HIMI Gouache Paint Set 120 Colors Review: Is It Actually Worth It?
If you've spent more than five minutes on art TikTok or YouTube lately, you've probably seen those satisfying little cups of jelly paint in a neat carrying case. That's HIMI gouache, and for good reason it's everywhere.
The 120-color set is their largest offering, and it looks incredible on a shelf. But is a 120-color jelly gouache set actually useful, or is it just a lot of colors for the sake of having a lot of colors? We put it through its paces to give you an honest answer.
What Is Gouache, and What Makes HIMI Different?
Gouache is a water-based paint that sits somewhere between watercolor and acrylic. Like watercolor, you thin it with water. Like acrylic, it dries opaque and matte. Unlike both, it can be reactivated with water after drying, which makes fixing mistakes a lot less stressful.
Traditional gouache comes in tubes. HIMI's version comes in small sealed cups with a jelly-like consistency, hence the nickname "jelly gouache." You pop the lid, dip your brush, and you're painting. No squeezing, no palette prep, no mess. The paint is already at roughly the right consistency out of the cup.
The brand started in China where this format has been common in schools and among hobbyists for years. It's since picked up a massive following in the West, partly because of the price and partly because the cups are genuinely a clever idea.
What's in the 120-Color Set
The set comes in a hard carrying case with a soft handle and a locking lid. Inside you get 120 individual jelly cups, each containing 12g of paint in the twin cup design, meaning two colors share a double-ended container to save space.
The case itself doubles as an organizational tray, with each cup slotting into its own spot. You can see every color at a glance, which is actually more useful than it sounds. No more digging through a drawer trying to find that one shade of green.
A few sets in this size also come with brushes and a small mixing tray, but this varies by version, so check the listing before you buy.
Color Range and Pigment Quality
120 colors is a lot. The range covers every major hue with multiple shades per family. You get a full spread of blues, greens, warm and cool reds, earthy browns, neutrals, and a solid selection of grays. Skin tones are reasonably well represented, which matters a lot for portrait work.
The pigment quality is decent for the price point. Straight out of the cup, the colors are vibrant and the coverage is good. Where things get more nuanced is when you start mixing and layering.
Some colors, especially the lighter ones like lemon yellow, are more transparent than you'd expect from a gouache. Mixing them down with water makes this worse. You'll sometimes end up with something closer to a diluted watercolor wash than a proper opaque gouache layer. This is a known trait of HIMI and most other jelly gouache brands.
The darker colors like deep reds, navy blues and forest greens perform noticeably better in terms of opacity and tend to stay more consistent across layers.
One thing worth knowing: lightfastness, meaning how well the colors resist fading over time, is not officially rated by HIMI for most of these pigments. If you're creating artwork you plan to sell or display long-term, that's something to consider. For sketchbook practice, learning, and general creative work, it's a non-issue.
How to Use HIMI Gouache: Tips for Beginners
The jelly cup format is genuinely beginner-friendly. Here's how to get the most out of it.
Paper matters more than you think. Use watercolor paper, ideally 200gsm or heavier. Regular sketch paper will warp and the paint won't sit right. Cold-pressed watercolor paper works especially well. It gives the paint something to hold onto without fighting you.
Don't over-water it. The paint is already at a good working consistency. A slightly damp brush is usually all you need. Too much water makes the paint transparent and streaky, which defeats the whole point of gouache.
Work light to dark, then add highlights. Gouache is forgiving but layering still works better in a certain order. Establish your mid-tones and darks first, then bring in lighter colors and whites last. This is where gouache really shines compared to watercolor.
Keep a spray bottle nearby. If the top of a cup starts to form a dry skin, a quick spritz of water brings it back. Same for your brush. Keeping it slightly damp helps the paint flow smoothly.
White is your best friend. You'll go through white faster than any other color. Don't be precious with it. Mix it into everything to control opacity and lighten colors. Many artists buy a separate large tube of white to supplement the cup.
