One substance specifically known to react with watercolour paint is salt.
Salt is a common material that causes a notable reaction when applied to wet watercolour. According to one source, salt reacts to the water in your watercolour paint. This reaction happens because the salt granules have a tendency to absorb the moisture present in the paint.
How Salt Reacts with Watercolour
When you sprinkle salt onto a wet watercolour painting, the interaction primarily involves the absorption of water by the salt crystals.
- Absorption: Each salt granule acts like a tiny sponge, pulling the water from the surrounding paint towards itself.
- Pigment Displacement: As the water is drawn towards the salt, it carries the pigment particles with it. This process pushes the pigment away from the immediate area around the salt crystal.
- Texture Creation: As the paint dries, the salt crystals remain, and the pigment is concentrated in the areas where the water was pulled from. This leaves behind a textured pattern.
As described in the reference, when sprinkled onto your painting surface, the salt granules can absorb the water, pulling it into a little star-like shape with textured edges.
Using Salt in Watercolour Painting
This reaction is not just a chemical process; it's also a popular technique used by artists to add unique textures to their work. Different types of salt (like table salt, sea salt, or rock salt) can create varied effects depending on the size and shape of the crystals and how wet the paint is when applied.
This method is a simple yet effective way to introduce visual interest and unexpected patterns, leveraging the natural interaction between salt and the water component of watercolour.
