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Quick answer
Holbein Artists' Gouache is an opaque watercolor from Holbein of Osaka, Japan, prized by illustrators for flat, matte, even color. The 12-color starter set (G702) holds 5 ml tubes; single colors come in 15 ml tubes. Holbein's Japanese shop lists 89 standard colors plus 48 Japanese Irodori colors, and retailers say it is made in Japan.
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The G702 set of twelve 5 ml tubes, drawn in proportion.
Product facts
Product
Holbein Artists' Gouache 12-color set, 5 ml tubes (G702)
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Notes on these facts
Made by Holbein Works, Ltd. (Osaka). Made in Japan: Gwartzman's, a Toronto art store, says Holbein Artists' Gouache is made in Japan (read October 23, 2026). Holbein's Japanese online shop doesn't state a country of origin on its gouache pages. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
The G702 set holds 12 tubes of 5 ml (60 ml of paint), listed at ¥2,970 (about US$19) with tax in Japan.
Holbein's Japanese shop lists 137 colors in 15 ml tubes: 89 standard colors plus 48 Irodori traditional Japanese colors.
A 15 ml tube lists at ¥462 (about US$2.90) with tax for most colors in Japan, and up to ¥704 (about US$4.50).
Holbein says the paint covers the color underneath, uses highly lightfast pigments and also works as woodblock-printing ink.
Gwartzman's and other retailers say Holbein Artists' Gouache is made in Japan.
What is Holbein Artists’ Gouache?
It’s an opaque watercolor from Holbein, a Japanese art-paint maker based in Osaka, made for flat, even color that covers what’s underneath. Holbein says it has vivid color and strong hiding power, so you can paint light over dark.
Holbein says it uses pigments with excellent lightfastness, so colors last, and that the paint also works as an ink for woodblock printing. Like other traditional gouache, it dries matte and rewets with water.
What’s in the 12-color 5 ml set (G702)?
Twelve 5 ml tubes chosen to mix a full palette, with Permanent White and Ivory Black. Holbein’s Japanese shop lists the contents and price.
Permanent Green Light, Permanent Green Deep, Turquoise Blue, Ultramarine Deep
Others
Violet, Burnt Sienna, Ivory Black, Permanent White
Japan list price
¥2,970 (about US$19) with tax
Made in
Japan (retailers)
White runs out first in gouache, because you mix it into so many colors. On Amazon US, the 15 ml tube of Permanent White sells faster than the sets.
Which Holbein gouache set should you buy?
Start with the 12-color 5 ml set; move to 15 ml tubes once you know your colors. Holbein’s Japanese shop lists these sets:
Set
Model
Tubes
Paint
Japan price (with tax)
12 colors
G702
12 × 5 ml
60 ml
¥2,970 (about US$19)
18 colors
G704
18 × 5 ml
90 ml
¥4,400 (about US$28)
24 colors
G715
24 × 15 ml
360 ml
¥11,660 (about US$74)
The 24-color set holds six times the paint of the 12-color starter set.
Blick sells US sets of 12 and 18 in 5 ml tubes and sets of 12, 18 and 24 in 15 ml tubes.
How many colors does Holbein gouache come in?
137 in 15 ml tubes in Holbein’s Japanese shop: 89 standard colors and 48 Irodori colors. We counted the shop’s gouache collection on October 23, 2026; Blick lists the same 89 standard colors in the US.
Irodori (彩, “coloring”) is a series of traditional Japanese colors, such as 紅 beni (crimson red) and 若葉 wakaba (young-leaf green). The standard range adds metallics and pearls, five primaries for mixing, and three grays.
Most single colors list at ¥462 (about US$2.90) with tax in Japan; some cost ¥517 (about US$3.30) and a few ¥704 (about US$4.50).
How does Holbein gouache compare with other gouache?
Holbein is the Japanese artists’ gouache; Winsor & Newton is the British classic; HIMI jelly gouache is the budget favorite.
For paper, gouache needs a sized surface that won’t buckle, such as a Canson XL Mix Media pad. Holbein’s Artists’ Colored Pencils come from the same maker, and its transparent watercolors start with the 12-tube W401 set.
How much does Holbein gouache cost in the US?
The 12-color 5 ml set is in our $$$ band ($20–75), well above its Japanese list price. Holbein’s imported US sets carry a mark-up.
On October 23, 2026, Amazon’s 12-color set showed 4.7 stars from 316 ratings and 100+ bought in the past month. A 15 ml tube of Permanent White showed 4.8 stars from 758 ratings, 500+ bought in the past month and a 267th-place rank in Art Paints.
Where is Holbein gouache made?
In Japan: Gwartzman’s says Holbein Artists’ Gouache is made in Japan, and Blick calls it Japan’s premier designers’ gouache. Holbein Works is based in Osaka; its Japanese shop doesn’t print the country on the product page.
Frequently asked questions
What colors are in the Holbein gouache set of 12?
Holbein's Japanese shop lists Carmine, Flame Red, Permanent Yellow Deep, Lemon Yellow, Permanent Green Light, Permanent Green Deep, Turquoise Blue, Ultramarine Deep, Violet, Burnt Sienna, Ivory Black and Permanent White.
Is Holbein gouache good for beginners?
Yes. The 12-color 5 ml set is a small, affordable way to learn the medium, and the colors mix to a full range; buy a 15 ml tube of white early, because gouache uses a lot of it.
Is Holbein gouache acrylic?
No. Holbein Artists' Gouache is a water-based opaque watercolor that can be rewetted. Holbein sells its acrylic gouache as a separate line.
What are Holbein Irodori colors?
Irodori is a series of 48 gouache colors based on traditional Japanese color names, such as beni (red) and wakaba (young leaf green), sold alongside Holbein's 89 standard colors.
How much paint is in a Holbein gouache tube?
Starter sets use 5 ml tubes; open-stock colors and the larger sets use 15 ml tubes, and Holbein also sells some colors in 60 ml.
Can you rewet Holbein gouache on a palette?
Yes. Like other traditional gouache, it dries on the palette and softens again with water, so leftover paint isn't wasted.
Is Holbein gouache made in Japan?
Yes. Retailers including Gwartzman's say it is made in Japan; Holbein Works is based in Osaka.
