When you encounter "dry watercolor," it often refers to watercolor paint that has hardened in its tube or pan. The good news is that unlike other paint types, watercolors are designed to be easily reactivated with water, making them highly versatile and economical.
Watercolor paints consist of pigment particles suspended in a binder, most commonly gum arabic. This unique binder is what allows dried watercolor to be rehydrated and used again, as each pigment particle remains encapsulated and ready to dissolve once water is introduced. When watercolor dries, it's simply the water evaporating, leaving the solid pigment and binder mixture behind.
Methods for Reactivating Dried Watercolor Paint
Whether your tube paints have solidified or your pan paints need a refresh, reactivating them is a straightforward process.
1. Rehydrating Paint in the Tube
If your watercolor paint has dried inside its tube, you can often revive it directly.
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Process:
- Add water gradually: Carefully open the dried tube. Using a dropper or a small amount of water from a brush, add some water back into the tube a little at a time.
- Mix and assess: Use a thin skewer, a robust paperclip, or the back of a thin paintbrush to gently stir and mix the water with the dried paint. Be patient, as it may take a few minutes for the water to penetrate the hardened paint.
- Achieve desired consistency: Continue adding small amounts of water and mixing until you have the desired consistency, whether you prefer a thick paste or a more liquid state.
- Seal and store: Once reactivated, you can continue to use the paint directly from the tube or squeeze it onto a palette. Ensure the cap is tightly sealed after use to prevent rapid re-drying.
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Practical Tips:
- Avoid adding too much water at once, as this can make the paint too thin and dilute its pigment concentration. You can always add more water, but it's harder to remove it.
- For very stubborn, hard-dried tubes, you might let a few drops of water sit on the surface for an hour or two before attempting to mix.
2. Converting Tube Paint to a Pan
An excellent alternative for dried tube watercolor is to treat it like a traditional pan watercolor.
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Process:
- Cut the tube: Carefully cut the tube away from the dried paint. You can use scissors or a craft knife. Be mindful of the tube material, as some are quite rigid.
- Extract the paint: Once the tube is cut, you can extract the solid block of dried paint.
- Place in a pan: Transfer this solid block into an empty watercolor pan (half pan or full pan). If it doesn't fit perfectly, you can break it gently to fit.
- Use as a half pan: Once in the pan, you can use it exactly as you would a factory-made pan watercolor. Simply apply a wet brush to the surface of the dry paint to pick up pigment.
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Benefits:
- Convenience: Makes the paint easily accessible on a palette.
- Portability: Ideal for creating custom travel palettes.
- No waste: Ensures you utilize all the paint, even if it dried.
3. Using Dried Pan Watercolors
For traditional pan watercolors that have dried (which they are designed to do), usage is straightforward:
- Dampen the surface: Simply wet your brush and rub it gently on the surface of the dry pan. The water reactivates the pigment.
- Spritzing: For faster activation or larger washes, you can lightly mist your pans with a spray bottle filled with water a few minutes before you start painting.
Essential Tools for Reactivation
Having the right tools can make the process of reviving your dry watercolors much smoother.
| Tool | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water Dropper | Precise addition of water to tubes/pans | Prevents over-watering |
| Thin Skewer/Pin | Mixing water into dried tube paint | Ensure it's sturdy enough to break up paint |
| Empty Pans | Storing extracted tube paint | Half pans or full pans work well |
| Craft Knife/Scissors | Cutting open dried paint tubes | Exercise caution when cutting |
| Spray Bottle | Misting pans for faster activation | Fine mist setting is ideal |
| Paper Towels | Cleaning brushes, absorbing excess water | Always handy for watercolor work |
Tips for Using Reactivated Watercolor
Once your paint is rehydrated, use it just as you would fresh paint, keeping these points in mind:
- Consistency is Key: Adjust the water-to-paint ratio on your palette to achieve different opacities and flow. More water equals more transparency.
- Layering: Watercolors are known for their beautiful layering capabilities. Allow previous layers to dry before applying new ones to avoid disturbing the underlying paint.
- Palette Management: Always keep a clean palette area for mixing colors. Use wells or a ceramic plate for easy mixing.
- Prevent Future Drying: After use, ensure caps are tightly sealed on tubes. For pans, let them air dry completely before closing your palette box to prevent mildew, but know they will dry out again and need re-wetting for next use.
