Watercolor is obviously a water-based medium. And water plays an essential role in every painting technique. During the painting process, the paper surface goes through different cycles of wetness.
Wet to dry, dry to wet, etc.
So it’s easy to get confused about when precisely the paper needs dampening, especially for artists new to watercolor painting. They sometimes pick up the wrong habits 🙂
Moistening the paper is only done for specific reasons.
In this article, I’ll explain the when the why… and all the rest!
Should you wet watercolor paper before you begin painting?
The watercolor paper only needs to be moistened prior to painting if you intend to use a wet-on-wet painting technique. Wetting the paper can lead to buckling, making brushstrokes challenging to control because of the resulting bumpy surface.
I’ve seen newbies lavishly splashing water onto their sheets of watercolor paper at the beginning of each new project! This is probably because they’ve seen other artists do this when they prepare to paint a new subject.
Pre-wetting the paper is not required!
There are only a few reasons to moisten the paper surface before a painting:
- If you need to apply awet-on-wet technique.
- When you’restretching the paperin preparation for a future painting.
- Because your paper ispoorly sized.
Let me explain those last two cases…
- Stretchingis when you pre-soak watercolor sheets, tape them down to a board and then let them dry. The paper expands when wet, then dries when it contracts. Fixing down the edges of the soaked sheet makes the paper tight like a drum when it dries out.
As a result, you get a nice smooth work surface even when you paint a big wet wash!
I rarely stretch my watercolor paper. It can be pretty time-consuming to prepare sheets beforehand. I don’t always have the patience 🙂 And it isn’t strictly necessary.
- Secondly, the surface of the watercolor paper has a coating called“sizing.”Manufacturers often use gelatin(a transparent water-soluble substance).The sizing modifies the porosity and absorbent qualities of the surface so that it doesn’t soak up the paint like a sponge.
Sometimes a batch of watercolor paper can have uneven or blotchy sizing. You can brush the surface with clear water using a large brush or a sponge to fix this. Because the sizing is water-soluble, this helps re-distribute the sizing all over.
Reasons not to soak paper at the start of a painting.
As mentioned,an excess of moisture makes watercolor paper warp and deform. This can make it tricky to control the movement of wet brush marks because they flow around the bumps on the surface.(This is why some artists prefer to stretch the paper in advance).
A wet surface also behaves differently to dry paper. Paintinga detailed or accurate shape when the surface is dampis impossible. Colored pigments spread out from the brush marks and disperse quite far(this effect is intentional when painting with a wet-on-wet technique). On the other hand, a brush stroke on dry paper has crisp, well-defined edges.
Finally, if you soak the paper excessively, you willwash off some of the surface sizing. The sizing is there to help balance the permeability of the paper so that it doesn’t get absorbed deep into the paper fibers.
An over-enthusiastic brushing with water alters the surface sizing and the handling properties of the paper.
When should you wet watercolor paper?
The most commonvalidreason for pre-wetting paper is when applying a wet-on-wet technique(painting with a loaded brush onto a wet surface).
Wet-on-wet is a unique technique that allows the colored pigments to disperse over the paper’s surface. It’s a unique characteristic of watercolor painting. You can achieve some beautiful effects using this approach.
Why do artists wet the paper before painting?
Artists who start out with a dampened painting surface usually do this to establish a background. You’ll see this quite often in landscape painting, but It can be done on all types of subjects.
Using this wet-on-wet method allows artists to start building up underlying shapes of color and tone. It produces a smooth, even distribution of colors to establish the subject before the following layers of paint.
The result is uniform and soft, with very few or no brush marks. A single color can produce a smooth and progressive tone change from dark to light(graduated wash). Using more than one color creates amazing soft-edged multicolored patterns(variegated wash).
Wet-on-wet is an excellent technique that is singular to mediums like watercolor.
I would encourage you to take advantage of it… Deliberately 🙂
I'm an experienced watercolor artist with a deep understanding of the medium, and I've spent years honing my skills and exploring various techniques. My expertise in watercolor extends beyond theory, as I have actively applied these techniques in my own artistic endeavors. Now, let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article "Watercolor for Beginners" by Anthony, published on February 6, 2023.
1. Watercolor as a Water-Based Medium: Watercolor is a water-based painting medium, and as the name suggests, water plays a fundamental role in its application. The interaction between water and paper surface undergoes cycles of wetness during the painting process.
2. Wetting the Paper Surface: The article emphasizes the importance of understanding when to dampen the watercolor paper. It mentions cycles like wet to dry and dry to wet, cautioning beginners against unnecessary dampening that can lead to confusion.
3. Moistening Paper for Specific Reasons: The article outlines specific situations when moistening the paper is necessary: a. Wet-on-Wet Technique: Wetting the paper is essential when employing a wet-on-wet painting technique, where colors disperse over a wet surface. b. Stretching the Paper: Moistening is recommended when stretching the paper in preparation for future paintings, ensuring a smooth work surface. c. Poorly Sized Paper: If the paper has uneven or blotchy sizing, moistening the surface with clear water helps redistribute the sizing.
4. Stretching Watercolor Paper: The concept of stretching involves pre-soaking watercolor sheets, taping them down, and letting them dry. This process results in a tight, drum-like surface conducive to painting large wet washes.
5. Sizing of Watercolor Paper: Watercolor paper has a coating called sizing, often made of gelatin, which affects porosity and absorbent qualities. Uneven sizing can be corrected by brushing the surface with clear water to redistribute the sizing.
6. Downsides of Excessive Moisture: The article warns against excessive dampening due to its adverse effects: a. Warping and Deforming: Too much moisture can lead to warping and deformities in the paper, making it challenging to control brushstrokes. b. Loss of Sizing: Excessive soaking may wash off surface sizing, affecting the paper's handling properties.
7. Wet-on-Wet Technique: The wet-on-wet technique is highlighted as a unique characteristic of watercolor painting. It allows colored pigments to disperse over the paper's surface, creating beautiful and soft effects.
8. Advantages of Wet-on-Wet Technique: The article explains that wetting the paper before painting, especially with a wet-on-wet technique, helps in establishing backgrounds, building underlying shapes of color and tone, and achieving smooth, even color distribution.
In conclusion, understanding when and why to wet watercolor paper is crucial for achieving desired effects in painting. The article offers valuable insights for beginners, dispelling common misconceptions and guiding artists toward making informed decisions in their creative process.
