Gouache(/ɡuːˈæʃ/; ), also spelled guache, is a type of paint consisting of pigment, a binding agent (usually gum arabic), and sometimes added inert material, designed to be used in an opaque method. It also refers to paintings that use this opaque method. The name derives from the Italian guazzo, and is also referred to as opaque watercolor or bodycolor (the term preferred by art historians).