Why Some Watercolors Develop Surface Cracks During Production and Storage

Surface cracks are a recurring production observation in certain colors

Years of watercolor production have shown that some colors may develop fine surface cracks during production, drying, or even after production has been completed.

This phenomenon does not occur in every color or every pigment. Instead, it appears only in certain materials under particular conditions. For this reason, surface cracks are documented in the Production Archive as one of the naturally occurring production phenomena observed over time.

Different pigments show different cracking behavior

Long-term comparisons demonstrate that pigments do not all respond in the same way.

Some colors maintain a stable surface throughout production and drying, while others are more likely to develop fine surface cracks. Years of observation suggest that the characteristics of the pigment itself, together with the overall formulation, may both contribute to how surface cracks develop.

As a result, similar production conditions can still produce noticeably different outcomes from one color to another.

Some watercolor series develop surface cracks more frequently

Long-term production observations show that fine surface cracks are more commonly seen in certain traditional watercolor pigments and fluorescent watercolor colors.

The extent of cracking varies considerably between individual colors. Some remain stable over time, while others may develop fine cracks either during drying or later in storage.

These differences have become a recurring part of long-term material documentation.

Metallic and chameleon watercolors remain comparatively stable

By comparison, metallic and chameleon watercolors have shown a different pattern over many years of production.

Surface cracks have rarely, if ever, been observed in these watercolor series. Long-term production records indicate that these materials generally remain more stable under comparable production conditions.

Comparing multiple watercolor series demonstrates that identical production environments do not necessarily lead to the same material behavior.

Storage conditions can also influence the development of surface cracks

Long-term observations indicate that surface cracks are not limited to the production stage.

In some colors, fine cracks that were already present may gradually become more noticeable after prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures or strong light. Under more stable storage conditions, these changes have generally progressed more slowly.

These observations show that storage conditions also form part of the long-term material behavior documented in the Production Archive.

Surface cracks do not necessarily affect painting performance

Long-term production and usage observations indicate that fine surface cracks do not necessarily reduce the practical usability of a watercolor.

After rewetting, the paint can generally be activated, picked up with a brush, and used normally. In most cases, its painting performance remains unchanged.

For this reason, fine surface cracks are documented primarily as a naturally occurring material characteristic rather than being regarded as a general indicator of reduced quality.

The Production Archive documents how materials change over time

The Production Archive records more than the condition of a watercolor immediately after production. It also documents how materials continue to change over time.

The development of fine surface cracks is one of the recurring phenomena observed throughout years of production. By comparing different pigments, watercolor series, and storage conditions, long-term observation gradually builds a broader understanding of how materials evolve under different circumstances.

These continuing observations form an important part of the Production Archive.