Lifting Techniques in Watercolour
Lifting paint to create highlights after the paint had dried with a small flat brush.
Today, I want to share with you a technique that is very close to my heart - the art of lifting colour from watercolour paper. This technique, often seen as a way to correct mistakes, is much more to me. You’ll often see me use it in my tutorials.
It's a doorway to new possibilities, a way to bring light and life into my paintings.
Can Watercolour Paint be Erased?
As I've journeyed through the luminous realms of watercolour, I've found that the term "erase" perhaps doesn't fully capture the essence of what we do.
In watercolour painting, we don't erase; we lift. Lifting is not about eradicating a mistake as one might with a pencil on sketch paper. Instead, it's about coaxing the pigment to leave the fibers of the paper, allowing light to seep back through, or to soften an edge that perhaps was too harsh in its initial rendering.
The paint was loosened or softened with a damp flat brush after the paint had dried in the areas circled on this duck painting. Some paper towel is used to lift the paint once it has been softened.
This delicate process is akin to having a gentle conversation with the painting, understanding the nuances of the pigments, the temperament of the paper, and the mood of the water. Some colours, especially those that are non-staining, lift away with a tender touch of a damp brush or a soft tissue. These are the moments when the painting reveals its true depth, allowing for correction, for light to be reborn on the canvas.
However, not all colours listen in the same way. Some, like the deep and vibrant phthalos or the rich quinacridones, cling to the paper with a passion, challenging the artist to find new ways to communicate. Here, the process becomes more intricate, requiring a blend of patience, skill, and sometimes the aid of a lifting medium, to gently persuade the colour to step back, to allow for change.
Yet, in this dialogue between artist and medium, there is a lesson of acceptance. Not every stroke can be lifted; not every hue will retreat gracefully. And it is within this space of understanding that the true artistry of watercolour unfolds.
It teaches us to embrace the unexpected, to find beauty in the imperfections, and to see each painting as a living, breathing entity that collaborates with us in the act of creation.
So, can watercolour paint be erased?
In the strictest sense, no, not on watercolour paper. But it can be lifted, adjusted, and transformed, inviting us into a deeper relationship with our art. Each attempt at lifting teaches us about the fragility of beauty, the strength of perseverance, and the grace of letting go.
Choosing the Right Paper for Watercolour Lifting
In my studio, surrounded by brushes, pigments, painting materials and light that inspires my work, the choice of paper is paramount. The watercolour paper surface will greatly affect the outcome. I've found that artist-quality papers, like Arches, offer a balance that complements the lifting technique beautifully.
The texture and quality of the paper can significantly impact the outcome of the lifting process. For instance, the smooth surface of hot press paper welcomes the lifting technique with ease, while the textured surface of cold press paper invites a challenge, adding depth and character to the dance.
Using Arches cold pressed paper for this Galah painting made it a breeze to lift color from the bird's beak after the paint had dried.
How to Identify Staining vs. Non-Staining Watercolour Paints
Colours, in their essence, carry the melody of the painting. But not all colours twirl the same way under the lifting technique. As I mentioned earlier, some, like the bold and vibrant phthalo blues and the deep quinacridones, cling to the paper, staining deeply. Yet, this challenge is not without its rewards, as it pushes me to think creatively, to blend and balance with care.
Testing colours, understanding their nature, whether they are prone to staining or willing to lift lightly, guides my hand and my choices when starting a new watercolour painting.
I have written a blog post about staining watercolour and pigment properties here.
Tools for Lifting Watercolour Pigment
The tools in lifting colour are vital. Each tool, from the delicate touch of a brush in the damp stages to the precise control of a knife or scalpel for corrections, plays a role in shaping the painting. These tools, in their variety, from brushes to paper towels, sponges, and even sandpaper, offer a spectrum of effects. They allow the artist to gently remove paint, to dab and soften, or to carve out light and shadow with boldness and precision.
Some of the tools I use to lift watercolour paint from the paper.
