Schmincke Watercolor Medium 

Purists among the watercolour painters need only one painting medium: water. However, our AQUA series of watercolour mediums allow the use of new creative techniques and effects using HORADAM® or AKADEMIE® watercolours – and not just on paper as the classic support!

HINT: The primers AQUA primer, fine (50702) and AQUA primer, coarse (50703) allow aquarelle work to be done on other non-greasy supports like, for example, canvas, illustration board or wood. If you would like to partially mask smooth paper that is not too absorbent before painting an aquarelle, you have various options: Liquid frisket (50300, 50303) and masking fluids (50730, 50731). Two modelling pastes – fine and coarse – also allow three-dimensional texture effects with the use of water-colours on different supports. They are simply applied to e. g. paper (> 350 g/m²), artist’s board or wood using a palette knife or spatula and can be painted over with watercolours after drying – with somewhat thicker coats, preferably not until the next day – without a further coating of primer. It is important, when working with watercolours and the AQUA series, that the supports are free of grease. For supports that are difficult to wet with water, we recommend pre-treatment using Oxgall (50 031) or ONETZ (14031). Moreover, improved flow on such supports is achieved by adding a little of these two wetting agents to water-colours (please use a palette to mix the mediums and paint!).

By the way: these two mediums can also be used to “degrease” the lacquered mixing palettes of the metal paint box. All AQUA mediums can easily be mixed with water. Some of them dry like acrylic colours elatively quickly to become water-resistant. For this reason, it is advisable to clean all used working equipment with soap and water immediately after painting. The effect obtained using the mediums AQUA gloss (50740) and AQUA shine (50720) very much depends on the individual amounts added. This means: the more paint and less water, the greater the effect. 

ATTENTION: Many AQUA mediums are mixed with water-colours before being applied. Always use a palette or a plate for mixing – the mediums may never be put directly into the pans! For the storage of all AQUA mediums: Store in a cool place. Protect against frost.

HINT: All AQUA mediums can also be combined with HORADAM® Gouache or AKADEMIE® Gouache, provided that they were used like watercolours after being thinned with lots of water. By the way: Those wishing to grind watercolours with pigments themselves will find detailed information on gum arabic (50302) and on the watercolour binder “ready-to-use“(50820).

Watercolour binder "ready-to-use" -for translucent watercolours
Ready-to-use binder for easy grinding of translucent water-colours in combination with Schmincke pure artists´ pigments. Dilutable with water; dries to a wiping resistant film, but remains water-soluble. Shake before use.
Handling

• Shake well before use.

• Water-colour binder “ready-to-use” is ready to use, but can be diluted with water if necessary.

• Grind a teaspoonful of pigment and a small amount of product with a paint knife on a grinding plate made of glass or a flat glazed tile to a smooth paste.

• The mixing ratio of binder to pigment very much depends on the type of pigment. Start off with approx. 2 part binder to 1 part pigment (by weight). Depending on the pigment, more binder or more pigment is added to achieve the required consistency. The right proportions have been reached if dried streaks of paint have a smooth surface and do not come off when rubbed with the dry heel of the hand.

• The product is water-mixable and remains water-soluble after getting dry.

• Please clean working tools as soon as possible with water or water and soap.

• Close immediately after use.

• Store in a cool and dry place.

• Protect from frost.

• Individual pre-tests are required.

ONETZ improves flow
Natural, thickened wetting agent for water-colours and gouache colours. Decreases the surface tension of the colours diluted with water. Use sparingly.
Handling

• Oxgall is water-mixable.

• Dilute the product with a little water and mix it into the water-colours separately on a palette. (Use sparingly!).

• Please clean working tools as soon as possible with water or water and soap.

• Dissolved oxgall tends to flocculate during a long period of storage; this has no influence on the product`s handling.

• The product also “degreases” undercoats such as lacquered palettes of painting boxes.

• Close immediately after use.

• Store in a cool and dry place.

• Individual pre-tests are required.

Masking fluid, coloured -odourless
Blue tinted drawing gum for masking specific areas which should remain white on water-colour paper, smooth drawing carton, photographs or films. For direct application with the dispensing bottle.
Handling

• Masking fluid colourless / masking fluid coloured is ready to use. You can apply the product directly on the support with the masking pen´s fine tip. If necessary, you can reduce the size of the orifice using a fine metal nozzle (for that please see well-stocked specialist shops beside the contour bottles for porcelain-painting or window-painting). The orifice may not be shortened or cut.

• Very soft, weakly grounded textured paper types like e.g. rag paper or torchon paper are not suitable for masking techniques.

• After the masking fluid is completely dry, the masked picture areas can be painted over using water-colours, gouache colours or AERO COLOR® Professional. (The drying process takes between a few minutes and more than an hour depending on the thickness of the coat!)

• After this coat of paint has dried properly too, the dried rubbery-type film of the masking fluid can be removed by careful rubbing with a dry and non-greasy finger (please do not pull off!).

• The masking film should not be left on the support for longer than two days and must be completely removed; otherwise there is a risk of yellowing of the support!

