| Pigments are used in a wealth of applications from the | | | | powder and a liquid called an agglutinant is added. This |
| design on that new T-shirt to the colour of your shoes. | | | | liquid can be oil or water-based depending on what it is |
| But that is not all; pigments are used to colour | | | | going to be used for. Pigment powder is insoluble, while |
| cosmetics, medicine, plastics, building material such as | | | | natural dyes and food colourings are soluble. |
| brick and vinyl cladding, the magazines and books we | | | | Pigments that are used to paint such things as model |
| read, paints of all kinds and even the food we eat. | | | | cars or airplanes to make them look more realistic |
| Of course, food colouring differs considerably from the | | | | differ from those pigments that are added to house |
| pigment in paints, for example. And while natural dyes | | | | paint or cosmetics. Pigments to be used in artistic |
| may be used for colouring clothing made from wool or | | | | pursuits such as painting or modelling can be bought |
| cotton, they are not as bright as many pigments. Food | | | | from art-supply stores. |
| colouring must be suitable for human consumption, | | | | Industrial pigments are added to such things as plastics |
| while the colour in clothing has to be from a source | | | | during the process of forming the products, rather than |
| that will not cause skin irritation. Food colouring and | | | | afterward as in a product that is painted. Gathering |
| natural dyes comes from plants such as herbs, fruit, | | | | pigments was once a laborious task and some, such |
| vegetables and non-poisonous leaves. | | | | as the vermilion pigment made from mercury, were |
| So where do pigments come from? Many pigments | | | | toxic. Synthetic pigments that are cheaper and safer |
| are extracted from minerals such as magnesium, zinc | | | | are now widely used in many commercial applications. |
| or titanium. These substances are ground into a fine | | | | |