Watercolour paint compositions and their use

1. A method of providing a watercolour painting comprising,

applying a watercolour paint composition comprising at least one pigment in an effective amount to provide the desired pigmentation; one or more humectants; a binder selected from one or more alkali soluble polymers; and a pH stabilizer in an amount effective to adjust the mixture to an alkaline pH so that the watercolour paint composition is water soluble to a support,

applying a sufficient amount of an acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid and trichloroacetic acid to the applied paint composition so as to neutralise the paint composition and provide a water resistant paint composition.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acid is in an aqueous solution.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein further paint composition is applied over the water resistant paint composition and subsequently neutralised with the acid.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH stabilizer is selected from one or more of the group of potassium hydroxide (KOH), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ).

5. A process of fixing a watercolour painting comprising the steps of:

a) applying a watercolour paint composition comprising at least one pigment in an effective amount to provide the desired pigmentation; one or more humectants; a binder selected from one or more alkali soluble polymers; and a pH stabilizer in an amount effective to adjust the mixture to an alkaline pH so that the watercolour paint composition is water soluble, to a support to produce one or more layers of the watercolour paint composition having an outer layer of paint composition;

b) treating the outer layer of the watercolour paint composition with an aqueous solution of an acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid and trichloroacetic acid in an amount effective to neutralise the outer layer of watercolour paint composition to provide a water resistant paint composition;

c) removing any excess acid; and

d) optionally repeating steps a) to c) to build up subsequent layers of the watercolour paint composition to form the watercolour painting.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the pH stabilizer is selected from one or more of the group of potassium hydroxide (KOH), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ).

7. A process for fixing a watercolour painting on a support comprising the steps of:

a) applying a watercolour paint composition comprising at least one pigment in an effective amount to provide the desired pigmentation; one or more humectants; a binder selected from one or more alkali soluble polymers; and a pH stabilizer in an amount effective to adjust the mixture to an alkaline pH so that the watercolour paint composition is water soluble to the support to produce a first layer of the watercolour painting;

b) treating the first layer of the watercolour painting with an aqueous solution of an acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid and trichloroacetic acid in an amount effective to neutralise the first layer of watercolour paint composition and make it water resistant without leaving a visible film;

c) removing the excess acid; and

d) optionally repeating steps a) to c) to build up subsequent layers of the watercolour painting.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the pH stabilizer is selected from one or more of the group of potassium hydroxide (KOH), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ).