DANIEL SMITH Watercolour Ground jar 16 oz — Mars Black, brush-on absorbent surface for canvas & wood

DANIEL SMITH Watercolour Ground (16 oz, Mars Black) is a brush-on ground that creates an absorbent, watercolour-friendly surface on canvas, wood, paper and more.

Bring the distinctive flow, granulation and transparency of watercolour off the paper and onto a wide range of supports with this versatile, premixed ground. Formulated to accept watercolour and thinned acrylics, Daniel Smith watercolour ground in Mars Black forms a stable, more absorbent surface that protects substrates from heavy wetting while preserving watercolour behavior. It’s sold in a one-pint (16 oz) jar and is designed for artists who want watercolour effects on non-traditional supports or to reinforce fragile papers.

How do I apply DANIEL SMITH Watercolour Ground so it performs best?

Application is straightforward: brush the ground on straight from the jar and let it level or texture depending on your brush choice and technique. One even coat will cover most supports; allow at least 24 hours to dry and cure so the surface reaches the correct absorption level before painting.

• Use a soft synthetic brush for a smooth finish or hog bristle for texture.
• Apply directly from container — no thinning required.
• Let cure 24 hours to ensure proper absorbency and durability.
• One coat generally covers most surfaces; add a second coat for heavy-textured or porous supports.

What types of surfaces can I prepare with this Mars Black ground?

The ground is formulated for absorbent or semi-absorbent surfaces, including many that normally repel watercolour. It bonds to paper, canvas, hardboard, wood, plaster and even shells, creating a consistent painting ground that behaves like watercolour paper.

• No special pre-prep for paper, canvas, fabrics, wood, plaster or hardboard.
• Adheres well to irregular or slightly textured supports once cured.
• Creates an absorbent layer ideal for watercolour washes and granulation.
• Protects delicate substrates from damage by heavy wetting.

How will using this ground change my watercolour techniques?

Because it produces a surface that is more absorbent than typical watercolour paper, the ground favours lower-water approaches and lets granulating pigments behave naturally. You can achieve washes, blooms and granulation effects similar to high-quality paper while working on non-paper supports.

• Works best with watercolours and thinned acrylics rather than heavy-bodied acrylics.
• Supports transparent glazing, blending and granulation effects familiar to watercolourists.
• Requires fixing if a final piece will not be framed behind glass.
• Enables expanded creative placement: panels, wood pieces, and mixed-media substrates.

How should I finish and protect artwork painted on this ground?

Finishing depends on display plans: if the piece will not be framed behind glass, apply an appropriate fixative or varnish recommended for watercolour-based work. Because the surface is absorbent, choose fixatives that suit water-sensitive media and test on a scrap before treating final pieces.

• Fix the painting if not framed behind glass to prevent colour loss or smudging.
• Select fixatives compatible with watercolour or thinned acrylics; test first.
• For long-term stability, ensure the ground is fully cured before sealing.
• Avoid heavy varnishes that could alter the watercolour look without trials.

Who is this for: Daniel Smith Watercolour Ground in 16 oz Mars Black is aimed at watercolourists, mixed-media artists, illustrators and craft makers who want to transport watercolour’s luminous, granulating character onto unconventional supports. It’s ideal for creators who need an absorbent, paint-ready surface without complex priming steps and who appreciate a premixed, ready-to-brush dark ground for mood, underpainting or dramatic contrast.