What Do Color Index Codes Like PB29 Mean?
A Color Index code like PB29 names the chemical inside a tube, not the marketing name. The letters give the hue, the number the compound, and the code is the same across every brand.
Read the guide → June 9, 2026 lightfastness ratingsWhat Do Lightfastness Ratings Mean on Paint Tubes?
Lightfastness measures how well a pigment resists fading. ASTM runs I to V, Blue Wool runs 8 to 1, and permanent work needs ASTM I or II.
Read the guide → June 2, 2026 toxic pigmentsWhich Artist Pigments Are Actually Toxic?
The pigments to handle with care are heavy metal ones: lead white, the cadmiums, cobalt colors, chrome compounds and arsenic greens. Risk comes from dust and ingestion, not normal brushwork.
Read the guide → May 26, 2026 hue vs genuineWhat Is the Difference Between a Hue and a Genuine Pigment?
A Hue paint imitates a traditional color with substitute pigments, while a genuine pigment is the named compound itself. Read the Color Index code to know which you hold.
Read the guide → May 19, 2026 transparent vs opaque paintHow Do You Tell If a Pigment Is Transparent or Opaque?
Opacity is how much a pigment hides what is under it. Opaque pigments cover and lighten; transparent ones glaze and glow. The tube symbol and a black-stripe test reveal which is which.
Read the guide → May 12, 2026 are cadmium paints safeAre Cadmium Paints Safe, and What Can Replace Them?
Cadmium paints are low risk in wet brush use but hazardous as dust or in drains. Pyrrole and benzimidazolone pigments replace cadmium reds, oranges and yellows closely.
Read the guide → May 5, 2026 match paint colorHow Do You Find the Right Pigment to Match a Color?
Match a color to a pigment by capturing it under neutral light, setting white balance, and comparing with Delta E rather than raw RGB. The closest single pigment starts the mix.
Read the guide → April 28, 2026 single pigment paintWhy Do Single-Pigment Paints Mix Cleaner?
A single-pigment paint contains one colorant; a convenience paint blends several. Single pigments mix cleaner because you control how many colorants enter each blend before it turns to mud.
Read the guide → April 21, 2026