Lifting Preparation for Watercolor: What It Does and How to Use It

Love reworking your watercolor paintings without damaging the paper? RyRy Paints has a great trick to make lifting color easier and safer!

She’s been testing Lifting Preparation by Winsor & Newton and is excited to walk you through exactly how it works.

If you enjoy lifting out areas to create clouds, soft light, or gentle highlights, this product might completely change the way you paint.

What Is Lifting Preparation in Watercolor?

Let’s start with the basics before diving into painting.

Lifting Preparation is a special liquid you apply to watercolor paper before painting. It acts like a primer that helps lift paint more easily later on.

A Primer for Lifting Color

This product is fantastic for artists who like to:

• Lift color to make clouds
• Lighten specific areas
• Rework parts of a painting without damaging the paper

It is especially useful when controlling how much color stays on the paper. It allows pigment to be removed without heavy scrubbing—which helps prevent peeling or tearing of the surface.

Winsor & Newton’s Lifting Preparation

The artist uses the one by Winsor & Newton. When brushed on, it appears almost invisible. It dries slightly duller than the white of the paper, but only subtly.

A blow dryer is used to speed up drying, and once dry, the treated area is barely noticeable unless examined closely.

First Test: Applying Watercolor Over Treated vs. Untreated Paper

Now it’s time to see how paint behaves on paper with and without Lifting Preparation.

Side-by-Side Painting Setup

Two areas are prepared on the same sheet of 100% cotton watercolor paper.

• The left side is left untreated.
• The right side receives a layer of Lifting Preparation.

A small squiggly line marks the separation.

Painting with Winsor Blue

Winsor Blue—a highly staining color—is applied first. The paint behaves the same on both sides. Even with Lifting Preparation underneath, the feel and flow remain completely natural:

• No sticky texture
• No streaks
• Smooth watercolor application

Second Test: Adding Cobalt Blue Deep

To compare results further, a second color is tested.

Using a Granulating Pigment

Cobalt Blue Deep is painted beneath the Winsor Blue. This pigment granulates heavily and normally lifts more easily because the particles are larger.

This test examines two types of pigments:

• A staining color (Winsor Blue)
• A granulating color (Cobalt Blue Deep)

A blow dryer is used to fully dry both paints.

How Lifting Preparation Affects Drying and Texture

Once dry, both the treated and untreated sides show identical blooming and granulation.
Lifting Preparation does not affect:

• How the paint dries
• How it looks
• The texture of the wash

It only affects how easily the paint lifts later.

The results after drying

Lifting Comparison: With vs. Without Preparation

Now for the fun part—lifting the paint!

Results on Winsor Blue

Winsor Blue is tough because it stains the paper. On the left side (no preparation), the artist must press harder, but the pigment only smears. Continuing to rub risks peeling the paper surface. That’s the limitation of cotton paper—it can only tolerate so much handling.

On the right side (with Lifting Preparation), the pigment lifts much more easily. Less pressure is required, and the result is noticeably lighter. The preparation clearly makes a difference.

Results on Cobalt Blue Deep

This part is especially impressive. The pigment nearly rubs off completely on the right side. With Lifting Preparation, only a very gentle touch is needed to achieve clean lifting. The process is softer, easier, and does not damage the paper.

On the untreated left side, much more rubbing is required, and even then, some pigment remains.

How Lifting Preparation Protects Your Paper

A Barrier Against Overworking

Lifting Preparation acts like a subtle barrier between paint and paper. It prevents the artist from digging into the paper fibers when lifting pigment. This added protection allows more adjustments without risking tears or rough patches.

Better for Reworking

This is extremely helpful when certain areas need to be reworked several times. The surface holds up better, delivering smoother results. It’s especially valuable when creating soft edges or reviewing the same spot repeatedly.

Lifting vs. Gum Arabic: A Comparison

Lifting Preparation and Gum Arabic are not interchangeable.

Why Not Just Use Gum Arabic?

Gum Arabic can assist with lifting, but it:

• Alters paint flow
• Changes the sheen and viscosity

For this reason, Lifting Preparation is preferred when the goal is improved lifting without affecting paint behavior.

Techniques for Lifting Watercolor

Let’s look at some lifting techniques the artist  in this test.

Paper Towel Blotting

A simple blot using a clean, dry paper towel effectively lightens areas. With Lifting Preparation, this method becomes even more efficient, allowing more pigment to lift without aggressive scrubbing.

Staining vs. Non-Staining Pigments

Different pigments behave differently:

• Staining pigments (like Winsor Blue): much harder to lift
• Non-staining or granulating pigments (like Cobalt Blue Deep): lift easily, especially with Lifting Preparation

Considering pigment type helps determine when Lifting Preparation will be beneficial.

When Should an Artist Use Lifting Preparation?

It isn’t necessary for every painting, but it makes a significant difference when:

• Working with staining colors
• Planning to lift pigment multiple times
• Creating clouds, highlights, or controlled soft textures

It increases control while preserving the natural flow of watercolor.

Final Thoughts

For artists who enjoy watercolor and want an easier, safer way to lift pigment—especially when dealing with staining colors—Lifting Preparation is an excellent tool.

It doesn’t alter paint flow, yet it provides greater flexibility and protects the paper throughout the process.