Let layers dry fully before adding more. Gouache reactivates with water, which means painting over a wet layer will drag it up and muddy your colors. Patience here makes a big difference.
Pros and Cons
What works well: the jelly cup format stays fresh much longer than squeezed-out tube paint, the 120-color range means you rarely need to mix from scratch, the case keeps everything organized and portable, the paint is non-toxic and easy to clean, and the price per color is very hard to beat.
What doesn't work as well: some lighter colors are more transparent than you'd expect, lightfastness is unknown so not ideal for professional finished work, the twin cup design means if you run out of one color in a pair you end up with an awkward half-used cup, and beginners might feel overwhelmed by 120 choices before they've developed color instincts.
HIMI vs Other Gouache Brands
HIMI is squarely a beginner-to-hobbyist product. Comparing it to professional-grade gouache like Winsor and Newton Designer's Gouache or Holbein isn't really a fair fight. Those are made for artists who need consistency, lightfastness, and professional-grade opacity across every single color.
What HIMI gives you is a huge variety of colors, an accessible format, and a price that makes it easy to experiment without anxiety. You're not going to stress about wasting expensive paint, which is actually really valuable when you're learning.
If you're serious about making work to sell or exhibit, you'll probably outgrow HIMI and move toward artist-grade tubes. But for most people reading this, HIMI is a genuinely good choice.
If you're also looking to add drawing markers to your setup, check out our Ohuhu Alcohol Markers Review. They're a similarly strong value option for a completely different medium.
Who Should Buy the 120-Color Set
This set is a great fit if you're new to gouache and want to explore a wide range of colors without committing to an expensive professional setup. It's also solid for hobbyists, art journalers, sketchbook artists, and anyone who paints for the joy of it rather than for commercial sale.
The 120-color version specifically makes sense if you like having a complete palette ready without mixing, if you do illustration work that requires a lot of different hues, or if you just want to go all-in from the start.
If you're completely new to painting in general, you might actually be better served by the 24 or 36-color sets first. Learn how colors work together before drowning in options. But if you've got some experience and want to jump straight to a full palette, 120 colors is a genuinely useful range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HIMI gouache good for beginners?
Yes, it's one of the most beginner-friendly gouache options available. The jelly cups are pre-mixed to a good consistency, there's no tube-squeezing involved, and the price makes it easy to practice without worrying about wasting expensive paint.
How long does HIMI gouache last?
When properly sealed after each use, the cups stay workable for 6 to 12 months or longer. If a cup starts to dry out on the surface, a few drops of water and a light stir usually revives it.
Can you use HIMI gouache on canvas?
Yes, though watercolor paper is the ideal surface. Canvas works fine for looser, more opaque applications. The paint adheres well to most porous surfaces including wood, fabric, and illustration board.
Is HIMI gouache lightfast?
HIMI does not publish official lightfastness ratings for most of their colors. The pigments may fade over time, especially the lighter hues. For long-term fine art projects this is a consideration. For practice, sketchbooks, and casual work it's not a real concern.
Why does my HIMI gouache look streaky?
Usually this happens when the paint is over-diluted with water or applied over a still-wet layer. Use a mostly dry brush with paint at its natural jelly consistency, and let each layer dry completely before adding more.
What paper is best for HIMI gouache?
Cold-pressed watercolor paper at 200gsm or heavier is the standard recommendation. Hot-pressed paper works well for smoother, more detailed work. Avoid thin sketch paper. It warps and doesn't hold the paint properly.
Is 120 colors too many for a beginner?
It can feel overwhelming at first. If you're brand new to painting, a smaller set is easier to learn on. But if you have basic painting experience and want a complete palette, 120 colors is actually a practical size for illustration and detailed work.
Can HIMI gouache be used for professional work?
For practice, personal projects, and informal commissions, absolutely. For work intended for long-term display or fine art sale, you'll want a professional-grade gouache with rated pigments and confirmed lightfastness.