Surface Cracks and Air Bubbles in Handmade Watercolors

Victoria Hilbrecht

Cracks and Air Bubbles Can Form During Drying

During the long-term production of handmade watercolors, individual paints can be observed developing fine cracks, small air bubbles, or other surface changes during natural drying.

These appearances affect the outer surface of the dried paint and do not appear equally across every color or batch.

No Clear Influence Observed on Normal Use

Long-term material observations show the following results during the practical use of handmade watercolors:

Unchanged dissolving of the paint material upon contact with water
Consistent paint pickup with the brush during painting
No visible changes in painting behavior caused by surface cracks

Surface Changes Do Not Mean Changes Inside the Material

Visible marks on the surface describe the outer physical structure formed after drying:

Fine cracks or air bubbles do not indicate changed ingredients
Pigments and binders remain part of the same material system
Painting properties remain independent of these surface features

Different Colors Can Develop Different Surfaces

Every pigment shows its own hardening behavior during drying:

Some paint cakes dry with a very smooth surface
Other paint lines retain fine cracks, small dents, or occasional air bubbles
These variations belong to long-term documented material properties

The Surface Alone Does Not Indicate Painting Quality

Long-term records show no direct connection between surface appearance and function:

A smooth surface does not guarantee higher paint output
Visible cracks or air bubbles do not indicate lower material function
Surface structure and practical use share no fixed relationship

Long-Term Material Documentation Continues

Current records are based on ongoing production and material observations of handmade watercolors. As more pigments are documented, the material archive expands continuously.

Complementary observations on this material behavior are documented in the Pigment Behavior Archive.

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