IntIntroduction
Granulation in watercolour is the visible separation of pigment into uneven textures as the paint dries on paper. It occurs when pigment particles settle irregularly into the texture of the paper, creating natural variations in tone and surface. This phenomenon is not an added technique, but a material property of certain pigments interacting with water, paper, and gravity.
In practical terms, granulation refers to the formation of “grains” or clustered pigment deposits that become visually apparent once a wash begins to dry. These broken textures can be subtle or highly dramatic, depending on materials and working methods. Watercolour artists use granulation to introduce atmosphere, texture, and visual complexity into both representational and abstract work.
While there is ongoing discussion about terminology, particularly the distinction between granulation and flocculation, the essential point remains consistent: certain pigments and conditions produce visibly textured surfaces that can be used intentionally in painting.
What Causes Granulation?
Granulation is governed by three primary factors: pigment structure, water behaviour, and paper surface.
1. The Nature of the Pigment
The most important factor is the pigment itself. Granulating pigments are typically heavier, coarser, and less uniformly milled. These particles settle into the “valleys” of the paper rather than remaining evenly suspended.
Common naturally granulating pigment groups include:
- Ultramarines (PB29)
- Cobalts (PB28, PB35/PB36)
- Earth pigments (PBr7, PY43)
- Blacks (PBk11, PBk9 in some formulations)
Important pigment observations:
- Ultramarine Blue (PB29) usually granulates, but fineness of milling varies by manufacturer. French Ultramarine generally granulates more strongly.
- Earth pigments such as Raw Sienna and Burnt Umber vary significantly between brands due to differences in synthetic iron oxide formulations.
- Mars Black and Ivory Black tend to granulate strongly, while Lamp Black generally does not.
- Naturally granulating red pigments are comparatively rare.
- Genuine mineral pigments (often used in “natural mineral” ranges) produce strong granulation due to larger particle structure and irregular composition.
These pigments behave less like uniform colour systems and more like physical sediment in water.
2. Quantity and Quality of Water
Water plays a critical role in the visibility of granulation.
- High water content increases pigment mobility and allows particles to separate and settle.
- Drier washes reduce movement and minimise granulation.
- Hard water (with higher mineral content) can intensify granulation.
- Distilled or soft water tends to reduce particle clustering.
In practice, granulation becomes more pronounced when pigment is suspended in a fluid, uncontrolled wash and then left to settle during drying.
3. Paper Texture
Paper is the physical structure into which pigment settles.
- Rough paper produces maximum granulation.
- Cold-pressed paper produces moderate granulation.
- Hot-pressed paper reduces granulation due to reduced surface texture.
Granulating particles sink into the microscopic “dimples” of the paper surface, creating broken tonal variation as they dry unevenly. Smooth papers reduce this effect but do not eliminate it entirely.
By letting a granulating wash flow, it is possible to get beautiful flow patterns as granulating particles build up against barriers (such as a bit of dry paper). From my experience, this only works with the more extreme granulating watercolours.
Granulation can be controlled by maintaining a balanced water ratio (damp, not flooded). Load the brush with a moderately strong pigment mixture, tilt the surface slightly to encourage movement, and avoid overworking the wash. Granulation occurs during the drying stage—the artist’s role is to create the right conditions and then allow the process to unfold naturally.
Flocculation vs Granulation
There is ongoing debate in watercolour theory:
- One view defines granulation as the visible settling of pigment particles into paper texture.
- Flocculation refers specifically to the attraction and clustering or clumping together of pigment particles into groups.
Another perspective treats flocculation as a subtype of granulation rather than a separate process.
From a practical standpoint, the distinction is less important than understanding the outcome: pigment separates, clusters, and settles, producing texture.
Granulation in Practice
Granulation is most effective when it supports subject matter and visual intent rather than being applied arbitrarily.
Common applications include:
Landscapes
- Mountains, rock faces, soil, and water surfaces
- Forest textures and atmospheric distance
Natural textures
- Rust, moss, concrete, brick, weathered surfaces
- Organic decay and irregular structures
Background and atmosphere
- Soft, broken tonal passages
- Suggestion of depth without detail overload
Abstract work
- Creating variation within large washes
- Introducing organic randomness into structured compositions
Grisaille and monochrome painting
- Enhancing tonal paintings with surface variation
- Preventing flatness in single-colour studies
Contrast and edge conditions
- Placing granulating darks beside lighter areas increases perceived tonal contrast
- Useful for emphasising depth and separation
Granulating Medium
A granulation medium does not create granulation itself; it modifies pigment behaviour to exaggerate the effect.
Mechanisms
- Flocculation enhancement
- Encourages pigment particles to cluster together.
- Produces broken, mottled texture.
- Sedimentation enhancement
- Reduces suspension stability.
- Encourages pigment to settle more aggressively into paper texture.
