What Is Watercolor Transparency? How to Test Your Paints
Watercolor transparency is how see-through a paint is once it has dried. It's worth knowing because watercolor paintings are built in layers, and some paints let the layers underneath show through while others cover them.
Why This Matters
Some pigments, brands and colors are more transparent than others. That matters because building up layers is one of the main ways a watercolor painting comes together. Transparency is also one of the characteristics paint makers use to describe their paints, so you'll see it when you shop. A paint is usually listed as transparent, semi-transparent, semi-opaque or opaque.
An opaque paint covers what's underneath, while a transparent paint lets the layers below show through. For example, a hematite black is opaque, so you can't see through it very well. A brilliant opera rose is listed as transparent, so the underlying layers show through pretty well.
Try This
A simple way to check is the Sharpie Test:
- Draw a line on your paper with a permanent marker, such as a Sharpie.
- Paint a swatch of each color over the line.
- Let the swatches dry and compare. The more clearly the line shows through, the more transparent the paint is. The more it hides the line, the more opaque it is.
Want to Go Deeper?
Transparency matters most once you start building layers. If you'd like to see how that works, you may find this related Quick Tip helpful. It looks at the difference between a glaze and a wash, which is useful to understand once you're layering your paints:
Watercolor Glaze vs Wash: What's the Difference?
Ready to Get to Know Your Paints Better?
If you’d like to keep exploring watercolor pigments and colors, my Free Color Companion is a handy guide to download and keep on hand.
👉 Get the Free Color Companion
If you're curious about my overall approach to teaching watercolor, you can find that on my about page.
