to buy Himi again 😅. I'll go ahead and use my Holbein tubes 😃.Wonderful informative video! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Yes, yes, yes! I hope you'll love gouache with Holbein!
At the moment on amazon windsor and Newton decent variety of colours is cheaper than himi 24 colours... this review really helped me decide not tp get himi first. Last year I got kuretake gansai tambi watercolours because of the youtube hype and to this day I regret it, that purchase. I'm still frustrated with them after learning a lot about how to use them lol. That will teach me. I wish there had been a review like this about them. Thanks Cecile
It's so frustrating how materials that are harder to work with are geared towards beginners and some get discouraged thinking they're just a "bad artist"
EXACTLY!!!!!!!
I understand your points but it’s a review for who lives in the U.S. The country I'm from a Holbein set of primary colors is like 500 dollars, for us to start it’s more worth it with himi and is expensive the same. Thank you for this video, made me think about new things and want Holbein so bad hahahah ❤😂
Yes, I understand it's not suitable everywhere in the world. You have other good brands aside of Holbein, depending on where you live. If you look for 'artist quality' or 'extra-fine quality' you'll get a decent paint.
If you are a serious artist then yes, absolutely you need the professional paints for lightfastness however if not then HIMI are great. To be honest, I actually preferred the HIMI painting because of the texture lol, but that's just me. there were a lot of good points made but for someone that likes journaling or just messing about the HIMI ones are just great.
Sure!
I have Been using himi to learn, and so far so good. But as my paint ends (guess wich color is already ending?), I will slowly change them for talens (more acessible for me, lightfast and professional, and has at least as many colors as my himi pallet). I train color theory and use it a lot -I also try to stick to pure pigments, at least with my watercolors -, but sometimes I am just lazy and want pretty colors fast 😅. Altought himi is not the best paint, it has a good pallete system for me personaly, one that I will use with better gouache paints in the future. But not everyone can say that... They do dry very fast...
I bet you’ve finished the white!
I dont have expensive goauche paint but I bought gouache tube paint like Marie's and HIMI (for hobby purpose). At first I excited to try out HIMI, then I abandoned it due work and stress. When free time, HIMI got mold and have to remove the mold part and wet it using water + clove oil. I try to color like other artist does but the result is too patchy and color look muddy. So I stop using Himi. I watch Gouache paint tutorial and this time I used maries 12 color (for starter). Color from tube seems more fresh than used jelly. some maries color not opaque but I enjoy using it.
I will buy expensive paint if I have money. Right now, Im just freelance but struggle to get a fulltime job. Thank you for your advice
It's always better to use tubes, even student quality. The most important is to have fun, the quality of your painting is not entirely connected to the quality of the paint you use.
@@CecileYadroThank you for your advice 😊
Holbein result is better obviously, but the price is 10 times more than himi. Thank you for your video!
Thanks for watching!
I started with wn gouache and m.graham but omg gouache style uses so much paint! I had to try himi...I've been a paint artist for over 30 yrs (acrylic, watercolor) so to consume the copious amounts of paint i had to try himi...it doeshave it's plusses
For my pro tubes, yes mixing colors is perfect... but i have to mix so much a convenience color tube makes more sense, so then, himi or any other affordable brand makes sense to use up
It depends on your style. but yes gouache can consume a lot of paint.
Well the comparison you have made in this video was the nail in the coffin for me. I am thinking of trying gouache and doing a lot of researches. I was going to get the cheap one to start (even cheaper than HIMI) but if it is not going to let me taste the idea of gouache paint, i don't think it's worth eventually. thank you for the great review and sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
this is your first video I watched, and I have to say I'm already hooked! You sound like such a lovely person! I started watercolor a few years ago both because I think it looks lovely, but also because my grandmother was a professional watercolorist. Unfortunately, by the time I picked it up, she was too unwell to share much of her knowledge. You make me think of her, and want to try gouache! I was considering Himi as a first palette, but your review helped me a lot. Thank you very much!
Thank you so much!! You have a lot of other gouache videos on the channel for you to watch.
