Those pretty, frilly shapes that suddenly appear in a drying wash have a name – cauliflowers – and in this tutorial I’ll show you exactly why they happen. We’ll look closely at the different stages of wetness as paint moves from glossy and very wet through to shiny, semi-matte and finally dry. I’ll then demonstrate what happens when fresh water or wetter paint is introduced into a wash that has already started to settle, pushing the pigment aside and creating that characteristic lacy edge. I’ll show you what you can do when a cauliflower appears unexpectedly, but also why they aren’t necessarily a mistake. Once you understand how they form, they can become a wonderfully creative effect in their own right. It’s all about learning to recognise what your paint is doing – first gaining control, and then knowing when it might be fun to let the watercolour misbehave a little!