• The product is dilutable with water, but dries very quickly into a rubbery-type transparent film that does not dissolve in water.

• Close the top tightly as soon as possible after use.

• The applicator tip of the masking fluid is most easily cleaned when dry using a needle.

• Store in a cool and dry place.

• Protect from frost.

• Individual pre-tests are required.

Masking fluid, neutral -odourless
Drawing gum for masking specific areas which should remain white on water-colour paper, smooth drawing carton, photographs or films. For direct application with the dispensing bottle. Colourless after drying.
Handling

• Masking fluid colourless / masking fluid coloured is ready to use. You can apply the product directly on the support with the masking pen´s fine tip. If necessary, you can reduce the size of the orifice using a fine metal nozzle (for that please see well-stocked specialist shops beside the contour bottles for porcelain-painting or window-painting). The orifice may not be shortened or cut.

• Very soft, weakly grounded textured paper types like e.g. rag paper or torchon paper are not suitable for masking techniques.

• After the masking fluid is completely dry, the masked picture areas can be painted over using water-colours, gouache colours or AERO COLOR® Professional. (The drying process takes between a few minutes and more than an hour depending on the thickness of the coat!)

• After this coat of paint has dried properly too, the dried rubbery-type film of the masking fluid can be removed by careful rubbing with a dry and non-greasy finger (please do not pull off!).

• The masking film should not be left on the support for longer than two days and must be completely removed; otherwise there is a risk of yellowing of the support!

• The product is dilutable with water, but dries very quickly into a rubbery-type transparent film that does not dissolve in water.

• Close the top tightly as soon as possible after use.

• The applicator tip of the masking fluid is most easily cleaned when dry using a needle.

• Store in a cool and dry place.

• Protect from frost.

• Individual pre-tests are required. 

Liquid frisket, coloured -odourless
Blue tinted drawing gum for masking specific areas which should remain white on water-colour paper, smooth drawing carton, photographs or films. Apply undiluted with writing pen, cotton bud or wooden stick.
Handling

• Shake well before use.

• Liquid frisket, colourless / liquid frisket, coloured is ready to use and can apply using a cotton bud, achopstick, nib or a quill. (Don´t use expensive brushes!)

• The product is dilutable with water, but dries very quickly into a rubbery-type transparent film that does not dissolve in water. (With water diluted product may be penetrate deeper into the ground andit is possible that product will be worse removed!)

• Please clean tools as soon as possible with water or water and soap.

• Close the top tightly as soon as possible after use.

• After the masking fluid is completely dry, the masked picture areas can be painted over using watercolours,gouache colours or AERO COLOR® Professional. (The drying process takes between a fewminutes and more than an hour depending on the thickness of the coat!)

• After this coat of paint has dried properly too, the dried rubbery-type film of the masking fluid can beremoved by careful rubbing with a dry and non-greasy finger (please do not pull off!).

• The masking film should not be left on the support for longer than two days and must be completelyremoved; otherwise there is a risk of yellowing of the support!

• Very soft, weakly grounded textured paper types like e.g. rag paper or torchon paper are not suitablefor masking techniques.

• Close immediately after use.

• Store in a cool and dry place.

• Protect from frost.

• Individual pre-tests are required.

Oxgall -improves flow
Natural wetting agent for water-colours and gouache colours. Decreases the surface tension of the colours diluted with water. Use sparingly. Dissolved oxgall tends to flocculate during a long period of torage. This has no influence on the product`s handling.
Handling

• Shake well before use.

• Oxgall is water-mixable.

• Dilute the product with a little water and mix it into the water-colours separately on a palette. (Use sparingly!).

• Please clean working tools as soon as possible with water or water and soap.

• Dissolved oxgall tends to flocculate during a long period of storage; this has no influence on the product`s handling.

• The product also “degreases” undercoats such as lacquered palettes of painting boxes.

• Close immediately after use.

• Store in a cool and dry place.

• Individual pre-tests are required.

Gum arabic -concentrated
Binder for own production of water-colours and gouache colours. Dilutable with water; dries to a wiping resistant film, but remains water-soluble. Improves adhesion of undercoats when added to Schmincke water-colours and gouache colours; increases gloss, transparency and intensity of colours.
Handling

• Shake well before use.

• Gum arabic concentrated is ready to use, but can be diluted with water if necessary.

• The mixing ratio of binder to pigment very much depends on the type of dyestuff. Our recommendation: Start off with the same amount of binder and pigment, than add binder or pigment until the required consistency. The dried streaks of paint should have a smooth surface and do not come off when rubbed with the dry heel of the hand. The self-mixed colours can be diluted with water if necessary. They are intended to be used as quickly as possible and should only be stored for a few days in screw-top jars.

• The product should only be added to water-colours or gouache colours on a separate palette!

• The product is water-mixable and remains water-soluble after getting dry.

• Please clean working tools as soon as possible with water or water and soap.

• Close immediately after use.

• Store in a cool and dry place.

• Protect from frost.

• Individual pre-tests are required.