Yeah. I bought the smallest set of himi and for the price and the quantity of paint it was worth it for me. It's perfect for practicing when you don't want to compromise or waste good quality gouache. Like practice brushstrokes, precision, composition or doing quick studies. But for anything serious it sucks lol Mine had 3 colors that had so much binder that I had to remove it with a tissue because mixing the paint wasn't enough. And some colors dry glossy!
And I forgot to say, one of my colors, prussian blue, smells like goat. Have you ever pet a goat and then have that cheese like smell in your hands? Like that.
😂 love the goat smell!!!
I agree with Cecile Yadro 100%. I bought the Himi jellies first and I regret it. Jellies tends to dry out, you have to fish out clumps of paint to put in your palette, and if you have one color on your brush, you have to be careful to clean the brush before you grab more paint of a different color. Better by far to go to Hobby Lobby and buy a cheap and small set of gouache tubes to start off with. For $5.50, I got a Master's Touch set of 12 tubes, 12ml each. Not a great brand of paint but so much easier to work with than the jelly. If I decide I really like it, I will buy better paints.
Good way to to, try with cheap tubes and get better quality if you like it!
For me jelly gouache was amazing, it helped me learn and get on with the new medium
Great!
Holbein is super pricy though. Out of many peoples reach. How about a set that is midrange price?
I do have other options in three budget range here: cecileyadro.com/favorite-gouache-materials/
@@CecileYadro yes after watching several of your videos I did find it. Thank you for the reply. :) I really appreciate it.
Agree! I'd rather buy 6 good quality tubes and learn to mix, than a 20 set of.poot quality. I started with Schminke Akademie Gouache (4€ for 60ml) It is super creamy, lightfast and good quality. Plus, as it is not expensive it is not precious and I am not afraid to use it. I use an air tight palette to keep them moist and take paint out with a palette knife. No problems with opacity as they are very pigmented. A split primary set, plus white, black and burnt sienna. I can get 540ml of good quality gouache for under €40. Last forever and makes a great painting experience. Hope this helps!
Love this mindset!
I am a student and I would just like to experiment with gouache. I don't want to spend a lot of money on my paint because 1. I'm a student and I don't know if I will be able to commit to painting. With this do you think I could buy himi gouache as a beginner that just wants to try it out?
I think it would be better to get Arteza to begin instead of Himi. You'll have a better experience. And it's a low budget as well.
Honestly as a watercolor artist the cons don’t sound bad. Like, with watercolor pans you need to wash your brush between each color, you need to constantly moisturize it, etc. so it seems fine to me.
I understand that coming from watercolor, it's no big deal. But remember that gouache isn't supposed to be used like watercolor, but at a creamy consistency; If you let the paint dry like stone, you'll lose this consistency.
Wonderful and honest review. It doesn't tell you what to do and simply gives a fair comparison of two brands. A friend of mine uses Himi and I painted with her for a little bit. For some reason it didn't feel smooth and after your review I better understand why. Thank you so much!
Happy it was helpful!
I practiced with Himi to test if I like gouache. I just got serious with this medium and bought Holbein and am very excited ❤. The difference between the two looking at your video is incomparable. Holbein is bettwe in gradients.
Welcome to the gouache family!
I’ve had tube gouache dry up in the tube all to often. It’s easy to rewet Himi and easy to keep moist if you keep the lid closed tight when not in use. It is a good airtight container.
I don’t know which brand you used or how old was your tube, but I never had a gouache dry inside a tube.
I love a good cheap art supply, but paint is not really something I would cut corners on. I used to think I hated using watercolors until I got a professional quality set, and now it's one of my favorite mediums. I bought a himi gouache set over a year ago and have not even opened it yet because I'm realizing how much of a hassle they are to store. I don't know if I'm ready to put in so much prep time before painting and continue to take care of it while it's not even in use... funny how the gimmick it relies on is also one of the biggest complaints against the product itself.
Yes, that's a good way to see it!
My main media is watercolour, but I do have a himi set which works wonderfully! I use it for my more anime/ cartoon styles Becuase of the opacity
Happy to see it works for you!
I appreciate honest reviews. I am playing with himi now but like understanding the short comings. I look forward to upgrading and the joy seeing my improvement. Plus the fun of “window shopping” and hunting for the best price
hehe!
