Salt Resist Watercolours

Why not make some Valentine’s cards with this beautiful watercolour technique?

We got some liquid watercolours for Christmas and couldn’t wait to try one of our favourite painting techniques.

Adding salt to wet watercolours draws the pigment away and leaves beautiful mottled patterns on the paper.

What you’ll need:

Liquid watercolours
Paintbrushes
Paint pots
Jug of water
Cartridge paper (thicker the better due to the amount of water you’ll use)
Salt

How to do it:

Mix the watercolours in pots with a little water (you only need a few drops per colour).
Lay out some cartridge paper.
Get painting!
While the watercolours are still wet, sprinkle salt onto the painting where you’d like the resist effect.
Leave to dry completely.
Gently rub off the salt to reveal mottled patterns.

For the Valentine’s and Thank You cards:

Dry salt resist watercolour papers
Scissors
Paper punches
Blank card stock

Cut out shapes with scissors or a paper punch.
Glue to a blank card.

 

art / cards / painting / salt