Chinese White watercolor
- Thread starter ntl
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I use mostly Daniel Smith and Windsor & Newton Watercolors, so this applies to those brands. Chinese White is more transparent than Titanium white. Titanium white is very similar to white gouache paint, but less chalky. In my experience, none of these will cover/conceal what's beneath. If you use acrylic white, it picks up whatever color you are trying to cover up - and then you can't paint on it. The best way to cover/conceal (again, this is based on my experience), is using Daniel Smith Titanium White watercolor ground. The caveat to using the Daniel Smith watercolor ground, the texture will be different than the paper you are using. That being said, you could either use the ground on the whole paper - or - you could use the ground on other types of surfaces - wood, canvas, or whatever. I really like the watercolor ground, just too lazy to use it. It also comes in transparent. One of my neighbors is a watercolor artist, and uses it all the time on canvas, wood and even metal! It takes a bit of getting used to (just like when you use different types of watercolor paper), but it certainly opens up a whole range of possibilities.
It also comes in Mars black. Here's a link to the product: https://danielsmith.com/product/watercolor-ground/
Hope this helps.
It also comes in Mars black. Here's a link to the product: https://danielsmith.com/product/watercolor-ground/
Hope this helps.
Bartc
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Chinese White originally came in my Cottman field set. I learned quickly that it really didn't do much, as it was too transparent. Maybe tinted down some other colors, but not consistently - useless in my book. The only thing I've found that works for me in watercolor to get back some sort of white once paper has been colored is good white gouache applied in one stroke liberally (even if a small spot or line). If you try to move it around at all, you will pick up some of the underlying colors. It doesn't really match the paper's natural white perfectly, and you won't be successful in painting colors over it, as it lifts just like transparent WC. So to bring back a touch or highlights it does work, but just for that in my experience. You can experiment with some white gel type pens (see YouTube videos), but I think the result is really the same as gouache. Nothing substitutes for planning in watercolor to reserve whites of the paper, except that rubbery resist stuff, which still requires planning and two extra steps.
Bartc
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Yes, that has been my experience with many transparent watercolors. Haven't used casein, but expect the same result as with gouache.
After all, you're talking about using the same base pigments and water as a solvent, only the binder is different.
Now if you swap in acrylics (or acrylic gouache with is really just flat acrylic) or even oil, you will get a very different result. That's because they do have a different chemical binder makeup, acrylic being plastic and oil being oil. But then it's unlikely you can paint true watercolor over those whites and again you get to use them only for highlights. For the same reason, you can use pastels over your watercolors, but once you wet pastel it becomes watercolor, so same limited use.
You might want to try Derwent InkTense, which is actually some kind of ink. It goes on dry, you can wet it or you can load your wet brush with it from the stick, and once it dries after wetting it becomes waterproof. That might work for you. But I still wouldn't be trying to bring back large areas. InkTense can be purchased as a single pencil or stick, by the way. I have not tried this, so you would have to experiment.
gleichnertheodo
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Chinese White watercolor paint is used in traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy for adding highlights, and details, and creating lighter areas. While acrylic white paint can be used as an alternative, Chinese White watercolor is better suited for achieving traditional effects. Chinese White watercolor paint is generally opaque but still retains some translucency, allowing for subtle layering and effects.
gleichnertheodo
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I've used Chinese white a few times, you can use it to make nice pastel shades. I've also seen it used to good effect to create mist in landscapes, though I've never tried it. I have tried using it to create white areas over painted areas but it was a distaster.
