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Reference · 9 terms · 5 with guides
Plain-English definitions of watercolor painting terms, written for painters, not chemists.
The most widely used watercolor paper texture, produced by pressing moist sheets between cold felt-covered metal rollers. It features a gentle, medium-toothed texture that holds water evenly while accommodating both detail and granulating washes.
The practice of painting a transparent, diluted layer of watercolor over an existing painted area that has completely dried. The underlayer shines through the glaze, mixing optically to create glowing luminosity and deep rich tones.
A visual effect in watercolor painting where heavier pigment particles settle into the micro-valleys and textured indentations of watercolor paper, producing a mottled, organic texture rather than a flat, uniform wash.
See alsoCold-Pressed PaperRough Paper
Watercolor paper passed through heated, smooth metal rollers during manufacturing, resulting in an exceptionally smooth, flat, untextured surface with minimal tooth.
See alsoCold-Pressed Paper
The chemical resistance of a paint pigment to fading, shifting hue, or darkening when exposed over time to ambient sunlight and ultraviolet light, typically rated under the ASTM D5067 standard (ASTM I Excellent to ASTM III Fugitive).
See alsoGranulation
Watercolor paper dried without pressing between smooth rollers, creating a pronounced, rugged pebbled surface that traps pigment in dramatic granulating pools.
See alsoCold-Pressed PaperGranulation
A watercolor paint made from one Colour Index pigment, such as French Ultramarine labeled PB29 alone, as opposed to a convenience mix that combines two or more pigments in one tube. Manufacturers print the pigment codes on the tube label and color chart, which is how to tell the two apart.
A foundational watercolor technique where wet pigment is brushed onto completely dry paper, creating crisp, defined contours and sharp graphic edges.
A core watercolor technique where wet paint is applied onto an already damp paper surface or an existing wet wash, allowing pigments to bleed, bloom, and diffuse softly with fluid transitions.