The paper's ability to absorb water and paint, influencing how watercolours behave on its surface.

Paper free from acidic substances that can cause deterioration or yellowing over time.

From the Arabic word al-usara, meaning "juice". Alizarin was the first natural color to be synthesized. It is the color of crushed root of the madder plant. The ancient Egyptians used alizarin to create pinkish rose-colored textile dyes.

Comparable or in relation to. Colors that are closely related to one another on the color wheel.

A high-quality watercolor paper known among painters for its superior performance and longevity.

High-quality materials with more pigment and less filler for better color intensity and permanence.

An effect caused by adding more water to a damp wash, resulting in textured patterns, also known as "cauliflower", "bloom" or "blossom."

Seeping into an adjacent color or area.

To merge one with an other in such a way that one is indistinguishable from the other.

Removing excess water or paint with a paper towel or sponge to lighten an area or create texture.

Irregular patterns created when wet paint spreads into a drier area. 1). A space or an area in which a paint or water is introduced resulting in a blotchy area. 2). A white haze that forms upon the lead of a colored pencil.

Refers to opaque pigments used in painting, as opposed to transparent ones, allowing for solid coverage without showing the underlying surface or layers.

The most important part of the brush, because it carries the paint to the paper or canvas. The widest part of the head is called the "belly". The fatter the belly, the more color it will hold.

Important to preserving the original quality of a brush so that it performs consistently over time.

Restoring a brush to it's original state. Usually done with a starch.

Soap made especially for cleaning and conditioning the hair of brushes.

The application technique and personal skill in using brushes, with various strokes and effects.

The warping or bending of material as a result of the drying process.

Introducing one color into another without fully mixing, allowing them to blend on the paper.

The visual representation of a city or urban area; a city landscape.

Bulging or puckering, caused by the drying process, of a watercolor paper as fibers of the paper begin to shrink. Resolved by stretching your watercolor paper.

Sometimes called "Not(CP)" (which means not hot-pressed confusingly enough) By far the most popular type. It has a medium tooth or texture, holds color really well and is a favorite of most professionals. This effect is achieved by pressing the wet paper to smooth it slightly..

Removing or lighting the color from a painting, often using a damp brush or sponge.

An arrangement of colors withing a circle based on the sequential proportion change when the three color primaries in each corner are mixed, creating secondary and tertiary colors.

A thin solid rod of colored pigment, mixed with wax in a binder pressed and clad in a wood casing. Once thought of as a children's art supply, now colored pencils are popular among many professionals.

An order, from a patron to an artist, for a determined piece of art. A commission includes: size and nature of the artwork, price, delivery, materials, etc…

Colors that exist directly opposite each other on the color wheel: Blue and Orange, Red and Green, that when combined in the right proportions create white light.

Cool colors are often said to be the hues from blue/green through blue/violet, as well as most grays. The determination of a color's temperature is relative, meaning that it depends on the comparison to other colors. Cool colors tend to calm and relax their viewers.

The feathery edges of some watercolor paper sheets, a characteristic of handmade paper. There is also a specific tool you can purchase to enable you to create a deckled edge on your paper.

A tape, similar to masking tape, that is useful because of it's lack of tack, making it easily removed from papers without damage.

A technique using a brush with very little water and paint to create a rough, textured effect on dry paper.

Apply dry paint to dry paper for sharp, defined edges.

A paint whose pigment is taken directly from the earth. Brown Sienna, for example, is a limonite clay, named for the location in which it was found: Siena, Italy. Today, the Appalachain Mountains which is the source for major deposits of this clay.

Managing the hardness or softness of edges in a painting to define forms and suggest depth.

A pigment prone to fading over time when exposed to light.

a durable, lightweight, and water-resistant foam board, for securely mounting your stretched watercolor paper.

The result of a process or making high-quality, fine art prints from an ink-jet printer. Generally, giclee prints are more valuable than standard 4-color process prints.

Layering thin, transparent washes of color, allowing the underneath layers to show through.

An opaque watercolor paint made with added white pigment for opacity.

The textured effect is created when pigments change, producing a grainy appearance.

A wash that gradually changes in tone or color across the paper.

A medium that will increase the tendency of colors to settle together, producing a grainy effect.

The water-soluble resin extracted from Acacia trees. It is used as a binding agent in your watercolor paints to control the spread and enhance color brightness.

an adhesive tape with a water-activated glue layer, used to stretch watercolor paper generally on Gatorboard.

The earliest form of watercolor, is solid watercolor paint dried into cakes and preferred world wide by landscape artists and combined in compact paint boxes. 1.5cc of paint.

Sharp, clear edges in a painting, created by painting on dry paper or allowing paint to dry completely before adding another layer.

Smooth, pressed watercolor paper offering fine detail with less texture than cold press. Also great paper for sketching and colored pencil work.

The color or shade of paint.

Watercolor styles or materials from Japan, They are well known for brushes and paint colors. Your calligraphy ink & brushes are a perfect example.

Applying multiple layers of paint, allowing each to dry before the next, to build depth, create shadows and complexity

Removing paint from an area of the painting, usually with a damp brush or cloth, to lighten it or correct mistakes.

The resistance of a pigment to fading when exposed to light.

Using masking fluid to protect areas of the paper or to keep them white.

A large, round, absorbent brush used for broad washes.

Painting around an object to define its shape, emphasizing the space around and behind the subject.

