The earliest English topographical hand-coloured aquatints appeared about the 1790's. Famous watercolour painters including, Turner, Girtin, and Cotman, began their careers earning their living as aquatint colourists. These are some early examples.
Aquatints are a method of etching in tone.
The ground is composed of fine particles and the acid seeps through irregularly. Degrees of tone are achieved by immersing the plate for varying lengths of time. Popular for reproducing watercolours and wash drawings, aquatints were fully developed in the mid-18th century.