How to layer watercolour on canvas - what can you add to your washes?

Painting watercolour on canvas is wonderful - no more glass, you can paint big, you can correct mistakes so easily... BUT the watercolour is pretty fragile on the surface, so if you want to layer and glaze in the traditonal watercolour way you will find that your underpainting or first layer lifts and bleeds into the next one. At worst, you will find yourself lifting off the paint you've already put down. It can be very frustrating!
You can do something about it - perhaps be very direct in the way you paint - keep layers to a minimum. Use a light touch and a soft brush.... Or you could add something to your watercolour to make them a bit 'grippier'. If only you could waterproof them, then your problems would be solved.
I discovered Aqua Fix from Schmincke, which does just that. It increases the water resistance of your paint. Shellac Soap from Lukas does the same. You can see all about Schmincke Aqua Fix here: • How to layer watercolo...
But, it's really hard to get hold of, and it's pretty expensive. So when Marques Nazereno from Brazil over at the Watercolour on Canvas group on Facebook ( / watercolouroncanvas ) said he added acrylic varnish, I was intrigued. Did it work? How much to use? How does it compare with Aqua Fix?
So this film is a bit of a psuedo scientific experiment to compare the two and come up with answers. We are looking to stabilise the wash, but still correct it easily. We want the paint to stay put, unless we want to life and lighten it.
I hope you enjoy the film and find it useful. I personally will stick with Aqua Fix, but if you can't get it or it is too expensive, then this varnish trick is excellent and might just be a gamechanger.
If you enjoyed this, you might like my book Painting Watercolours on Canvas: www.crowood.com/collections/a... and I have a full online course all about it at www.lizchadertonstudio.co.uk
Let me know how you get on!
#lizchaderton #watercolouroncanvas #watercolorcanvas

[@mjrewerts]

Somebody needs to develop a spray workable fixative for watercolor canvas painting so each layer could be set 🤔. Thank you for sharing your time and experience 👍🏼

[@LizChadertonArt]

Yes - in effect a spray transparent watercolour ground would be fabulous! Do you know anyone at Daniel Smiths or QoR??

[@didee1000]

Thanks Liz! I look forward to your videos each week!

[@LizChadertonArt]

oh good. I thought this one was a bit specialist, but I hope it was helpful.

[@cinereus3601]

Fantastic video

[@LizChadertonArt]

Thanks! 😃

[@kmeldrom6932]

Excellent! Thank you!

[@peterangel6463]

This is turning watercolor into watercolor/acrylic ink!

[@LizChadertonArt]

it is certainly not pure watercolour any longer and would be classed as mixed media, but it is one way of solving the issue of layering on a watercolour canvas. Most artists find that the lack of absorption means glazing is very tricky.

[@erikaleighart]

What a cool experiment! I never knew of Aqua Fix before seeing your video. You have the most interesting tricks and inventive methods. Thank you as always for sharing!

[@LizChadertonArt]

Glad you enjoyed it! I thought this might me rather specialist, but it makes such a difference.

[@Anna-jl1rx]

Thank you for your help! I've started experimenting with painting directly on canvas without watercolour ground. So far, I only painted one layer. It sticks to the canvas. So far, so good...

[@LizChadertonArt]

Wonderful. hope it continues to behave.

[@marquesnazareno7003]

thank you for chare. weel explained!

[@LizChadertonArt]

you’ve really started something!

[@paulwhiteheadartist]

Many thanks for sharing Liz it was most helpful, I love working on board primed with absorbent ground but the lifting of underlying layers was very frustrating.

[@LizChadertonArt]

Glad it was helpful! I really like Aquafix and have just got hold of Lucas Shellac soap which should do the same. I may do a comparison film soon

[@vickilee6335]

This is really helpful. I was working on a wooden board and used the ground first. I put on several thin layers. I noticed right away that it wasn't working well with my next layer of watercolor. I put it to the side not knowing what to do. Maybe this will help. Thanks!!

[@LizChadertonArt]

working on ground is never the same as paper, despite what the manufacturers tell us. It’s great, but different and you need to adapt your style. Aqua Fix is so helpful if you want to layer (generally I try to minimise it), but adding the varnish really seems to work too. Hope it helps.

