Not every watercolor painting is finished in a single sitting.
Sometimes a layer needs time to dry. Sometimes life gets busy and we return to a painting a few days later. And sometimes a painting simply benefits from stepping away and looking at it again with fresh eyes.
When that happens, it's helpful to know how to protect both your painting and your color mixes between sessions.
Over the years, I've learned a few simple habits that make it much easier to continue a painting exactly where I left off.
Protecting Your Painting
One of the quickest ways to protect your work while painting is to place a paper towel around the area where your hand rests.
This helps prevent accidental smudges and protects the paper from small amounts of moisture.
However, paper towels move easily and won't protect the painting from larger accidents.
For longer projects, I prefer using a sheet of plain paper as a protective cover.
Place the paper over your watercolor painting and lightly trace the area you plan to work on. Then cut out only that section and secure the cover with a low-tack tape.
If you're painting a bouquet, for example, you might cut out just one flower at a time while keeping the rest of the painting covered.
This helps protect the surrounding areas from water drips, paint splashes, and accidental marks while you work.
When You're Finished for the Day
If the painting isn't complete, place a clean sheet of paper over the artwork before leaving your workspace.
This simple step helps protect it from dust, accidental spills, curious pets, and unexpected studio mishaps.
Of course, the safest option is always to put the painting away completely.
A drawer, portfolio, cabinet, or shelf can provide much better protection than leaving the artwork exposed on a table.
Most artists have at least one story about a painting that was damaged unexpectedly. Taking a few extra moments to store your work safely can save a lot of frustration later.
Don't Forget About Your Color Mixes
One of the wonderful things about watercolor is that your color mixes can often be saved and reused.
If you've prepared beautiful mixtures and plan to continue painting later, there's no need to throw them away.
Simply cover your palette with plastic wrap and store it in a clean, dust-free place.
When you return, most watercolor mixes can be reactivated with a little water and used again.
Not only does this save time, but it also helps maintain consistency throughout the painting.
If you've carefully mixed colors for a botanical study, landscape, or larger project, being able to return to the same mixtures can make the next painting session much smoother.
Many artists automatically clean their palettes after every painting session.
While a clean palette certainly has its place, throwing away useful color mixtures often means spending time recreating colors you've already worked hard to develop.
Instead, consider saving your mixes whenever possible and reactivating them later.
You may be surprised by how well they perform, even after several days.
A Small Experiment For You
The next time you finish a painting session, try covering your palette instead of cleaning it.
Return a few days later, add a little water to the mixes, and observe how they behave.
You'll quickly discover that watercolor is a very forgiving medium, and those saved mixtures may become one of your favorite studio habits.
How to Store Finished Watercolor Paintings
Once a painting is finished, it's worth taking a little time to protect it properly.
Watercolor paintings are delicate, and good storage helps preserve the paper, colors, and overall appearance for years to come.
You can store finished paintings:
- Framed under glass
- In art folders or portfolios
- Flat in drawers
Try to avoid humidity, direct sunlight, and placing heavy objects on top of your paintings, as these can damage or bend the paper over time.
For smaller pieces, I like to keep my paintings in an art folder with a plastic sleeve for each page.
It protects the surface from dust and fingerprints while making it easy to look through older work whenever I want.
I also find it useful when friends or guests are interested in seeing my paintings, as the artwork stays protected while still being easy to view.
One mistake I often see is stacking paintings directly on top of each other without any protection between them. Over time, this can lead to bent corners, surface marks, or unwanted dirt on the paper.
A simple storage system doesn't need to be complicated. Even a portfolio folder or a dedicated drawer can help keep your watercolor paintings safe and organized.
Protecting your watercolor painting isn't only about protecting the paper.
It's also about protecting the work you've already invested in observing, mixing colors, and building your painting layer by layer.
A few simple habits can help you return to your artwork with confidence and continue exactly where you left off.
With love,
Kristine 💚
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