Painting 33

Watercolor .--- Sprinkling salt -watercolor effect.- ref 802

A little table salt sprinkled on damp watercolor paint creates a delicate spot. Each crystal of salt chases away the pigment to make a lighter area beneath it. You can use this texture to create a field of flowers, snow, or leaves on a tree. It also creates interest in a background or foreground where not much else is going on.

Salt doesn't always work the way you hope it will. It involves the right pigment at the correct dampness and speed that the paper and air dry. Sometimes you just can't predict what will happen, and that's half the fun. But if you use the following steps, you should get an interesting result from using salt:

 

1. Wet a watercolor paper with clear water.

2. Place the paper on a flat surface and paint the area where you want to use the salt.

3. Wait for the magic time when the paint is damp and shiny. If the paint is dry, this technique won't work. If the paper has puddles, pour them off or absorb the excess water with the corner of a paper towel.

4. Add the salt. Less is more. Take a pinch of salt in your fingers and sprinkle a few grains rather than dumping a whole shaker on your painting.

5. Let the painting dry without disturbing the salt.

6. Brush away the salt after the paint dries.

 

                                       Ref 802