Mon Prof Augmenté
Watercolour Dries, Oil Paint Hardens
Age 14 · Art
Watercolour is pigment mixed with water. The water leaves the paper and the pigment stays behind between the fibres, while oil paint takes oxygen from the air and its oil becomes a solid net around the pigment.
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In the picture
- A droplet above the paper fibres: water on its way out of the surface
- A pigment grain between paper fibres: colour caught in the paper
- A joint between two oil molecules: oil linking into a solid mesh
- A pigment grain inside the oil mesh: colour locked in place
Examples
- A watercolour wash on paper that feels dry an hour later
- A thick oil painting still tacky after a day but firm after a week
Key takeaways
- In watercolour the pigment stays in the paper once the water has gone
- Oil paint sets by taking in oxygen, so a thick layer can take days or weeks
Quiz: Watercolour Dries, Oil Paint Hardens (Age 14)
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In watercolour, what happens to the pigment once the water has gone?
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How does oil paint harden?
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What does the card say about a thick layer of oil paint?
The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.
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