Single-pigmented
Plural: Single-pigmented paints (or single-pigment paints)
Single-pigmented definition
A single-pigmented paint is a paint made with only one pigment. Because it contains a single colorant, it usually produces cleaner, brighter, and more predictable color mixtures than paints made from several pigments.
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A single-pigmented paint is a paint formulated with only one pigment, identified by a single Color Index pigment code (such as PB29 for Ultramarine Blue or PR122 for Quinacridone Magenta). Artists often prefer single-pigment colors because they retain the highest possible color purity and provide more predictable results when mixed.
Advantages of single-pigmented paints:
- Generally achieve higher chroma (greater color intensity) than comparable multi-pigment mixtures.
- Create cleaner, less muddy color mixes.
- Allow the artist to mix secondary and tertiary colors with greater control.
- Make it easier to understand how pigments interact during color mixing.
- Offer greater flexibility, since lower-chroma mixtures can always be created by mixing, while the chroma of an already dull paint cannot be increased.
Examples
French Ultramarine (PB29) is a single-pigment blue that mixes vibrant violets with Quinacridone Magenta. Viridian (PG18) is a single-pigment green capable of producing clean, luminous mixtures. Sap Green is often a multi-pigment paint, so it generally has lower chroma and produces less predictable mixtures than mixing your own green from single pigments.
Context
Single-pigmented paints are especially valued in oil, watercolor, acrylic, and gouache painting, where accurate color mixing is essential. Many artists choose them because they maximize chroma and mixing flexibility.
Core Principles
- One pigment only.
- Higher chroma than equivalent multi-pigment paints.
- Cleaner, more predictable mixtures.
- You can always reduce chroma by mixing, but you cannot increase the chroma of a dull paint through mixing.
- Ideal for building a versatile artist’s palette.
Derivation
The term combines single (“one”) with pigmented, meaning “containing pigment.” It refers to paints formulated with only one pigment rather than a blend of multiple pigments.