QoR Lift Aid is an aid that can help remove dry watercolor if an artist plans ahead. Brush one or two coats over an area to be protected, whether it is the white of the paper or a previous application of color. Dry Lift Aid can create a temporary barrier between the surface beneath and the next layer of watercolor, making it easier to lift color from that last layer of paint once it is dry.
We recommend using QoR Lift Aid full strength and painting it either directly onto dry paper or over a dry wash. You may coat the entire paper or watercolor ground, or only part of the surface where you wish to lift paint. One or two layers should be enough, however, test to be sure. Carefully paint with diluted watercolor over the dry Lift Aid. Aggressive brushing will dissolve the Lift Aid and mix it into the paint, which reduces the medium’s ability to stop color staining. Allow the new layer of paint to dry completely.
To remove the Lift Aid, first use clean water and a brush to re-wet any color on the dry medium then gently blot off with a clean paper towel or rag. If care is not taken when removing this paint, the color can mix in and stain the paper (Image 5B). Once the paint is removed, use the same technique to remove the Lift Aid and reveal the bare paper or color underneath.
Please be aware that leaving Lift Aid on the paper will make additions of more layers of paint difficult, since the presence of the aid causes paint applied on top to lift and this can also stain the paper. The areas with Lift Aid might also look slightly different.