Gum Arabic is a pale coloured solution that increases the gloss and transparency of Watercolour. It also slightly extends working times. It is the binder that is used in Watercolour Paints because of its ability to dissolve easily in water and form a strong layer that bonds the pigment to the paper and increase luminosity as the water evaporates away.
The Gum is made from the hardened sap of the Acacia Tree. It can be harvested from a number of different species of Acacia but the best Gum Arabic is the sap collected from trees that grow in the Kordofan region in Sudan.
