Good to the Last Drop

I love to paint but with the prices on watercolor these days, you have to work hard at getting your investment back.   I hate finding that a lid to a tube of my paint has cracked when I go to squeeze that tube the paint has hardened inside.  I need the color but it won't squeeze out.  What to do?    Well, I found a solution.  You locate a good pair of scissors and you start snipping away at the tube preferably from the bottom making a horizontal cut.  You actually make a complete cut across.  The good thing with watercolor paints contrary to acrylics is that the paint softens with water and becomes useful again where as acrylics become a hard lump.  It doesn't matter that the paint is hard as a rock.  It is still good!

So if you look at the tubes above you will notice what I did.  I cut them open and I found a oil paint spatula and started scooping the precious paint out into a palatte tray, ready to be used.  I recouped at least a couple of dollars worth of paint which will hold me over until I can order more and it can be delivered.  

This little solution can make the difference between finishing a painting or not.  I am glad I tried.