paint horse: see pinto horse.

paint, mixture of a pigment and a binding medium, usually thinned with a solvent to form a liquid vehicle. The term includes lacquer, portland cement paint, printing ink, calcimine, and whitewash. Paint is used to decorate or protect surfaces and is generally applied in thin coats which dry (by evaporation or by oxidation of the vehicle) to an adhesive film. Industrial finishes are usually applied by spraying or immersion and are often hardened by baking. Pigments, finely ground, impart color (including black and white) and affect the consistency, crack resistance, and flow characteristics of paint. They may be manipulated to produce glossy, satin, or flat finishes. Oil paints are pigments dispersed in a drying oil such as linseed oil, castor oil, or tung oil. These oils are diluted with a thinner, usually turpentine; metallic salts that catalyze oxidation of the oil may be added to increase the rate of drying. For water paints, pigment is dissolved in a mixture of water with a binder such as glue or casein, or emulsified in a latex polymer. Latex emulsion paint provides such excellent durability and color retention that it now dominates the paint market. Enamel paints contain varnish and usually dry to a hard, glossy finish. Industrial lacquers (widely used on automobiles and furniture) are valued for rapid drying to a hard finish. The vehicle is commonly pyroxylin in an organic solvent. Baked acrylic finishes have recently become popular for industrial products such as automobiles and appliances.

Opaque watercolour. Also known as poster paint, designer's colour, and body colour, it differs from transparent watercolour in that the pigments are bound by liquid glue, which is used as a thinner. The addition of white pigment lightens the tone and lends opacity. Gouache paints dry to a matte finish and, if desired, without visible brush marks. They can be applied thinly or thickly. A wide range of colours are available, including fluorescent and metallic pigments. The suede finish and crisp lines characteristic of many Indian and Islamic miniature paintings is produced by this medium; it is used in Western screen and fan decoration and was used by modern artists such as Georges Rouault and Paul Klee.

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or paintbrush

Any plant of the genus Castilleja (snapdragon family), which contains about 200 species of partially or wholly parasitic wildflowers that obtain nourishment from the roots of other plants. The small, tubular, two-lipped flowers are surrounded by brightly coloured upper leaves, giving the plant the appearance of having been dipped in a pot of red, orange, yellow, pink, or white paint.

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Decorative and protective coating commonly applied to rigid surfaces as a liquid consisting of a pigment suspended in a vehicle, or binder. The vehicle, usually a resin dissolved in a solvent, dries to a tough film, binding the pigment to the surface. Paint was used for pictorial and decorative purposes in the caves of France and Spain as early as 15,000 BC.

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