<p>It's best to act quickly, and absorb the paint with either a cloth or (nearly) dry brush. You can remove most of the spilled paint that way.</p>

<p>Then, depending on what's still visible, you might want to wet the edges of the stain, to soften the colour transition. 
You might also want to repaint a part of the existing painting, or if you're really creative, give the stain a purpose in your painting. Like, when your painting is a still life with flowers, the unwanted drop of paint may become a bug or a hole in one of the leaves.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-02T17:13:22.120Z
This is (mostly) assuming the spilled paint is watercolour as well.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T17:34:26.673Z
2016-04-27T17:34:26.673Z
Ji Ugug
<p>Last time it happened was 15 years back, and that time I was in a painting exam.
That time I didn't dare to do anything for the fear of making it worse.</p>
<p>What would be the best course of action when I accidentally get some paint on an existing watercolor painting on a paper?</p>
<p>While answering, please consider the cases when the painting's paint is already dry, totally wet, and when is it somewhat wet.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-25T14:01:44.783Z
I still think this is too broad: there is no mention of what kind of paint gets spilled in this hypothetical situation, nor on what kind of surface. Voted to close.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T10:19:30.227Z
I think giving all combinations of type of paint, dryness of painting and amount of paint makes this question too broad.
Earthliŋ
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T11:34:40.337Z
This might easily be more than one question which isn't bad.
Matt
<watercolor><preservation><painting>
How to remove paint fallen on an existing watercolor painting with the least damage to the painting?
Aquarius_Girl
# How to remove paint fallen on an existing watercolor painting with the least damage to the painting?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-27)

Last time it happened was 15 years back, and that time I was in a painting exam.
That time I didn't dare to do anything for the fear of making it worse.

What would be the best course of action when I accidentally get some paint on an existing watercolor painting on a paper?

While answering, please consider the cases when the painting's paint is already dry, totally wet, and when is it somewhat wet.

**Tags:** watercolor, preservation, painting

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I think giving all combinations of type of paint, dryness of painting and amount of paint makes this question too broad.  
> **username_3**: This might easily be more than one question which isn't bad.  
> **username_1**: I still think this is too broad: there is no mention of what kind of paint gets spilled in this hypothetical situation, nor on what kind of surface. Voted to close.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-04-27. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

It's best to act quickly, and absorb the paint with either a cloth or (nearly) dry brush. You can remove most of the spilled paint that way.

Then, depending on what's still visible, you might want to wet the edges of the stain, to soften the colour transition.
You might also want to repaint a part of the existing painting, or if you're really creative, give the stain a purpose in your painting. Like, when your painting is a still life with flowers, the unwanted drop of paint may become a bug or a hole in one of the leaves.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This is (mostly) assuming the spilled paint is watercolour as well.  

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