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c/art-supply-swap•theas94theas94•1mo ago

Appreciation post for those half-dried pan watercolors I almost tossed

I was this close to throwing out a set of half-pan watercolors that had gone crusty after a year in storage. Figured I'd try a few spritzes of water and letting them sit for 10 minutes before a painting session last Tuesday, and they came back better than new. Has anyone else salvaged dried-out paints with just water or is this a known hack I missed?
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2 Comments
miles54
miles541mo ago
Crusty paints always bounce back with a little water. Half the time they end up creamier than before.
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perez.barbara
Hold up though, I gotta push back a little. Adding water can help some crusty paints, but it's not a one-size-fits-all fix. For example, if your paint has separated or gotten a weird film on top (like a skin), just mixing in water won't fix the pigment that's already gone bad. I've had cheap craft paints that turned into a gritty mess no matter how much water I added, they just never got smooth again. It really depends on the brand and how old the paint is, you know?
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