It's All About Water

Water establishes the consistency of your watercolor paint. Watercolor paint consistency is so important because each consistency performs differently on your wet paper. Thick Consistency like heavy cream is watercolor with little water. Medium Consistency is like half and half and is a little more fluid. Skim milk consistency is when your paint is in a puddle. There is less pigment in the pigment-to-water ratio. This is great for your initial wash. Thin paint blooms and spreads quickly on wet paper. A medium consistency spreads, but at a slower rate and doesn’t move out as far into the wet paper. A thick consistency paint barely moves and gives you more control. If your paper is dry rather than wet, thin paint will move easier, and you can spread it farther with your brush. A medium consistency will not spread as far as the thin. A thick consistency will run out quicker and begin to leave a texture on the paper, called a dry brush effect. If your paint isn’t gliding across the page, you probably need more water. Learn how to balance the amount of water with the paint consistency you want, and your paintings will improve. This comes with practice and observation when painting! Happy Painting!