High-Capacity Watercolor Sponges, Set of 2

One of the most important skills in watercolor painting is controlling the amount of water in the brush at any given moment. When lifting dry paint, the brush should be filled with lots of clean water. When lifting wet paint, the brush needs to be bone-dry. Adding water to the brush is simple enough, but what's the best way to remove it?

In many studios, there's always a stack of paper towels ready to absorb excess pigment and water. This is a good solution, but because paper towels generate some dust, they aren't as good as a clean, lintless rag or sponge.

This set of two sponges from brushmakers Borciani e Bonazzi is not only lint-free, but it's also hyper-absorbent — it can soak up 15 times its weight without dripping. You can use it for an entire painting session, then rinse it and wring it out at the end.

Moisten slightly and evenly before using. These sponges dry hard, but they're easily softened again by wetting and wringing in the sink.