mind of what watercolors are, they are transparent and smooth, blending easily. these paints do not fit that description. they are however super cool, they have a chalky quality that reminds me more of pastels then paints. you do, however, use them just like watercolors, which i am guessing is why they got that title. we had to dip our brushes in water a few times to get them going because they have a little chalky layer on top, but once we got them started they were very easy to use. i highly recommend making and using these paints, they are really great, but if you are looking for real 