How to Read A Paint Label
How to Read a Paint Label
Learning how to read a paint label is one of the best ways to become more efficient in your craft. While they may seem technical, paint labels contain information that will help you select the exact color you’re looking for and predict a color’s performance, behavior, and stability.
Color Name – Color names are determined by the manufacturer and may or may not describe the pigments or combination of pigments the color actually contains.
Pigment Name and Number – Pigments are often denoted using a code consisting of a few letters and a number, known as the Color Index Number. Both the pigment’s name and number relate to official standards for pigments and dyes set by Color Index International.
ASTM Standards – All art supplies sold within the United States must include a declaration that they conform to ASTM standards, meaning that any potentially hazardous components must be clearly labeled on the packaging. Find more information about health and safety icons on paint labels and other art supplies packaging here.
Lightfastness (Rating) – Lightfastness describes a color’s resistance to fading caused by exposure to UV light. Lightfastness ratings that conform to standards set by ASTM measure exposure to natural daylight and light from indoor sources. Some manufacturers provide information about ‘permanence’ rather than lightfastness or use a propriety reference scale.
Vehicle – Vehicle refers to the binder that is mixed with pigment when paints are formulated.
Series number – Series numbers indicate the likely price of a paint. They are determined based on the quality of the pigment used, the loading of colors, and how expensive they are to produce. They do not indicate quality.
Paint Grades
Examples of paint grades include scholastic, economy, student, and artist. It is important to note there are no industry standard for paint grades. Rather, manufacturers assign grades based on production costs and other considerations. A student-grade line may be manufactured with a lower concentration of pigments, include more coarsely milled pigments, or include range of hues designed to mimic pure colors like cadmiums without the toxicity. A hue within a paint line does not mean that the line is student grade — just as student-grade paints are not automatically less lightfast.