English "laydown" = French "application"? Jargon?

[Damien Hall]

Wilson said:

'On a box of "colored," i.e. coloring, pencils'

No, colouring pencils.  My artist girlfriend says that these aren't for use in
colouring books - that would be crayons - but for use in coloured-pencil
drawing, that is, an art form!

'"Smooth, rich color _laydown_"

is rendered into French as:

"_Application_ de couleur lisse et riche"

Perhaps English "laydown" = French "application" is jargon of the
field of coloring books. I wouldn't have expected "laydown" instead of
"application" to be used in this context in English.'

*Laydown* is the technical term for how smoothly the colouring medium goes onto
the paper, and *application* is its usual French translation.  Some examples of
the English:

======================

'Personally, I use my Karismas (Prismacolors to you) for most things and love
the colours, laydown and the ability to use lots of layers but I also have
Caran d'ache Pablos for fine detailed stuff but I find you can do as many
layers as other types. I solved the problem by buying loads of differnet types
of pencil and am addicted to boxes, especially wooden ones, of any type, even
if I just look at them and stroke them. I need help...........I am an
addict!!!!'
(from the Colored Pencil Forum on the artists' website WetCanvas.com,
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=422731&highlight=laydown )

=====================

'These artist-quality colored pencils at a great value price. They have thick
leads that provide bright, smooth color laydown with every stroke. Foohy
Colored Pencils are also made from real wood so they can be sharpened in
standard pencil sharpeners.'
(from the online art-store MisterArt.com,
http://www.misterart.com/store/browse/001/cat_id/470/Art-Supplies-Pencils--Pastels-Pencils--Colored-Pencils.htm
)

====================

A Google on

laydown "colored pencil"

produces about 1,020 ghits.

Damien Hall
University of Pennsylvania

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org