watercolor

/ˈwɔtərˌkʌlər/

/ˈwɔtəkələ/

Other forms: watercolors

Watercolors are a type of paint that can be mixed with water to create translucent layers of color on paper. You can also call a painting made this way a watercolor. Anyone can paint with watercolors, from toddlers to professional artists.

Historians believe that watercolor painting has been around since Paleolithic cave paintings, but it was during the Renaissance that watercolors gained popularity as an artistic medium. It was particularly common for illustrations in books and botanical guides to be made using watercolors into the 19th century, when John James Audubon began his well-known watercolor bird illustrations and field guides.

Definitions of watercolor

1. noun

   water-soluble pigment
   synonyms: water-color, water-colour, watercolour

   type of:

   pigment

   dry coloring material (especially a powder to be mixed with a liquid to produce paint, etc.)
2. noun

   a water-base paint (with water-soluble pigments); used by artists
   synonyms: water-color, water-colour, watercolour

   types:

   gouache

   an opaque watercolor prepared with gum

   type of:

   water-base paint

   paint in which water is used as the vehicle
3. noun

   a painting produced with watercolors
   synonyms: water-color, water-colour, watercolour

   types:

   gouache

   a watercolor executed with opaque watercolors mixed with gum

   wash, wash drawing

   a watercolor made by applying a series of monochrome washes one over the other

   type of:

   painting, picture

   graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface
4. noun

   the art or technique of painting with watercolors
   synonyms: water-color, water-colour, watercolour

   type of:

   painting

   creating a picture with paints
5. verb

   paint with watercolors
   synonyms: watercolour

   type of:

   paint

   make a painting