how to use gum arabic with watercolor

[the_...@yahoo.com]

Does anyone have experience using gum arabic with watercolor?

One of my books, by sarah buckley, mentions that it can add texture
and brilliance to paint applied to the paper. Another book, by Ray
Smith, does not mention this, but says gum arabic can be used for
masking and lift off.

Do you mix it with the puddle of prepared watercolor on the palette?

Or should gum arabic be applied after you you but the color on the
paper?

Should a clean wet brush be dipped into the gum arab then applied to
wet paint?

How is gum arabic cleaned from the brush? It is water soluble?

Are there problems to watch out for with it?

suggestions welcome

sarp

[Mani Deli]

On 21 Feb 2007 18:59:53 -0800, "the_...@yahoo.com"
<the_...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Does anyone have experience using gum arabic with watercolor?
>
>One of my books, by sarah buckley, mentions that it can add texture
>and brilliance to paint applied to the paper. Another book, by Ray
>Smith, does not mention this, but says gum arabic can be used for
>masking and lift off.
>
>Do you mix it with the puddle of prepared watercolor on the palette?
>
>Or should gum arabic be applied after you you but the color on the
>paper?
>
>Should a clean wet brush be dipped into the gum arab then applied to
>wet paint?
>
>How is gum arabic cleaned from the brush? It is water soluble?

Try reading authors who talk straight.

>Are there problems to watch out for with it?
>
>suggestions welcome
>
>sarp

Gum arabic is mucilage. Its about 50 cents a bottle in the stationary
store. Its a binder for tempera.

[the_...@yahoo.com]

On Feb 22, 10:05 am, Mani Deli <m...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> Gum arabic is mucilage. Its about 50 cents a bottle in the stationary
> store. Its a binder for tempera

Other substances have replaced it in situations where toxicity is not
an issue, as the proportions of the various chemicals in gum arabic
vary widely and make its reliable performance troublesome.

[Erik A. Mattila]

But gum arabic is the sap of the Acacia Senegal (and/or the sap of a
couple of other Acacia species). Do you mean "various chemicals" that
are combined with gum arabic in various products (like "fountain
solution" used for offset printing presses)? "LePages" mucilage is
actually a glue made from fish skin, although it may be formulated with
gum arabic. But it is edible - thus making it the glue of choice for
grade-school kids. Most mucilages on the market are not from Acacia
trees, but rather moss, elm bark, quince seed, linseed yadda yadda.

Gum Arabic must have some special properties to set it apart from other
mucilage sources. Everytime North Africa experiences political turmoil,
the price of gum arabic skyrockets - as does the myriad food procucts
that contain gum arabic. If Irish Moss could do the trick, this
wouldn't happen.