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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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I recently had a discussion ( been polite) with a guy who when he discovered I watercolour painted gave me an ear bending about the water I use. He did not ask what make of paint, but launched into why I used tap water. He only uses a certain make of French mineral water that has a slight fizz, and occasional used deionised water. He told me a friend of his only uses sea water. Unfortunately I never found out why, as he finished his Coffee and went off, I was a bit glad. I cannot think of any particular reasons as to why carbonated water or sea water, and led me to wonder what others used.Why not tap water.

Fiona Phipps

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I’ve never heard of that one before Paul......odd. I’ve always use wet water but seriously, tap water is all I’ve used. Unless I’ve forgotten to take a supply of water when painting outdoors, then I’ve used whatever is about.....puddles, sea, lochs.  Be interesting to see the replies.

Sylvia Evans

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Nutter.

Alan Bickley

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Puddled! Excuse the pun...
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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I have read somewhere or other that distilled water is recommended - there being impurities in tap water: well, there  certainly are in ours, as this is a hard water area, and the innards of my kettle prove it. But I've always used tap-water for my watercolour and acrylic paintings - and always drink (it tap water, not paint water: although I did once, inadvertently).  Neither they nor I have suffered ill-effects.  

Sylvia Evans

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As I live in an area of extremely pure water in fact some of the purest in the world I will use tap,water as I said before Nutter...like Alan’s Puddled  I can just see Constable et al using tarted water....and his watercolours have stood the test of time. 

Alan Morris

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I believe Turner used whatever was about On his long sketching expeditions... and he wasn’t bad at It either (LOL)
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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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I cannot for the life of me see the benefit of sea water. I can understand deionised and even spring water but I don’t understand what carbonated water or salt would achieve. I know the effect salt has when placed on paint but mixed into it ??. Thank you for the replies so far.