What is watercolour paint?

Watercolour paint, also known as aquarelle, is very much what it sounds like. It is small, solid and highly concentrated pigments that are dissolved with a wet brush and applied onto watercolour paper or similar, perishable and absorbent substrates.

Most people know the classic watercolour painting from their school days, where it would be a regular part of art class. Today, you can get many different types of watercolours. In addition to the classic watercolours, you can also get watercolour pencils, watercolour markers and liquid watercolour paint, all of which create the beautiful watercolour 'look', but are used in very different ways.

Watercolour pencils and chalk

If you want to be able to paint detailed and clear motifs, then both chalk and pencils are a good option. You start by drawing your motif on watercolour paper and then applying water with a brush to make the colours blend together and create the classic watercolour expression.

Watercolour markers

With watercolour markers, you can create detailed images and detailed portraits. The colour sits inside the marker and is distributed onto the paper through the brush tip. It is easier to control and therefore a more obvious choice for those who wish to have better control and greater precision in their artwork.

Liquid watercolour paint

This type of watercolour paint is sold in bottles and can be used directly on paper without having to dissolve it in water first. You can easily mix the colours to create your own, as well as dilute them with water if you want weaker pigmentation and more transparency.

Watercolour brushes

For watercolour painting, you will also need brushes. It is important that you use soft brushes with thin hairs in order to work with the colours properly. You can get both regular brushes as well as a new kind that is easier to use and doesn't stain as much as the regular brushes and water glasses.

These kinds of brushes are similar to watercolour markers, but instead of pigment, they are filled with water, so your brush remains wet and you don’t have to dip it in the water.

Liquid Watercolour Paint

Various Watercolour Paint / Watercolour