Because of you I bought the royal and langnickel gouache set in tubes and im in LOVE. I'm only a beginner but I understand why you say get the tubes. Thank you, thank you, thank you! ❤ Hope to catch a live soon!
I'm so glad!
l wanted to get R&L too but l saw reviews in some blogs of study people saying they were too cheap student grade that could limit the experience so l got concerned even if lm a beginner 😅lm on a budget so l was thinking of buying a set of obertone but lm thinking if its good or not 😢
@@hkhkhkhkhkhkhk honestly i bought a R&L set and it was very pale, then I bought the Himi gouache and I surprised by how vibrant and bright it is. So if you're into dull, low saturation look go for R&L, vibrant style go for something different
Poor Himi has been mistreated physically and verbally. 😁However, I can tell by your experiment that the Holbein flows smoothly and is lovely. Himi is not bad, but Holbein is for better work.
Well said!
I bought Himi and I’m not too happy with my experience with them. It streaks and looks very bad and is hard to control. Lovely paints but bad experience especially for a beginner like me.
Sorry to hear that
Oh my, I am watching this video after buying the himi 😅 I will use it to learn and then I will definitely try the tubes!
Have fun!
I think as long as you keep in mind the disadvantages of himi ( its not a good paint, clearly not as good as Holbein ) that its not bad to pick it up to practice with, I use Holbein gouache myself but it can be expensive to use it for practice, so I practice with the himi....which has saved me a small fortune and if I do something that I think kinda looks cool with the himi I use it as a reference while recreating it with my better supplies, I dont need to worry about giving something I started painting with himi to my kids and letting them finish it lol
Well, it depends if you manage to do something with Himi. Some people are unable to do it.
@CecileYadro fair enough, it is difficult to work with, I prefer to think of it as more of a sketching tool, it helps to use it like watercolor initially to put down a base layer and gradually use thicker paint to avoid colors from lifting, plenty of things to not like about it honestly, but for just throwing some colors down and experimenting it's not the worst if you know what your doing, though I agree 100% starting with better stuff then himi is the best thing to do
I bought himi as a beginner in gouache ( they were oretty so.. yeah😅) it was a year ago, and ok, to be honest, if it weren't for my knowledge of watercolour and oil painting media, it would be quite the struggle. However i fell in love with goache thanks to Himi, and just ordered a set of shinhan gouache ( next try will be holbein - I already used their watercolours which are gorgeous). Himi well, to get decent results, you need to fight them.all.the.time! 😔My main problem was to get a correct mix ( either too thin or too gooey). This said, i had a bad case of mold with Talens grade gouaches, with Himi so far, never ( but I used filtered water, spritz them regularly for them not to dry, and am precious about not tainting the colours cup). All in all a fun experience, but I cannot wait to get better paints.😊
And I bet you'll love it!
Wow! So, I am new to gouache and thought it was me using them wrong! I am totally going to buy some tube paints now. haha.
Ah yes!!! good to read this!
Why are you not talking about the price being one of the most influential factors in why beginners go with himi VS individual tubes from a premier paint brand? We artists know very well painting is not one of the most wallet-friendly hobbies/skills and puts many beginners off the idea of starting.
Ah, I see you mentioned it briefly at the end, my aplologies.
😉
I'm also using gouache I love it and am a fan of himi Cups but I realise that himi gouche is like iPhone company. first they create a problem then they sell the solutions like it keeps dry so u use a string set to revive it and spray water then your colour start getting moulds so you buy a gouche spray for molds sometimes it feels like they're scamming by giving a reason to purchase unnecessary products to keep our gouche cup looks good on camera... What's your view?
Maybe, not sure! You can just add distilled water to your paint to avoid mold.
I saw you on tik tok before saying don't buy himi gouache and it was like a divine sign cuz I was saving for the twin cup set because mine were already full of mold lol, so after seeing this video too I decided that I'm gonna buy the Holbein primary set! Thank you!
great to see that!!!
I usually use a watercolor base for the backround
Yes, I do that too sometimes.
