Lifting "whites" with a Mr Clean Magic Eraser

Question: Susie, Have you ever tried the "Magic Eraser?" It is found in the cleaning section of the grocery store. It removes paint from watercolor paper, totally and without damage to the paper's surface. Just dampen the eraser rub and whala....white paper again!
My friend has removed painted areas from nearly her entire sheet. The paper was put under running water and she used the magic white eraser to take off all the paint, 140lb. is what she paints on.
"Mr. Clean" is on the outside of the package. As the sponge is used, it disintegrates. Sharon

Susie's Reply: Hi Sharon! Yes! I've used the Magic Eraser and find it a great tool for lifting. If you have used non staining colors it will lift almost back to pure white paper. Last month I demonstrated how I use it with my own hand cut stencils to retreive highlights on pumpkins. By cutting out the shape you want you can get sharper edges than with the eraser alone.

To those of you who are new to the Mr Clean Magic Eraser it's a very dense light weight sponge. If you'd like to try it, look for the solid white block NOT the one with the blue scrubber added on one side. I've also found generic knock off sponges or store brands with 3 sponges per package. They work the same and are a little more economical.

Thanks for reminding me to share this tip Sharon!
SUSIE

Preserving "whites"...

QUESTION: The question I have that I guess most new painters have is how do you keep the white, "WHITE" while painting around it with other darker colors. Without bleeding in color where you don't want it ..is there a easy trick? Thanks -- Dave

SUSIE'S REPLY: Dave -- Many artists work from light to dark and put in the darkest darks last to keep them from bleeding or smearing. One tip I appreciated when I was just starting out was to reserve my darker true reds until the last few finishing strokes of the painting. Most red pigments bleed easily and are hard to clean up. Probably the most popular solution for artists is to use Masking Fluid (also called Misket or Drawing Gum) which is a liquid "rubber cement" type of resist that is applied over the area you wish to preserve. You just paint over the masking (when its dry) and remove it by pealing it off when the paint is dry. A piece of drafting tape cut to fit the area will also save the whites while painting darker colors around it.
There are other types of resists but these are the most commonly used "helpers".
Warning: Using masking fluid can be habit forming! Be careful that it doesn't become a "crutch" when used too often or is always your first choice for reserving whites.
Nothing is better at developing your skills and watercolor techniques than lots of painting and practice.
Thanks for your question! Have fun as you start your watercolor journey! SUSIE