Watercolor Painting Corrections Are Possible!
Many would-be watercolorists shy away from this medium, fearing mistakes cannot be corrected.
When painting with oil or acrylics, the paint can be scraped from the canvas and then painted over.
When creating art with watercolor, the pigments seep into the watercolor paper, seemingly to stay there forever.
Armed with a couple of helpful hints, the fear of watercolor can be removed, allowing the artist to paint in a relaxed and confident manner.
The first thing to consider is which colors are staining colors and which are not.
The staining colors include Alizarin Crimson and Winsor Blue, just to name a couple.
These colors will not completely "lift" from the paper, whereas the transparent Rose Madder Genuine and Cobalt Blue will.
There are many other colors, and their properties, to consider and I recommend practicing with your favorite palette while getting to know which pigments will remove easily and which will not.
The second consideration when discussing making changes to a watercolor, is the use of a good quality watercolor paper.
This cannot be stressed enough.
There are many brands and weights of paper from which to choose, and I prefer a 140 lb.
, cold-pressed paper.
This is my personal preference and it holds up well to lifting, but experimentation will guide you towards your own favorite.
Just don't use the cheap papers if attempting to lift color.
Some of the top layer(s) of the paper will be altered and the lesser papers will not hold up to the scrubbing.
You'll be glad you selected the higher grade of watercolor paper! Now that you know you will be using non-staining paints and a high caliber watercolor paper, you are ready to experiment with lifting color.
Start your trial using an artist's brush.
Dip your brush in clean water and off-load most of it.
Then take your brush and go over the area to be altered with circular brush strokes, blotting and checking as you go.
If this does not remove all the pigment, switch to a soft-bristled toothbrush and repeat this process using a gentle, circular motion.
Continue to blot and check your work as you proceed.
Once the corrected area has dried, try repainting this spot.
If the surface of the paper has not ben altered too much, it will readily accept the new paint.
Careful and cautious lifting will leave the area more intact.
Hard scrubbing can result in going all the way through the paper leaving a hole.
So give it a try.
It will be fun and you will build confidence in yourself as a watercolorist.
When painting with oil or acrylics, the paint can be scraped from the canvas and then painted over.
When creating art with watercolor, the pigments seep into the watercolor paper, seemingly to stay there forever.
Armed with a couple of helpful hints, the fear of watercolor can be removed, allowing the artist to paint in a relaxed and confident manner.
The first thing to consider is which colors are staining colors and which are not.
The staining colors include Alizarin Crimson and Winsor Blue, just to name a couple.
These colors will not completely "lift" from the paper, whereas the transparent Rose Madder Genuine and Cobalt Blue will.
There are many other colors, and their properties, to consider and I recommend practicing with your favorite palette while getting to know which pigments will remove easily and which will not.
The second consideration when discussing making changes to a watercolor, is the use of a good quality watercolor paper.
This cannot be stressed enough.
There are many brands and weights of paper from which to choose, and I prefer a 140 lb.
, cold-pressed paper.
This is my personal preference and it holds up well to lifting, but experimentation will guide you towards your own favorite.
Just don't use the cheap papers if attempting to lift color.
Some of the top layer(s) of the paper will be altered and the lesser papers will not hold up to the scrubbing.
You'll be glad you selected the higher grade of watercolor paper! Now that you know you will be using non-staining paints and a high caliber watercolor paper, you are ready to experiment with lifting color.
Start your trial using an artist's brush.
Dip your brush in clean water and off-load most of it.
Then take your brush and go over the area to be altered with circular brush strokes, blotting and checking as you go.
If this does not remove all the pigment, switch to a soft-bristled toothbrush and repeat this process using a gentle, circular motion.
Continue to blot and check your work as you proceed.
Once the corrected area has dried, try repainting this spot.
If the surface of the paper has not ben altered too much, it will readily accept the new paint.
Careful and cautious lifting will leave the area more intact.
Hard scrubbing can result in going all the way through the paper leaving a hole.
So give it a try.
It will be fun and you will build confidence in yourself as a watercolorist.
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