I have a question, i want to give my friend gouache paint for her graduation bc she loves to draw, should i buy her the tube one or himi one that looks like sauce pacgage?
I bet if you watch the video you'll get your answer!
Great tips! Sadly, I had to scrape and scrounge for all art supplies and Himi is a great starting point for me. Also, I have all my paint in one spot. I often don’t paint because I have chronic pain and getting up and down to switch out my paints due to limited space deters me. 😢
Thank you for sharing your experience! I'm really happy to hear that Himi is a good fit for you. Your determination to create despite the challenges is truly inspiring!
I'm very glad I looked up himi gouache before buying! A lot of the problems you mentioned would probably bother me a lot. The way you presented the video was really engaging by the way! I think it's because I can really tell you're passionate about gouache through the intensity of your words, and because of how much information and substance was in the video. Thanks for the info!
Thanks a lot for your message!
I find when working with Hemi it is better to use it with less water glazing doesn't work as well with it. But i personal like the fact that the background of the Hemi one was the way it was it looks like clouds or mist.
yes, you can achieve nice things with Himi too.
Very, very useful channel! Thank you for sharing Cecile. I have Himi and i can say that all what you said it's true. I' m beginner Gouache artist and i have those problems with the paint....I love my Himi, i don't fear to paint with a lot of paint on my paintings...and to "lose" a paint..for me the paint is good for very beginners....but when i finish my Himi, i will go definitely to paint in Tubes.
Thank you for your message!
Do you have any suggestions for cheaper gouache sets that are still good quality? I'm a student wanting to get into gouache but I'm worried about Himi due to it being more tempera textured and I feel that could discourage me from painting in gouache and could cause to sensory issues. I really don't like tempera's texture. Holbein gouache sounds neat, but it's just too expensive for how many tubes it comes with for someone who doesn't have a job yet.
Here you will find a list of my favorite gouache supplies for three different budgets, I'm sure you'll find something for you: cecileyadro.com/favorite-gouache-materials/
@@CecileYadrothank you so much!
I put my himis in a large ziplock bag and it stayed moist. I didn’t like the cups getting exposed and the box was not airtight but they were amazing when I started out. It’s cute shelf decoration now that I moved on to tubes.
Tubes are easier!!!
Yessss finally someone is saying this about Him. Its packaging is sooo uncomfortable to use. And it is messy, I always got all over dirty, and needless to say how fast it dries
Soooo true!
Thank you for your demonstration and your point of view. It was helpful
Glad it was helpful!
i just bought artist loft jelly Gouache because i wanted to try it. But i regret it. Jelly Gouache in general is a mess just trying to get the covers off. and since ive gotten it its a hassle trying to keep it wet.
Just what I was saying to someone yesterday!
@@CecileYadro Its a neat idea but i feel like who ever came up with the idea did not think it through.
@CecileYadro I found a solution for keeping jelly Gouache damp. I made a DIY wet pallette in a Tupperware container and put the jelly cups inside. So far, they have been keeping them damp for almost a month now.
Himi gouache - about 1000 rubels for 18 paints
Holbein gouache - about 15000 rubles for same amount
So I prefer himi please :D
Sure, I get that!
I mean you really didn’t put into consideration the price 😂😂
No! I was just talking about quality. But as they say, you get what you pay for!
Holbein is so much more expresive . To campare dont feel really fare to me. Thats just my thought
Thank you!! I started out with Himi and thought I hated gouache. I had some Holbein that I was avoiding using because I didn’t want to waste it by not knowing what I was doing. I finally tried it and it was amazing. I’m not a great artist but everything I made with Holbein was amazing. It was so easy to use. I am spoiled for everything else.
this is exactly why I made this video, so more people can truly enjoy gouache.
Omg I had the same experience as you. Ended up hating them and the medium.
It was a very interesting video! I am a manga artist in Japan, and having grown tired of digital work, I felt like playing with analog for a change. That's when I came across something interesting called HIMI. I think it's a cheap and good toy for personal enjoyment. HIMI inspired me to restart analog watercolor as a hobby. Since then, I've been trying out various brands. Holbein is affordable and common in Japan, but the export tariffs are high 😰 I hope it becomes cheaper with the weaker yen. I recently tried Schmincke gouache and it was very pleasant to use 🥰 I love your channel. It's always enlightening.
