Final answer:
Watercolors are blended with water, which acts as a solvent due to the gum arabic binder in watercolors that creates various painting techniques and effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Watercolors are primarily blended using water. Water acts as a solvent for the paint due to the water-soluble binder of gum arabic present in watercolors, allowing the pigment to disperse and flow on the paper. The use of water with watercolor painting supports various techniques such as washes, wet-in-wet, and dry brush methods to achieve different textures and effects.
The wash technique involves applying a color diluted with water to let it flow across the paper. The wet-in-wet method allows colors to flow into each other, creating soft transitions between hues. Dry brush painting uses minimal water and lets the brush run across the ridges of the paper for a textured appearance.