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Quick answer
Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache is a British opaque watercolor made since 1935 and sold in 14 ml tubes in 89 colors. The Introductory Set (0690173) holds ten tubes: two yellows, two reds, two blues, a green, yellow ochre, black and white. It dries flat and matte, and each color lists its pigment and lightfastness.
On this page10 sections
The ten tubes of the Introductory Set, drawn in proportion.
Product facts
Product
Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache Introductory Set, 10 × 14 ml tubes (0690173)
Opaque watercolor (gouache) in 14 ml tubes (Winsor & Newton)
Released
1935*
Price range
$$$$20–75 per item
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Notes on these facts
Made by ColArt. Country of manufacture not stated: Winsor & Newton's US product pages and Amazon US's listing (manufacturer ColArt Americas) don't state a country of manufacture, and the Blick pages we read don't either. A private eBay seller lists France, which we don't treat as a source, so check the box. Price: example listing. Released: Winsor & Newton says it has made Designers Gouache since 1935; that date is for the paint line, not this set.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
Winsor & Newton says it has made Designers Gouache since 1935 and lists 89 colors in 14 ml tubes.
The Introductory Set (0690173) holds 10 × 14 ml tubes, 140 ml of paint in all.
Each color has a series number and pigment code; Winsor Blue (706) is series 3, PB15, opaque and permanent.
Smaller 5-tube sets (Botanical, Seascape, Brilliant) and a 6-color Primary set also use 14 ml tubes.
On October 23, 2026, Amazon's 14 ml Permanent White showed 4.8 stars from 9,265 ratings and 1K+ bought in the past month.
What is Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache?
It’s Winsor & Newton’s professional opaque watercolor, made since 1935 and sold in 14 ml tubes. The British brand says it is popular with designers, illustrators and commercial artists for bold, flat color.
Unlike transparent watercolor, gouache covers what’s underneath and dries matte. Winsor & Newton says every color is intermixable and can be paired with its watercolors for a flat, matte effect.
What’s in the Introductory Set (0690173)?
Ten 14 ml tubes that mix a full palette: warm and cool versions of each primary, plus a green, an earth, black and white. Winsor & Newton lists the contents and notes that they may vary.
Spec
Designers Gouache Introductory Set
Model
0690173 (UPC 094376885620)
Tubes
10 × 14 ml (140 ml in all)
Yellows
Primary Yellow, Permanent Yellow Deep
Reds
Spectrum Red, Primary Red
Blues
Ultramarine, Primary Blue
Others
Permanent Green Middle, Yellow Ochre, Ivory Black, Zinc White
Made in
Not stated
The set’s white is Zinc White. Permanent White, sold separately, has over 9,000 ratings on Amazon US.
How many colors does Designers Gouache come in?
89, all in 14 ml tubes, per Winsor & Newton’s US color pages and Blick. The same site’s set page says 82, so the count has changed over time; we use the color pages’ figure.
Each color has a number, a series (price group), a pigment code and ratings for opacity and lightfastness. Winsor & Newton lists Winsor Blue (706) as series 3, pigment PB15, opaque and permanent; Amazon lists Permanent White (512) as series 1, opaque and ASTM I lightfast.
Which Designers Gouache set should you buy?
The Introductory Set for a full palette; the 6-color Primary set to learn mixing; a 5-tube set to add a theme. All use 14 ml tubes.
Set
Tubes
Paint
Best for
Introductory Set (0690173)
10 × 14 ml
140 ml
A full starting palette
Primary Colour Set
6 × 14 ml
84 ml
Learning to mix
Botanical, Seascape or Brilliant
5 × 14 ml
70 ml
Adding a color theme
Every Designers Gouache tube holds 14 ml, so sets differ only in count.
How does it compare with Holbein and HIMI?
Winsor & Newton and Holbein are artist gouaches with 89 standard colors each; HIMI is the budget jelly-cup option.
If you already paint with Cotman watercolors, Designers Gouache is the same maker’s opaque medium. For paper, use something heavy and sized, such as a Canson XL Mix Media pad.
How much does Designers Gouache cost?
The Introductory Set is in our $$$ band ($20–75) on Amazon US. On October 23, 2026, Winsor & Newton’s own US store listed it at US$113.39 and a 14 ml Winsor Blue at US$21.49, so shop around.
On October 23, 2026, Amazon’s Introductory Set showed 4.7 stars from 2,646 ratings and 100+ bought in the past month. The 14 ml Permanent White showed 4.8 stars from 9,265 ratings, 1K+ bought in the past month and a 59th-place rank in Art Paints.
Where is Designers Gouache made?
Winsor & Newton doesn’t say on the pages we read, so check the tube. The brand is British, and Amazon US lists the manufacturer as ColArt Americas.
Frequently asked questions
What colors are in the Designers Gouache Introductory Set?
Winsor & Newton lists Primary Yellow, Permanent Yellow Deep, Spectrum Red, Primary Red, Ultramarine, Primary Blue, Permanent Green Middle, Yellow Ochre, Ivory Black and Zinc White, and notes that contents may vary.
Is Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache good for beginners?
Yes. The 14 ml tubes are larger than most starter-set tubes, and the colors are intermixable; the Introductory Set covers a full mixing palette.
Can you mix Designers Gouache with watercolor?
Yes. Winsor & Newton says you can pair it with its watercolors for a flat, matte effect.
What does the series number on Designers Gouache mean?
It's the price group: tubes in a higher series cost more. Permanent White is series 1 and Winsor Blue series 3, for example.
Does Designers Gouache crack?
Amazon's listing calls Permanent White crack resistant. As with any gouache, thinner layers on heavy paper are the safer choice.
Is Winsor & Newton gouache waterproof?
No. Amazon's listing marks it not water resistant: dried gouache rewets, which lets you lift and blend but means later layers can disturb earlier ones.
Is Winsor & Newton a British company?
Yes, Winsor & Newton is a British brand. Amazon US lists the manufacturer of its paints as ColArt Americas.