Thanks a lot! I wish I could come to Japan to buy Holbein!!!!
Amazing video! It's all I needed to know right now. Thank you! 💖
Happy to help!
Thank you so much for your video!!! I don't buy this gouache. I very much time thought buy or don't this paints, but now I made a choise.
Thank you so much!!!😀😃🥰
Glad it was helpful!
I use a palette knife to transfer paint from my Arrtx (also made by Himi, might even be the same paint) jelly cups to my palette. That way it all stays clean! I have made some cute paintings with my set but do struggle with layers reactivating too easily and muddying the final effect. It takes some skill to keep colours sharp with this brand. But do find them fun colours to work with and will continue to use my set!
Have fun!
its a good point made, if himi was a door opening into gouache that's great you can expand and feel comfortable with better paints, but if it doesn't work for you you might need to try another brand to see if its simply an incompatibility and not an issue of the medium. I've been a bit frustrated with my himi set but i think i might buy a few tubes of something better to see if its the medium or the brand.
Happy to read that you didn't stop gouache because of Himi!
*me who already brought himi gouache as a beginner 👁️👄👁️*
😕
it’s fine, just think how you’re not wasting very expensive paint as a beginner. Experiment with himi then after you’ve learned and finish the whole container then go buy a better one!
Also Just saying you can still make good painting with these
I agree with you! Im a begginer in gouche, and I thought to buy Himi gouche...but, I would prefer to try another chepear product call Marie's Gouche, OMG! This gouches are a nightmare! They dry fast, they're translucent, not so opaque, they're not fluent on the paper, feel very dry, and you have to add much water, and then the opacity are gone! At first, I think it was me, becuase Im a beginner of course! But, I want to try another good gouche, Winsor and Newton designer gouche, and they're too different than the Marie's gouche! I loss my money in Marie's gouche! So...Thank you for your expertise about gouche 😊
You're welcome! Enjoy!
@@CecileYadro thank you!😊
What about the Sonnet Gouache? Do you think that one would be good for beginners? They come in little plastic jars with an air tight lid on them. And I know the Sonnet watercolors are good for beginners (Im using them myself).
Sorry, I don't know this brand.
@@CecileYadro I see, thanks.
Sonnet is the student grade line by Nevskaya Palitra. A russian artists supply brand. Actually the one used by most russian professional artists and universities. They are very good quality and affordable. I highly recommend them.
did you compare himi to holbein? is this a paint that costs the same?
Of course they don't cost the same. My whole point was to show that quality paint makes a huge difference when you begin gouache.
@@CecileYadro "I'm starting to use gouache, and of course, I'm not going to use expensive paints to start with. I looked for references on RUclips and found great works using Himi paint."
I started with a large set of Himi gouache that I don’t really like. I then got Winsor Newton designer’s gouache 10 tubes from Amazon while it was on sale. The differences are amazing. However, I plan to use all of the Himi. It’s past the return window, and several colors are used quite a bit.
Good point not to waste the paint! I’ve given mine to my daughter!
ya i regret trying himi my first time, its fun i hate that i had to open every single color from the start because when putting them back in the case the plastic overlaps. and two of my colors weren't even full. I ended up taping the plastic lids together and laying it over them to slow them from drying while i was painting
Wow! you must live in a very hot weather!
Thank you so much for this video! I already have cheap gouache colors at home and as you said i thought i didn´t like gouache. Now i wanted to try it again with some other gouache colors and thought about buying HIMI. Thankfully i came across your video and now i think i know what my issue with those colors was and why i wasnt able to enjoy painting as much as i wanted. I guess i will invest in a better brand :)
Glad it was helpful!
I have started with jelly gouache ( himi and i have a big palette of 56 himi or miya colors). And i really enjoy them. I really advice people to start with them, you know why?
First because they have a big range of colors, that is not easy to find in gouache range.
Second, because they aren't expensive but they still do a good work.