Practical Use
- Mix medium directly with paint or use in place of water.
- Apply on cold-pressed or rough paper.
- Use stronger mixtures for more pronounced effects.
- Avoid excessive brushing once applied.
The medium essentially destabilises uniform washes, forcing separation and texture formation.
Can a saline solution be used instead of granulation medium?
A saline solution can produce effects that resemble granulation in watercolour, but it does so through a different mechanism. Instead of encouraging pigment sedimentation like a true granulation medium, salt alters surface tension and ionic balance in the wash, which can cause pigment particles to cluster and can also create crystalline deposits as the paint dries. These processes often result in mottled, broken, or “crystallised” textures that may visually echo granulation, particularly with highly mobile pigments.
However, saline is not a reliable substitute for a proper granulation medium. Its effects are inconsistent, vary widely depending on pigment and environmental conditions, and can produce more artificial or abrasive textures rather than the natural sedimentation associated with true granulation. It is best used for experimental or abstract work rather than controlled painting applications, especially where predictable surface behaviour is required.
Ox Gall
Ox Gall is a traditional wetting agent derived from purified bile salts. It reduces surface tension, allowing paint to spread more evenly across the paper.
Functions
- Improves flow and wash consistency.
- Reduces beading on less absorbent surfaces.
- Increases pigment penetration.
Application
- Add a few drops to rinse water or palette mixtures.
- Use sparingly for controlled flow effects.
- Particularly useful for smooth, even washes.
Important Note
Ox Gall generally works against granulation when overused, as it promotes even dispersion of pigment. It should therefore be used strategically depending on whether smoothness or texture is desired.
Creating Granulation with Spray (Artificial Method)
Specialised products, such as granulation sprays, can simulate texture in non-granulating pigments.
These sprays do not alter pigment chemistry. Instead, they disrupt the wash surface, pushing pigment aside and leaving irregular gaps that visually mimic granulation.
Key Principles
- The spray is applied to a wet wash.
- It forces pigment displacement rather than particle settling.
- Application distance is critical (typically 20–30 cm) to avoid over-concentrated pooling.
- The effect is optical rather than material.
This method is useful when working with smooth pigments that would otherwise remain flat.
Contemporary Example: Nicolás López
Nicolás López achieves his distinctive textures by combining deliberate water control with highly granulating pigments such as Daniel Smith Lunar Black watercolour. This pigment contains heavy particles that naturally separate and settle into the paper’s texture rather than dispersing evenly. By working on rough or cold-pressed paper and using relatively strong pigment mixtures, he encourages this sedimentation to create broken, mineral-like surfaces.
His process relies on minimal interference once the wash is active. He may tilt the surface to guide flow or lightly disturb areas to avoid uniformity, but largely allows gravity and evaporation to shape the result. The first layer establishes the texture, with later layers applied more selectively. The overall approach is one of controlled conditions followed by restraint, allowing natural water movement to generate complex, organic effects.
López demonstrates that texture—particularly granulation—is most effective when it is allowed, not forced. His work shows how restraint, timing, and pigment choice can produce rich, atmospheric surfaces.he effect.
Nicolás López is a contemporary watercolour artist known for his expressive, atmospheric landscapes and evocative use of colour. His work balances abstraction and representation, often featuring luminous washes, granulating pigments, and dynamic brushwork to capture mood and light rather than fine detail.
López has gained a strong following online, where he shares demonstrations and teaching content, inspiring artists with his approach to controlled spontaneity and modern watercolour techniques.
Water is his primary tool. He often pre-wets the surface unevenly, then introduces pigment into these damp areas so it disperses unpredictably. By adding clean water at specific moments, he pushes pigment outward, creating blooms, soft edges, and concentrated granulation patterns. Timing is critical: the most effective effects occur when the paper is damp rather than fully wet, allowing particles to settle while still being mobile.
His work illustrates a central principle of granulation: The most powerful textures occur when the artist intervenes less, not more. Watch video demo by Nicolás López.
Contemporary Example – Anna Alpateva
Anna Alpateva is a contemporary watercolour artist known for expressive portrait work that integrates atmospheric colour handling with strong textural effects. Her practice sits within a modern realist–expressionist approach, where emotional tone and material behaviour are given equal importance in the construction of the image.
Her working process typically begins with a loose tonal foundation, establishing the main structure of the portrait before moving into wet-in-wet applications. Rather than over-defining form through line or detailed rendering, she allows the interaction between pigment, water, and paper to contribute significantly to the final image.
Visit Anna on Instagram: Instagram
Granulation plays a central role in her portraiture, particularly in shadow areas and transitional tones. By using naturally granulating pigments and controlled water flow, she encourages sedimentation and pigment separation to build texture, depth, and atmospheric variation within the skin and background, reinforcing the expressive quality of the portrait.
