How can I correct mistakes in watercolor paintings?
Most people think that you cannot change a watercolor painting once you have painted on watercolor paper, but this is not true. There are a few techniques you can use to correct mistakes in your watercolor painting. Remember though that not all colors are removeable, the permanent colors live up to their name.
- removing the whole watercolor painting
If you realize at the beginning of the session that the watercolor painting is not going the way you expected it to, you can completely remove the whole painting. Hold the watercolor paper under cold running water and gently sponge off the paint. - removing part of the watercolor painting
If you only need to remove a small area of the watercolor painting, wet a sponge in clean water and gently wipe the watercolor paper until the color is removed. If the area is very small you can use a wet brush. You can also use this technique to create highlights. - softening a hard edge
You can soften a hard edge by wetting a cotton swab and dabbing it along the hard edged object in your watercolor painting. - removing small blemishes
You can remove small specks of paint that fall into the wrong area of the watercolor painting with a razor blade. Wait until the paint has dried, then carefully scrape the paint off the watercolor paper. Do not scrape too hard or you could make holes in the paper. - repairing a ragged edge
If you have a hard edge that has run into another area, wait until the paint has dried then paint over the edge with opaque white gouache paint.
