Is it a Photo or a Watercolor? After looking at one of my framed prints, you may wonder if they are really photos or watercolors. They certainly don't look like photographs. The truth is, they really are photographs...with one big difference. They are not printed on traditional photo paper, but rather on 124 lb. rough watercolor paper. And therein lies the unique difference. When printing on watercolor paper, the colors are softened, which produces a more subtle color tone and vibrancy. Plus, the watercolor paper provides a visible texture that is missing when printing the image on photo paper. The end result is an image that looks more like a painting than photography.