Contemporary Example – Yesmin Gozukara
Her painting process combines intuitive wet-in-wet techniques with careful observation of natural textures. Influenced by artists such as Anthony Sum and Tony Smibert, she often works quickly and directly, allowing water, pigment, and paper to interact freely. Through extensive experimentation, she has developed a distinctive style that balances spontaneity with technical control, creating paintings that capture both the structure and the spirit of the landscape.
Yeşim Gozukara is an Australian watercolour artist based in Melbourne, originally born in Paris and educated in both engineering and science before pursuing a professional art career. A member of the Australian Watercolour Institute and a recipient of numerous national awards, she is recognised for her highly atmospheric landscapes and texture-rich watercolours inspired by coastal environments, weathered rock formations, mosses, lichens, and other natural surface patterns.
Granulation plays a significant role in Gozukara’s work. She deliberately employs granulating pigments to recreate the textures found in nature, such as weathered stone, sand, lichen-covered surfaces, and coastal formations. Rather than treating granulation as a special effect, she integrates it into the design of the painting, allowing pigment separation and sedimentation to contribute to depth, atmosphere, and visual complexity. Her work demonstrates how granulation can become an essential expressive tool for describing the rich textures of the natural world.
Visit Yesim Gozukara’s Website: www.yesimgozukara.com
Dario Percy Ccallo
Ccallo’s painting process combines strong design, controlled washes, and an exceptional understanding of texture. He often simplifies forms and allows large passages of colour to remain loose and atmospheric, balancing carefully observed detail with expressive abstraction. Whether painting architecture, weathered walls, stonework, waterfalls, or figures, he relies on layering, soft edges, and selective detail to create depth and mood while maintaining the freshness of the medium.
Visit Dario Percy Ccallo on Instagram: www.instagram.com/darioccalloart/
Dario Percy Ccallo is a renowned Peruvian watercolour artist from Arequipa, celebrated internationally for his atmospheric paintings of urban architecture, traditional Andean life, and textured landscapes. Educated at the School of Arts of the National University of San Agustín, he has received numerous awards throughout his career and has exhibited widely in Peru and abroad. His work is deeply rooted in preserving the character, traditions, and visual heritage of Peru through the expressive language of watercolour.
Granulation is a central feature of Ccallo’s artistic approach. He frequently employs granulating pigments to recreate the textures of aged plaster, stone, wood, and natural surfaces. Rather than treating granulation as a special effect, he integrates it into the structure of the painting, allowing pigment particles to settle naturally and create atmospheric, weathered surfaces. His work demonstrates how granulation can be used to convey history, texture, and emotion, transforming ordinary subjects into richly expressive watercolour paintings.
Useful Tips
- Use rough or cold-pressed paper for stronger effects.
- Increase water content to encourage particle movement.
- Select pigments known for natural granulation.
- Avoid excessive brushing during drying.
- Combine Ultramarine and earth pigments for dynamic broken textures.
- Allow washes to dry completely before judging results.
- Treat drying time as an active stage of painting.
Practical Exercise: Modern Portrait with Granulation
Objective
To create a contemporary portrait that uses granulation as a structural and expressive device.
Materials
- Cold-pressed or rough watercolour paper (300gsm)
- Granulating pigments (Ultramarine, earth tones, blacks)
- Optional granulation medium
- Optional Ox Gall
- Large brushes for wet washes
- Provided portrait reference images
Method
- Construct a simple tonal drawing focusing on major shadow shapes.
- Apply broad wet-in-wet washes to establish tonal structure.
- Introduce granulating pigments into shadow regions and background areas.
- Optionally apply granulation medium to intensify texture.
- Allow washes to settle without interference.
- Add selective secondary layers, preserving existing textures.
- Maintain edge variety between soft and hard transitions.
Outcome
The portrait should balance structure with atmospheric surface activity, allowing texture to contribute meaningfully to form, depth, and mood.
Review and Critique Questions
- Which pigments produced the strongest granulation and why?
- How did water volume affect pigment separation?
- Did the paper texture influence the final result significantly?
- Where did granulation enhance the portrait, and where did it distract?
- Were you able to avoid overworking drying areas?
- How effectively did texture contribute to form and atmosphere?
- Would a different balance of control and release improve the result?
Conclusion
Granulation is a fundamental material behaviour in watercolour that arises from the interaction between pigment, water, and paper. It is neither accidental nor fully controllable, but instead exists within a spectrum of predictable conditions and unpredictable outcomes.
When understood correctly, granulation becomes a powerful tool for creating atmosphere, texture, and visual depth. Its effectiveness lies in restraint: the artist sets up the conditions and then allows natural processes to complete the work.
Ultimately, mastery of granulation is not about control of the effect itself, but about understanding when to intervene and when to allow the medium to speak for itself.
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