Glossary of terms


These are sme ofthe words your going to hear over and over again if you start doing watercolour. Either here or when buying and other things.

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Cockling the wrinkling and bending which occurs with watercolour paper when wet

Cold Colours colours which are blue or tend towards blue

Cold pressed a semi rough paper surface texture also called NOT (from NOT hot pressed) the most popular surface

Dropping in colour the application of paint by letting it flow from the brush, usually on to wet paper, rather than painting it on

Earth colours stable colours made from earth materials, siennas, umbers and ochres....My fav!

Fugitive colours colours which fade when exposed to light ...Very annoying colours!

Glaze a transparent colour laid over another dry colour

Graduated Wash a wash with changes in intensity of colour (also called gradated wash)

Granulation the effect given by some pigments when granules of the pigment settle in indentations in the paper to produce a 'grainy' effect...Great some times pain in the ass other times, thats why we should always play with paints before you use them on your work.

Hot pressed a paper surface which has a smooth texture - used mainly for detailed work

Hue 1) the name of a colour - blue, red, yellow etc.
2) a term used with paints to denote that a synthetic pigment has been used in place of a natural pigment in the production of a colour e.g. Lemon Yellow Hue

Imperial The size of a normal full sheet of watercolour paper, approximately 30" X 22" (76cm x 56cm)

Opaque a non transparent or partially transparent pigment

Putty Rubber a kneadable eraser, the kindest type of eraser for watercolour paper

Rigger a brush with long hairs and a fine point used for expressive detail work such tree branches, twigs, cracks in rocks etc. (originally used to paint the rigging on ships)

Rough paper with a rough texture, roughness and texture varies considerably between different makes. Back to contents

Stretching the process of pre-stretching watercolour paper prior to painting on it to ensure that it does not cockle when water is applied. Usually done with papers of 140lb and less.The paper is stretched by soaking in water to allow it to expand and fastening its edges to a board so that it is stretched like a drum as it dries....or do it my way and just maskin tape it to a board!

Variegated wash a wash with changes in colour

Warm colours colours which are red or tend towards red

Wash a thin broadly applied layer of transparent paint

Weight a measure of the thickness of watercolour paper, traditionally the weight of 500 sheets of imperial size paper - the heavier the paper the less prone it is to cockling when wet.

Wet in Wet the application of paint usually of a different colour into wet paint

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The art of watercolour