Pigment: An Overview

Pigments are finely ground compounds used to color paints and other materials. Unlike dyes, pigments are insoluble in water, necessitating the use of a binder. Pigments can be naturally occurring, synthetically produced, organic, and inorganic.

Organic pigments are carbon-based compounds derived from plants and animals. Most modern organic pigments are synthetically produced.

Inorganic pigments are derived from dry ground minerals, for example oxide. They are derived from dry ground minerals, such as metals and metallic salts. Inorganic pigments are naturally occurring and can be synthetically produced.

Transparency — Transparent to semi-transparent, often with good tinting strength.

Color — Fewer options but bright, rich colors with unsurpassed tonality.

Cost — Often more expensive to produce.

Lightfastness — Good-to-excellent lightfastness. Good resistance to fading caused to environmental exposures, including pollutants and heat.

Toxicity — Less often toxic.

Transparency — Typically opaque.

Color — Wider range of colors, but they tend to be dull unless mixed with organic pigments or dyes.

Cost — Usually cheaper to produce.

Lightfastness — Highly lightfast and fade-resistant.

Toxicity — Not all inorganic pigments are toxic, but those derived from metals and metal salts are. Examples include lead, cadmiums, and chromiums.

In addition to color swatches, we’ve gathered together the most detailed pigment information available for every color that we carry.