Theres' not a lot of brandt that produce great gouache quality for a reasonable price (HOLBEIN are too expensive, and i wouldn't advice to buy a so expensive product for a beginner, that need to make a lot of test).
So yes, i could really advice beginners to start with the himi or jelly gouache, for the range of colors and the quality that is not so bad. For example, i found the pebeo studio gouache (little tube) awful. Lots of granulation and we could see that the quality is bad (almost schoolar quality).
But not with the Himi, that are far better.
So if some could start with the little tube of pebeo studio gouache, i guess they could start with himi gouache even more, it would be their best choice.
They could complete by buying little tube of winsor and newton, linel gouache, to have some quality tubes.
But i could confess that i was able to make a great work with himi gouache.
And most of all, they really have a big range of colors, which is rare to find in gouache.
Jelly gouache is not expensive, and it could really allow beginners to make a lot of tests with it!
Even if it's not a high quality, but finally it's the same for many others products.
I think that sometimes, beginners need a big amount of paintings, just because they need to test. So sometimes you have to compromise a little with quality, to be able to have a first approach of a technic.
On my channel, i have fews painting made with himi and jelly gouache.
The painting with gradiant backround and black silhouette is not enough relevant for me (to be honest i totally dislike when i see artists making tutorial with this kind of painting), because it don't exploit all the potential of the gouache. Gouache could be used in watercolor mode, in opaque mode and finally this painting don't show this abilities. So we could hardly judge the potential of this gouache, if it's not used at his best potential.The black silhouette and gradiant background concept is too basic for me.
But i saw your others paintings on your video, and they are very great.
I get your point, and am happy that you can achieve good paintings with HImi.
It's too late I bought it 😢. At first I thought it was me, than I thought maybe it's gouache so I moved on to ink, but I can't quit so I'll do both 😅
😂
@@CecileYadro How is Arteza gouache since that's affordable. Thinking about the 24 set.
I have Himi in pans and i love it.
Happy painting, then!
I tried himi gouache and I didn't like it. I started with Arteza and I love it. Just got Holbein.
You'll love it!
I got my Himi gouache on sale for $12 USD. Im glad I purchased it. It is inferior to professional paints, but I personally added Winsor & Newton white gouache in my mixes of Himi and it made it work for me. I understand some people would not like to have to do that, but I already had the WN white gouache and it was the right thing for me with my budget when I first started gouache :)
That's an idea to use professional white inside. Although I tend to do the opposite, I use cheap white in professional colors!
@@CecileYadro that's a good idea too!
Thank you very much for your video. You are so right. The Himi Gouache look amazing. I tested the gouache a while ago, but it was bad. At the moment I was thinking about trying it again. But after your video I definitely don't do that. I use Winsor and Netwon and Schmincke Designer Gouache and was very disappointed with the quality of the Himi Gouache. I will be very happy to watch your videos as you have a lot of gouache tips online. Thank you very much and warm greetings from Germany. Janine
Glad it was helpful!
I agree with all the points you made cent pour cent! First gouache I tried was faber-castell bottle gouaches and even though they each had caps I found them unusable after my first painting. It's funny that I see this video after what I shared about my own personal experience 😄 Thank you for the clear explanation❤
On a second note your Holbein gouache painting came out so beautiful! 💕I love your straightforwardness as well! You don't compromise on what you believe in as I see some artists do just to get popular and earn a few more bucks, unfortunately.
Thanks for sharing!!
Ah! I'm happy to read this, as this is exactly what I want the viewers to feel!
I just bought himi gouache. And Im just learning to paint. Omg i feel like this is gonna make things harder for me 😭
Also I have a fear of using tube paints. I always squeeze out more than i wanted, lol
That's why I have an airtigh palette: ruclips.net/video/aYzkfJEfhWg/видео.html
This is useful information. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
thank you for the review. as someone who is just about to try gouache, your review is very interesting. I don't know what brands are good and suitable for beginners who are just learning like me. I was interested in buying himi because of the cheap price and the cute packaging. but after seeing your review, I don't think I'll try it.
You could get a set of 24 colors by Arteza. good price for the quality.
i've heard somewhere there is counterfeit miya himi so it will affect the quality...
It's possible!