Granulating pigments in watercolour: what causes it and how to use it
Materials · Guide Granulation is the visible, textured pattern some watercolour pigments make as a wash dries. It is a
Materials
Materials
Watercolour half pans vs tubes: which format suits how you work
Materials · Guide The choice between pans and tubes is about workflow. Pans concentrate a palette into a portable box.
Materials
Five essentials for a watercolour travel kit: what to pack for plein-air painting
Materials · Guide 3 min read A useful travel kit solves five problems: colour, mark-making, paper, water and the small
Getting Started
Returning to watercolour after a long gap: what has changed and what has not
If you are returning to watercolour after years away, your instincts remain. Recalibrate your timing, check current pigment codes and begin on familiar ground.
Materials
Sizing in watercolour paper: what it does and why it matters
Materials · Guide Sizing controls how water and pigment meet the paper. It is one of the reasons a wash
Materials
Cotton vs wood pulp watercolour paper: is the difference worth the price
Cotton is worth paying for when lifting, glazing or heavy wet-in-wet work will push the sheet. Wood pulp remains a sensible choice for studies and practice.
Materials
How to stretch watercolour paper: when it is worth doing
Materials · Guide Stretch paper when the water load and loose-sheet format ask for more restraint than the sheet can
Materials
Watercolour blocks vs pads vs loose sheets: which format to use when
Materials · Guide The paper may be the same. The format changes how readily you can begin, how much preparation
Materials
What cold press means in watercolour paper
Materials · Guide Cold press is the versatile middle surface: enough texture to show the character of watercolour, enough smoothness
Materials
Watercolour paper weight explained: 190gsm, 300gsm and 640gsm
Materials · Guide Choose paper weight by how much water you use. 300gsm is the useful starting point for most