Lifting Mediums for Watercolour Painting
By preparing the paper with a lifting medium, artists can find the freedom to lift even the most stubborn of colours. This preparation changes the dance entirely, offering a new rhythm to explore, where the lifting becomes a seamless part of the creative process, allowing for corrections and adjustments with ease, according to the manufacturers. However, I always carefully plan my paintings and have not yet had to resort to this measure.
Lifting mediums are available from Schmincke and Winsor & Newton.
Practicing the Lifting Technique
Phthalo Blue is a staining colour and can be difficult to lift. If you need the ability to lift colour when you are painting try to use non- staining pigments.
Lifting is not just a step back or a correction; it is a step forward into the light. It demands patience, a gentle hand, and an understanding of the delicate balance between water, watercolour pigment, and paper. Whether I'm working to correct a small misstep or to bring forth a highlight that breathes life into my subject, lifting is a technique I approach with respect and love. It is here, in the gentle lifting of colour, that the true character of the watercolour reveals itself—transparent, vibrant, and endlessly forgiving.
There are several ways to let the white paper come to light again, once it has been painted with non staining colours.
Blotting - Lift watercolour while wet
While the paint is still wet, you can lift off colour by blotting. The most practical tool for this is a clean, slightly damp brush or a paper towel. Use the brush or paper towel to absorb wet paint. Although I have no problem lifting wet paint with my sable brushes, you might find it easier if you use synthetic brushes. Sometimes, you may have to go over an area multiple times, until the wet pigment doesn’t come back anymore. Try waiting a little longer until the paper isn't quite as wet if you find the paint flows back into the lifted area. Clean and wipe off the brush on a paper towel after each lifting motion.
Lifting wet paint to create a highlight. Here I am using a synthetic brush that is slightly damp with water.
The paper towel technique is very handy to lift paint in cloud shapes of wet paint in a flat wash. Alternatively, you may try a facial tissue or a sea sponge.
Lifting wet paint with a tissue to create cloud shapes.
Lifting while dry
My most used tools to add highlights or remove paint on dry paper are the Rosemary & Co. Eradicator brushes I wrote about here and a soft paper tissue or clean towel.
A small and medium size of the Rosemary & Co. Eradicator brushes.
Here I'm lifting paint with an Eradicator brush to create a highlight on the dried painting.
First, identify the area or object you want to work on. Make sure, that the paint has completely dried. Then, wet your eradicator brush or any stiffer watercolour brush with short bristles, so-called scrubber brushes, so that the hair is damp. The bristles shouldn’t be too rough or stiff, as that could damage the paper. Now, in a gentle rubbing back and forth motion work on the paint that you wish to remove and take off the pigment with a dry, clean, soft tissue. I showcase this technique in almost every watercolour tutorial I publish.
Some people have amazing results by using a so-called magic sponge. The slightly damp sponge can be rubbed gently over the area, taking off the paint. Results my vary, based on the staining properties of the used paint.
Lifting dried, stubborn, or staining paint
Sometimes, when everything else fails, you may be forced to use less gentle lifting techniques to achieve the desired outcome. With abrasive tools like sandpaper or blades, you can scratch out or rub out mistakes or add highlights.
Sandpaper will create a textured highlight on the dried painting.
The surface of the watercolour paper will suffer beyond repair, and painting on it will most likely not be possible anymore. Some art styles benefit greatly from this rugged approach and the results that can be achieved with it, are very impressive. However, for my artworks, I prefer a different handling.
What to do if Everything Else Fails
If everything you tried has failed, you can of course abandon the project and repaint it. If time is of the essence, white, opaque gouache paint can also be used to try and paint over some areas you don’t like or adding additional highlights or details. A white pastel pencil also works wonders when wanting to add some last-minute highlights or small details.
But above everything else, find the beauty in the untouched artwork. Every mistake made, is a lesson learned. I invite you to embrace the technique of lifting not just as a means to correct, but as a way to discover new dimensions in your work.
Let each lift be a step in your dance with watercolour, a dance that brings light, depth, and beauty to your art.
Happy lifting!
If you are interested in learning to paint in watercolour, I have over 170 online, voiced over watercolour tutorials for all skill levels.