Salt + watercolor: magical textures for landscapes

Technique "salt and watercolor" transforms ordinary drawings into magical landscapes with shimmering snowflakes, starry skies, or fluffy tree crowns. In this guide, you'll learn how to:

✔ Which salt to use for different effects.
✔ 5 techniques for creating textures (from snow to galaxies).
✔ Lifehacks for predictable results.
✔ How to correct mistakes if the salt "overdid" the paint.

🧂 Step 1: Choose the "magic" salt

Important! The salt must be dry. Wet will stick together and have no effect.

🎨 Step 2: Prepare materials

• Paper: heavy watercolor (300 g/m²), so that it does not warp.
• Colors: liquid watercolor or tubes (gouache is not suitable!).
• Brushes: soft (squirrel, synthetic) so as not to scratch the paper.
• Additionally: hair dryer to speed up drying (optional).

🌌 5 techniques for stunning effects

1. Winter snowfall

1. Wet the paper, fill the background with blue/gray paint.
2. While the paint is shining, pour in the fine salt.
3. After drying (20-30 min), shake off the salt - "snowflakes" will remain.

2. Space nebula

1. Apply purple, blue and pink strokes.
2. Throw in some sea salt - it will create "star clusters."
3. Add a splash of white gouache for the stars.

3. Fluffy trees

1. Draw the crown in green.
2. Quickly sprinkle coarse salt around the contour - you'll get "foliage."

4. Sea foam

1. Paint the water with blue paint.
2. Pour salt in the waves - it will "repel" the pigment, mimicking foam.

5. Volcanic rocks

1. Use black and ochre.
2. Coarse salt will give the effect of porous lava.

⚠️ top 3 mistakes (and how to avoid them)

1. Salt drips on dry paint → No effect! The paint should be wet, but without puddles.
2. Too much salt → You'll get a white spot. Sprinkle in pinches.
3. Wiping off the salt until dry → The texture will "smudge". Wait for complete drying!

✨ More Lifehacks

• Colored salt: mix coarse crystals with pastels (crushed into powder).
• Laminating: fix the work with spray varnish to prevent the texture from crumbling.
• Combination: add alcohol (drop with a dropper) for "craters" next to the salt patterns.

🌠 Ideas for inspiration

• Northern Lights: dark background + green-blue paint + "Extra" salt.
• Underwater world: salt on blue paint + scratched white fish.
• Autumn forest: orange-yellow strokes + coarse salt for "foliage".

Salt + watercolor technique - It's magic that even beginners can do! Experiment with proportions and create your own unique landscapes.

Give it a try today - share the result in the comments!

Want more magic techniques? The next master class "Painting with soap bubbles"! 🎨✨