Tips and Hints on Painting

My answer to Kerra Lindsey’s question on Linkedin.

Watercolorists: Have you ever tried to ‘seal’ your paintings? Any success stories? Tricks and tips? I’d love to hear–please share your process with us!

I’d really like to avoid the ‘trial and error’ method–and I’ve seen others do this–but how? Do you know ‘the secret’? Please share it with us! Thanks in advance for any tip-offs!

Hi Kerra, I have painted in watercolor since 1984 and never used a fixitive before now. I’m currently working mainly in acrylic on canvas, but have begun to use either an undercoat of watercolor or added watercolor over the acrylic, all on canvas. I’m adding the watercolor because I miss the subtleness of colors I can achieve with watercolor. I use a coat of acrylic matte or gloss medium over the finished painting which I have been doing a few years since I use pastel and sumi-e ink on my work also. The medium does darken the color of the pastel, just as water does but I haven’t noticed any negative effects to the watercolor. Watercolor seems to seal itself when dry anyway. If I add the medium quickly and don’t agitate the surface by painting it over and over when wet, I don’t disturb the other mediums. You can see some examples of this under current work.