[@lisacody8502]

Great video!! Thank you for sharing this! 😊 Do you know the reasoning behind using mat varnish and not gloss or semi?

[@LizChadertonArt]

It's purely personal taste. I think that keeping things matte keeps watercolour looking as close to normal as possible. Watercolour on paper isn't shiny. However if you like a shinier look, you could use a gloss. Of course you are adding so little that it might make no difference. To be candid, I haven't tried it, but I wouldn't want a shiny outcome.

[@sfriedman1321]

When you’re finished with the painting do you seal it with spray varnish or cold wax or anything? Thank you!

[@LizChadertonArt]

yes, you must seal it. I use a coat of spray varnish ( hopefully with uv protection), the I might add more layers of spray, or brush on or cold wax medium. if you search in this channel there are films about waxing etc

[@ellenstoune8937]

I haven't tried this yet but after trying the Aqua Fix and seeing how it behaved, it dawned on me how much it looks like Golden High Flow Medium. I'll have to do an experiment to see if it performs as well as the Schmincke stuff.

[@LizChadertonArt]

Will you share your results? It would be great to find alternatives.

[@ellenstoune8937]

@@LizChadertonArt Yes, I absolutely will! 😀 ps: Thank you for all the fantastic videos you share here. I always learn something new and interesting.

[@LizChadertonArt]

@@ellenstoune8937 my pleasure. If there is ever a topic you want me to explore, let me know.

[@atelierthhun1165]

Hi Liz, interesting video. I'd be interested in seeing how Shellac soap works, also a standard acrylic Matt medium. Presumably using any of these additives means you have to now call these mixed media works ? If you have the chance I would love a video on wax sealing alternatives to Dorlands wax which is not easily available now, have you tried any ? Many thanks.

[@LizChadertonArt]

Sadly I’ve never got hold of shellac soap, but believe it works in the same way. I’m not big on labels, but I am guessing the varnish would push it into mixed media, but Aqua Fix is designed for watercolour like ox gall or granulation medium, so it wouldn’t??what do you think? I worry about the end result! My gut feel is that matt medium wouldn’t be as good…. Not based on anything more scientific than gut! Gambling wax works in the same way as Dorland’s. I’ve tried Annie Sloan chalk wax. I spoke to their tech guys who were super cagey about its pH. So it won’t yellow but I don’t know about neutrality.

[@atelierthhun1165]

@@LizChadertonArt Hi Liz, thanks for the prompt reply. At a guess purists - which I'm not one of- would say it's mixed media. I will give matt medium - which I have- a try alongside varnish and let you know how well it works. Thanks for the Gamblin recommendation, in the spirit of enquiry I may test out furniture waxes on scraps to see what happens. Like yourself I worry about yellowing and possible degradation by chemicals.

[@artbysolar-theresa]

Would adding a clear watercolor ground in between layers work?

[@LizChadertonArt]

Yes, but there are some downsides. It is water based, so you might get some smearing. You have to wait at least 24 hours ….you might lose the flow of the paint. That stuff is expensive!

[@sarahdescoteaux1840]

Would spray fixative work?

[@LizChadertonArt]

no, because it will repel watercolour, so the next layer will bead up

[@Potatoo2012]

Hello Liz, is there a way to fix the pencil to the canvas before I continue painting with watercolors? When I paint directly with watercolor over pencil, the colors get a little dirty because of the graphite. I would be happy if you would give me an answer. Nice greetings from Germany

[@LizChadertonArt]

graphite cannot be fixed as such, without spoiling the canvas absorbency. Either keep pencil to a minimum and use a harder lead, or use a watercolour pencil in a toning colour and it will dissolve into your wash.

[@Potatoo2012]

@@LizChadertonArt Thank you very much Liz for your fast answer. I have one more question. Did you ever use "Zwischenfirnis". It is an intermediate varnish vor watercolor from Schminke. It says you can varnish your first layer of color and than go on with the next layer.

[@LizChadertonArt]

@@Potatoo2012 I’m afraid I’ve never heard of that! Sounds interesting

[@Potatoo2012]

@@LizChadertonArt Hello Liz, meanwhile I could try the intermediate varnish (Zwischenfirnis) out. It does not work on a canvas.

[@LizChadertonArt]

@@Potatoo2012 that’s a real shame.