Problem with digital watercolor (painter 8)

**geki** · September 17th, 2003, 03:14 PM

I color blue on layer A with digital watercolor.
Save as .rif, close that file.
I open one more time that same file.
Paint again with the same color on the same layer.

Then the color doesn't appear as "gel" neither as "normal" but as "multiply"

Is there any tip to make that layer still "gel" or "normal" after closing it ?

It's like in painter 6 I think, how to keep the canvas wet ?

**Jin** · September 17th, 2003, 03:46 PM

Hi,

I just tried to duplicate your problem and couldn't.

I saved the file in RIFF format, closed the file, then opened it again and painted on the same layer using the same Digital Water Color variant, New Simple Water and the Layer remained in Composite Method Gel.

It closed in Gel, opened in Gel, and remained in Gel after I painted again.

Are you talking about the Layer's Composite Method changing, or just how the second brushstrokes look when painted over the first ones?

If the latter is what you mean, it doesn't have anything to do with Gel Composite Method. You're doing the painting all on the same Layer and the Canvas is white below that Layer so there's no affect from the Gel Composite Method as there would be if some color was on either the Canvas or a Layer below the blue painted Layer.

I think you know why this is happening since you mention keeping the Digital Water Color paint wet.

It dries when we save the file and there's no way to wet it again like there is with the Water Color Layers.

That buildup of color is happening because you're painting over dried Digital Water Color paint.

It'll also happen, even if the Digital Water Color on one Layer is still wet and you paint again on a new Layer above it with DWC variants. That's when the Gel Composite Method does have an effect. If you return the Layer to Default Composite Method, you won't see buildup but you will see white edges around the brushstrokes.

**geki** · September 17th, 2003, 04:32 PM

Hello Jin,

Yes, I see, my mistake.

I meant when I save the file in RIFF, then open it again, it automatically dries the layer. Is it possible to keep it wet ?

Like in Painter Classic, we can open and close the RIFF file many times before drying the layer/canvas.

**Jin** · September 18th, 2003, 01:36 PM

Hi,

No, as I mentioned above, as far as I know there is no way to make dry Digital Water Colors wet again.

I think you must be referring to Painter Classic 1 that used the old Water Colors with an invisible Water Color Layer that could be made dry or wet.

Sorry, I wish I knew of a way to keep the Digital Water Colors wet after saving and reopening the file.