a brief history of watercolour

Watercolour might feel like a modern medium the kind of thing you reach for on a slow morning or a creative getaway, but its roots run deep. Like, ancient-deep. Humans have been playing with pigment and water long before it was called “art.” In fact, water-based painting is one of the oldest forms of human expression.

The earliest known water-based pigments were used in Paleolithic cave paintings over 30,000 years ago. Think charcoal, earth minerals and water (the OG paint set). These early artists used their fingers, sticks or even hollow bones to spray pigment onto the rock. Wild.

[ Fast forward to ancient Egypt and beyond ]

Egyptians used water-based paints to decorate papyrus, tombs and temples. Their palettes included natural pigments made from plants and minerals colouring deep ochres, rich blues and rusty reds. All mixed with water and organic binders.

Over in Asia, watercolour developed alongside ink painting, especially in China and Japan. Delicate brushwork and washes of colour were used to capture nature, poetry and philosophy. Often all within one fluid movement.

[ Enter the Renaissance glow-up ]

In Europe, watercolour gained momentum during the Renaissance as artists like Albrecht Dürer used it for scientific sketches and fine art. It was portable, affordable and ideal for fieldwork, especially as people began documenting plants, animals and landscapes with more detail.

[ The golden age of travel and painting ]

By the 18th and 19th centuries, watercolour had gone global. It became the go-to medium for travellers, explorers and naturalists who needed something light, fast-drying and transportable. The first travel paint boxes? Total game changers.

Artists began capturing landscapes, weather, light and everyday moments. Not in studios, but outside, in motion, with watercolour as their companion. Sounds familiar?

Today, watercolour continues to evolve. It’s no longer just for fine art or formal technique. It’s a tool for mindfulness, play and presence. Whether you’re painting a windswept coastline, a flower from your morning walk or just abstract blobs of colour, watercolour lets you explore without overthinking.

[ So why love watercolour? ]

Because it’s beautifully imperfect.
Because it flows with you, not against you.
Because a little water and pigment can say a lot without needing to be loud.

Whether you’re a seasoned artist or someone who just likes watching colours bloom on paper, watercolour can be an opportunity to connect us to ourselves, to the moment and to a long lineage of creativity that started with a simple idea:

"Let’s see what happens when I mix this with water"