Moldy Watercolor Palettes

QUESTION:
I left my watercolors in the palette over the summer to garden. From time to time I put a damp cloth over them & sprayed them with water. Several have grown mold. I'm able to scrape off the mold. may I use them w/out trouble. How do you store watercolors in a palette for up to 2-3 months?  
Judy, Olympia, WA

Susie's Reply:
Hi Judy,  I have several suggestions for you. Let's start with the mold issue. Scraping the mold off is a good start. A solution of vinegar and water will also neutralize any mold spores that remain.
If the paint is a professional grade watercolor it should be OK.

Let's talk about storing watercolor paint in a palette. Allowing the paint to dry between painting sessions is not going to harm the paint especially if its professional grade.
Many artists prefer to paint with freshly squeezed paint straight from the tube.
Some watercolor paints are made with emollients or additives (such as honey) that aide in keeping the paint moist. Many believe that the paint must be kept moist to maintain the paint's integrity.  For many years I was included in this group of believers. And I can't tell you how much paint I washed down the drain at the end of each painting session. It wasn't until 1990 when I was fortunate to take a workshop with Zoltan Szabo that I learned dry paint was just as vibrant when reactivated as it was straight from the tube.
Some watercolor pigments and the formulas the manufacturers use are better suited for using dry than are others.
So here are my suggestions: If you feel you must use moist paint don't squeeze out more than you can use in a few days or maybe even up to a week. Use a palette with a snug lid and consider putting a moist sponge in the mixing area when the lid is on the palette.
If you will not be using the paint again in a few days, remove the lid and allow the paint to dry naturally. When you are ready to paint again add some fresh paint on top of the dried paint and replace the lid. The moisture will sink down into the dried paint. 
I hope this helps answer your questions.
SUSIE

Comment: I have 2 large palettes with paint in them....when I go to class they are too large to transport conventiently...I have since bought a smaller palette....is it okay to take the old paint out of one of the larger palettes and use it in the smaller palette? Is there an easy way to do this? Thanks Dee Cee

Yes! It is fairly easy to transfer paint from one watercolor palette to another. When the paint is dry its almost like a rubber block that will "pop" out of the well with some gentle prodding. Secure the dry paint block in the new palette well by squeezing some fresh paint of the same color into the well to act as a glue. Let it dry to cure and setup before using it.
Clean the paint block with a damp brush if there is renegade paint dried on it. Try it! Susie

Watercolor Paints & Papers

QUESTION:
Hi Susie -I have a few questions please. Which is better tube paint or hard paint?
And does it matter which paper you use thick or thin? Thank you for your time. Gary

SUSIE'S REPLY:
Hi Gary - thanks for your questions!

1. Which is better tube paint or hard paint? Both are good. It's a personal choice as to which is better. It depends on the style and techniques you are striving to achieve. Most watercolorists do prefer working with moist watercolor paint and many will only use freshly squeezed paint. I guess I'm probably in the minority because I do like working with dry paint. I painted with wet paint for over twenty years because I'd read somewhere or heard someone say that colors were brighter when you used fresh paint. I took a workshop with Zoltan Szabo (one of my watercolor heroes!) and discovered that he used dried paint and his work was wonderfully colorful so I decided to try the dried paint. I found my niche. Working with dried paint allowed me to get the color saturation and value I wanted without making "blossoms". Water control is often a problem with new painters and this seemed to be a helpful tip for my student too.
   I do use tube paint to fill my wells and allow it to dry rather than the pre-formed watercolor cubes (called pans) that some manufacturers offer.
2. And does it matter which paper you use thick or thin? I believe (and preach!) the most important factor to successful watercolor painting is the paper you use. There are several paper manufacturers and that produce high quality watercolor papers. Again it is a personal choice. Thicker watercolor papers (i.e 300#) hold more water so they stay wet longer and allow longer painting time. The thinner medium weight but highly adequate 140# watercolor paper is probably the most popular choice because due to availability and price. The thinnest 80# or lighter watercolor papers don't take much water so they are best suited for drier watercolor techniques and other mediums such as markers, pastels, or colored pencils.

All watercolor paper is not the same! Different brands use different fibers and sizing. Some are better than others for different applications. Experiment to find the type of watercolor paper that works best for your painting style.

I recommend and use Arches 140# Cold Pressed watercolor paper. It an economical medium weight paper with a very durable surface and works well for most watercolor techniques. I like to use it for my workshops because it is very forgivable...and allows for moderate scrubbing and corrections when needed.

HINT: Don't settle for cheap paper! Life's too short to use bad paper. Find the brand and type that works best for you. Even when learning to paint. Too many people try to learn how to paint on student grade "cheaper" paper and literally work them self into bad habits and never achieve the desired results.

I hope that helps! Happy painting!
SUSIE
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Palette layout

QUESTION: Susie, I took your landscape class and I'll be back for more. I want to set up my palette to let them dry. I checked your palette layout suggestion but I now have all of the two sets and some extras so I'm confused how to go about it. I have the same palette as yours. Thanks for any help. Sharon

SUSIE'S REPLY: Hi Sharon -- Try painting the swatches I mentioned in the previous post. As you start arranging your watercolor palette you may find you have more wells than you have paint. If that's the case, simple skip a well every so often to reserve a space to add a new color later. More often we have more watercolor paint than wells to hold them. In this case you will need to make a choice of which watercolor paints you want to include and which ones you will leave out. I do occasionally put two watercolors side by side in the same well if they are compatible won't hurt if I get a tiny smidgen of each when I load my brush. (Example: Ultramarine and French Ultramarine)

Remember you can always squeeze a dab of fresh paint if you decide need it for a painting.

TIP: For dry paint: When filling your palette, layering the paint and allowing it to dry between layers will keep it from cracking as it dries. I usually have 3 or 4 layers. It takes a little longer to add the layers but they do dry faster when the paint is spread thinner.

Good luck! Enjoy squeezing that paint!
SUSIE

Here is a suggested layout or arrangement for the Richeson Watercolor Palette
You are welcome to print a copy!

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