Watercolor

Watercolor is pigment mixed with a water-soluble gum such as gum Arabic. It is applied, watered down, onto white or faintly colored paper. A special paper must be used with watercolor paint that is thicker than normal paper with a rougher surface texture. This allows for a freer application of color, breaks up the brush strokes and captures subtleties of light and shade. In watercolor painting the paper plays an important role; the painter uses the white of the paper instead of a white paint, so the paper becomes an integral part of the color range.