Recently I had a request to divulge my secret (or maybe not so secret) recipe for restoring small white areas to their original white (almost), without ruining the paper. First let me say that the only “new” thing here may be the brush used for scrubbing. I didn’t discover it myself, but I heard about it at a watercolour workshop. The rest of the ideas are merely a collection of known techniques I’ve experimented with over the last few years. Most of us, I’m sure, have had the experience of tossing aside many hours of work just because a white (or light) area was needed, or was lost for one reason or another. Getting it back can turn into a disaster. Don’t give up yet!
I have included a few photos to illustrate the process, but first the
tools.
1. The key instrument in this process is the Proxa-Brush (by Butler) which you can get at most pharmacies because they are used for cleaning between your teeth. It has very very fine bristles which will lift the pigment particles without radically altering the tooth of the paper.
2. Masking tape
3. Scalpel (or Exacto knife). I prefer the scalpel because of its low angle of cut as opposed to the Exacto which can scrape the surface of the paper with its point and cause bleeding later.
4. Paper towels
Demonstration:
1. I laid down strong concentrations of various colours and dried them thoroughly. I used staining, mildly staining, and non-staining paints to show how each behaves. I'll let you decide from the pictures which is which.
2. Mask off the area where the restored whites are to be.
3. Using a pen or pencil, draw the shape of the intended white area on the tape.
4. Use the scalpel or knife to cut the tape from the defined area. Careful not to cut too deep. Try to avoid cutting into the paper. Paint could bleed or settle into the cut later if you do.
5. Scrub the area with the Proxa-brush and blot with towel. Repeat process until desired whiteness is achieved. (Sometimes I drop in a different colour at this point if I’m not going for white.) Dry thoroughly.
6. Lift off the tape and voila! You can even run strokes of paint across it later without fear of bleeding. (May vary with paper. I’m using Arches 140 lb. rough)
Additional notes:
1. Scrubbing along one edge of the tape and allowing the pigment to run into the surrounding area with little or no blotting can give a soft, pleasing effect. So does a little scrubbing here and there with the Proxa-brush and no mask.
2. Experiment with it. I’m even contemplating doing a whole painting with the process instead of just using it for salvage work.
3. Be careful, though. There is the danger of it looking too contrived and tight if over-done. I don’t think you can use “loose style” and this whitening method in the same sentence. (Oops I just did.)
4. On the other hand, knowing you can safely go back to white allows you to make bolder moves.
5. Doing large areas can be difficult because the white could end up blotchy. (Desirable for a weathered plastered wall though.) I used it once for a portraying a dirty worn-out tile floor. I had to change the perspective on the checkered red and white tiles that were already painted. Lots of scrubbing by this method and I got what I wanted…dirty floor and all.
6. I suggest experimenting on that old painting you tossed out yesterday. It might end up being a keeper. Have fun.
Brian
.
,it's only that I use the usual stuff). So I will take that special one to my watercolour tool collection.
And they will just think it is due to a renewed national interest in dental hygiene! 
I take it back!
Linear Mode
