Pure watercolourists insist the white tones are achieved by the whiteness of the paper. This is achieved by leaving white areas of the paper unpainted, by use of masking fluid (drawing gum) or lifting the colour off the paper, to bring back the whiteness of the paper.

Can all papers colour lift?

Not all papers can successfully colour lift. Removing the paint whilst still wet is the easiest and the use of a non-staining paint will greatly assist the process. However, once the paint is dry, colour lifting can become difficult with some papers. Papers with a gelatine surface coating struggle the most with colour lifting, as the gelatine layer is designed to trap pigments, which makes colour lifting more difficult to bring the paper back to white. Papers with no gelatine are generally the best for colour lifting techniques. Bockingford® is considered a superb paper for colour lifting techniques by the art community.

Why is Bockingford® so good at colour lifting?

Bockingford® does not have a gelatine layer, so the paint can easily be lifted from wet and also from dry paint. The surface of the paper is importantly also strong, so can withstand the friction of multiple brushstrokes scrubbing the paper, without the surface fibres breaking down and pilling into balls.

How to lift colour from watercolour paper?

If the paint is still wet, use a clean ‘thirsty’ brush to stroke the surface of the area until the paint is removed. With paint that has already dried, dampen the paint with a wet brush to reactivate the pigments before lightly scrubbing the surface to loosen the paint. Wet paint is easiest to remove, once dried the paint will be harder to remove. Non-staining pigments are the easiest to remove, with staining paints leaving a trace of their presence.

Why should you use a colour lifting technique?

Colour lifting techniques are excellent for expressing highlights by bringing back the whiteness of the sheet. Colour lifting is also good for quickly correcting mistakes. By using a watercolour paper that has a fade resistant shade ensures the white values of the painting stay ‘white’ over time. Having a paper that’s base shade is a brighter ‘white’ will increase the tonal range of the painting.

What is the best paper for colour lifting watercolour?

Bockingford® is considered the best paper for colour lifting techniques. It combines the strength of a professional paper with archival technology, the surface stability of a mould made paper for a flatter sheet and superb colour lifting capabilities to bring the white of the paper back with both wet and dry paint. Millford watercolour paper is also excellent for colour lifting techniques, to bring the white of the paper back, combined with its ability to keep the paper in its wet state for longer.

To explore the range of papers recommended for colour lifting:
Bockingford www.stcuthbertsmill.com/st-cuthberts-mill-paper/bockingford-watercolour/
Millford www.stcuthbertsmill.com/st-cuthberts-mill-paper/millford-watercolour/
 

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