A low-cost, non-archival paper commonly used to print newspapers. It is off-white in color and used by artists for sketchings and non-permanent works.

Sometimes called "Not(CP)" (used in Europe which means not hot-pressed confusingly enough) By far the most popular type. It has a medium tooth or techture, holds color really well and is a favorite for most professionals. This effect is achieved by pressing the wet paper to smooth it slightly.

Paint that is not transparent; it cannot be seen through and covers layers beneath it.

Natural wetting agent derived from bile, added to watercolor paints to improve their flow and spread on the paper by reducing surface tension.

A surface on which paints are mixed. Included but not limited to ceramic, porclin, glass, pizza tin, dinner plate, small bowl

The weight of the paper, indicating its thickness and durability, typically measured in pounds (lb) or grams per square meter (gsm).

Small, compact cakes of paint that are activated with water. Typically they are either half pans or full pans

Finely ground, colored pigment particles that provide paint its color and opacity.

The choice to Paint outdoors, directly from life, capturing natural light, landscape, and atmosphere vs in a studio

Any of many synthetic pigments that are used to make paints that are extremely lightfast and have exceptional color. Typically used for any paint that is red in color.

Brush: A long, thin brush used for painting fine lines.

A type of brush with a round ferrule, round body and round tip.

A straight edge made of wood, plastic, or metal, marked with uniformly spaced units.

A compositional rule which suggests to divide your paper into thirds horizontally and vertically (creating nine equal boxes). Important elements/subjects should be placed along these points of intersection to create compositions with more tension, energy and interest.

A precision drawing tool with adjustable blades, used by artists and draftsmen to create fine lines and varied line widths with ink or other fluid media such as masking fluid.

Sprinkling salt on wet paint to create textured, starburst patterns as it dries.

Brushes made from sable hair, valued for their fine point and excellent water-holding capacity.

The intensity or purity of a color expressed by the degree at which it differs from white.

A color that is the result of mixing two primary colors. Usually, Green (mixture of blue and yellow), Orange (mixture of red and yellow) and violet (mixture of red and blue).

Applying a light, broken layer of paint to create texture or depth, often with a dry brush. Also a technique used quite often in colored pencil work.

A reddish-brown color associated with photographs from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a pigment prepared from a fluid secreted by the cuttlefish.

A substance applied to paper to decrease absorbency, allowing smoother washes.

Papers bound together into a book for ease of toting around sketches. Many artists use sketchbooks like a journal to cronicle ideas, problems or other specific notes with regard to their art.

Fuzzy or not clearly defined edges, created by painting on wet paper or by blending the edges of wet paint.

Paint is flicked onto the paper with a brush, creating a speckled effect. A toothbrush can also be used.

Made from squirrel hair, these brushes are known for their softness and high water-holding capacity, ideal for large washes.

Paints that soak into the paper and are difficult to lift off once dry.

The process of preparing watercolor paper by wetting and then drying it stretched to prevent warping and buckling when wet paint is applied.

More affordable materials. The student-grade paints generally have less pigment and more fillers, suitable for beginners or practice work.

Brushes made from man-made fibers, offering an affordable and durable alternative to natural hair brushes.

Edges formed by paint drying at different speeds, often creating rings or lines that can add texture or depth.

The lightness or darkness of a color, is important for creating contrast and visual depth in a painting.

Watercolor: Paint that allows light to pass through it, showing the layers beneath and creating a sense of depth.Description goes here

Watercolor paint packaged in tubes, offering a creamier consistency than pans and allowing for a more fluid mixing of paints.

This is your base wash, or your initial layer of paint applied to the surface, and serves as a base for subsequent layers, is often used to establish tones and values.

A variegated wash is an example of a watercolor technique where multiple colors blend smoothly on the paper, creating a gradient effect.

Warm colors are often said to be the hues from yellow to red. The determination of a color's temperature is relative, meaning that it depends on the comparison to other colors. Cool colors to calm and relax their viewers.

A broad application of diluted paint, creating a uniform or gradually changing area of color across the paper.

A pad of watercolor paper that is glued on all four sides to prevent warping; each sheet can be removed after drying.

A paint which uses water as an ingredient and is soluble in water. Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache are examples of Watermedia.

The puddle of paint that forms at the edge of a wash, allowing for even spreading when the paper is tilted.

Additives that can be mixed with watercolors to alter their properties, such as increasing transparency, gloss, or texture, enhancing the versatility of watercolor paints.

Paint that is suspended in a watersoluble vehile or binder such as glycerine and gum arabic. Watercolors come in liquid form, wet, soft form and dry, cake form.

Watercolor paper comes in many different styles: Hand-made, Mould-made, and machine made, with various surfaces: Hot Pressed, Cold-Pressed and Rough, and weights: 400lb, 300lb, 260lb, 140lb, 90lb and 80lb. Handmade papers are considered to be the best as the "grain" is generally more random and durable and provide a better painting experience -- Examples - Arches, Fabriano, Saunders-Waterford, Lanaquarelle and Strathmore. Machine-made papers have a definite "grain" and are generally less durability -- these papers are good for studies and sketches.

Applying wet paint onto dry paper for sharp edges and controlled shapes, allowing for detailed work and layering.

Applying wet paint to wet paper fwhich produces soft, diffused edges and blending colors seamlessly, ideal for backgrounds and soft transitions. This is one of the fundamental watercolor techniques to learn.

A brand name of knife that is used for detailed cutting.