What is a pigment code?
A pigment code is a standardized categorization of various pigments, regardless if they are in watercolour or not. A pigment code represents
a certain chemical composition and is universal across manufacturers. For instance, the code 'PB29' always means a sulphur-containing
sodium-silicate commonly known as 'Ultramarine blue'.
The name the paints don't always reflect the pigment composition. For example, 'Lemon yellow' can have pigment A for one
manufacturer but pigment B for a different manufacturer.
The pigment codes can be found on most watercolour tubes or on manufacturer web pages. They are read as follows:
| P |
= |
Pigment |
| R |
= |
Red |
| Y |
= |
Yellow |
| B |
= |
Blue |
| O |
= |
Orange |
| G |
= |
Green |
| V |
= |
Violet |
| Br |
= |
Brown |
| Bk |
= |
Black |
| W |
= |
White |
So, 'PBk11' means 'pigment black 11'. The numbers the follow precisice the pigment's chemical composition.