Colour news
Pigments and dyesArcheologists discover hidden tomb untouched for 600 years that's 'like a treasure chest'FestivalsShrichakra Rangoli: How ancient India turned geometry, mathematics and cosmic thought into a sacred art formFestivalsPhotos of the weekColour of the yearEvery 2027 Color of the Year We Know So FarFashion and designThe 8 Colors Fashion Girls are Building Their Fall Wardrobes AroundFestivalsIn India, Holi welcomes spring with a Festival of ColorsColour of the yearTom’s Watch Bar Partners With Dodgers Fan Club Pantone 294Craft and textilesMore clues to Maya blueCraft and textilesDesigners Say These 6 Unexpected Paint Colors Can Make Any Room Feel Instantly Warmer and More InvitingCraft and textilesMacron and UYBA Volley present the new 2026/27 Game SetPigments and dyesArcheologists discover hidden tomb untouched for 600 years that's 'like a treasure chest'FestivalsShrichakra Rangoli: How ancient India turned geometry, mathematics and cosmic thought into a sacred art formFestivalsPhotos of the weekColour of the yearEvery 2027 Color of the Year We Know So FarFashion and designThe 8 Colors Fashion Girls are Building Their Fall Wardrobes AroundFestivalsIn India, Holi welcomes spring with a Festival of ColorsColour of the yearTom’s Watch Bar Partners With Dodgers Fan Club Pantone 294Craft and textilesMore clues to Maya blueCraft and textilesDesigners Say These 6 Unexpected Paint Colors Can Make Any Room Feel Instantly Warmer and More InvitingCraft and textilesMacron and UYBA Volley present the new 2026/27 Game Set
Rang

Dyes

Colour that dissolves and soaks into cloth, leather, hair and food.

FamilyRedOrangeYellowGreenTurquoiseBluePurplePinkBrownWhiteGreyBlackGold
KindBasic colourNamed shadePigmentDyeColour named from natureTraditional colourNational or team colourHeraldic colourStandard colourScreen colour
Made fromMineral or earthPlantAnimalSyntheticLight only (no pigment)
Red Santalin Red pigments obtained from the wood of the red sandalwood treePigment Black Atramentum A deep black ink or dye once used for writing, leather and painting in ancient RomePigment Yellow Saffronزعفران A golden-yellow colour from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus flowerColour named from nature · 🇮🇷 Iran +5 Yellow Safflower A thistle-like plant whose petals yield red and yellow dyesColour named from nature · 🇪🇬 Egypt +4 Yellow Riboflavin A yellow-orange vitamin used as a food colour and supplementPigment Brown Walnut A brown dye and ink made from the husk of the walnut fruitColour named from nature · 🇮🇷 Iran +5 Orange Annatto A natural orange-red dye from the seeds of a tropical shrubColour named from nature · 🇲🇽 Mexico +5 Red Tormentil red A red dye for leather made from the root of the tormentil plantDye · 🇺🇦 Ukraine Blue Butterfly pea blue A vivid blue from the butterfly pea flower, used in Asian food and drinkColour named from nature · 🇮🇩 Indonesia +5 Yellow Tansy yellow A golden-yellow dye from the flowers of the tansy plantColour named from nature · 🇮🇪 Ireland Blue Indigofera tinctoria A shrub whose leaves yield natural indigo dyeColour named from nature · 🇮🇳 India +5 Red Lycopene The deep red pigment found in tomatoes and many red fruitsPigment · 🇺🇸 United States +2 Red Rose madder A red dye and pigment from the roots of a climbing plantDye · 🇮🇳 India +4 Red Brazilwood redybyrapytanga A deep orange-red dye from the heartwood of Brazil’s national treeDye · 🇧🇷 Brazil +1 Yellow Lutein A yellow-orange plant pigment used in food and supplementsPigment · 🇺🇸 United States +2 Brown Catechu A reddish-brown dye and extract from the heartwood of Senegalia catechuDye · 🇮🇳 India +3 Yellow Dyer's greenweed A yellow dye plant with golden flowers, found across Europe and TurkeyColour named from nature · 🇹🇷 Turkey Red Dragon's blood (from Dracaena cinnabari) A deep red resin from the Socotra dragon tree, prized as a dye and medicineColour named from nature · 🇾🇪 Yemen +1 Yellow Tagetes patula dye A golden yellow dye and spice made from French marigold flowersColour named from nature · 🇲🇽 Mexico +3 Red Sappanwood A tropical Asian tree whose heartwood yields a red dye called brazilinColour named from nature · 🇳🇵 Nepal +4 Red Astaxanthin A red pigment found in algae, seafood shells, and used in animal feedPigment Orange Sunset yellow FCF A synthetic orange-yellow dye used in food, cosmetics, and medicinesDye · 🇺🇸 United States +1 Orange Flavin mononucleotide An orange-red food colour and biomolecule made from vitamin B2Pigment · 🇺🇸 United States Red Carmoisine A synthetic red dye used in foods and medicines in the EUDye Yellow Weld A plant once prized for its bright yellow dyeDye · 🇫🇷 France +3 Blue Indigo carmine A water-soluble blue dye made from indigo, used in food, medicine and sciencePigment · 🇺🇸 United States Yellow Quercitron A yellow dye once made from the inner bark of the black oak treeColour named from nature · 🇺🇸 United States +1 Red Alkanet A Mediterranean plant whose root gives a red dye used since ancient timesColour named from nature · 🇺🇦 Ukraine +2 Yellow Cota tinctoria A daisy-like plant once used to make yellow and golden-orange dyesColour named from nature Yellow Dyer's saw-wort A European plant once used for its yellow dye from the leavesColour named from nature · 🇮🇪 Ireland +3 Red Erythrosine A bright red-pink synthetic dye used in food, cosmetics, and industryDye · 🇺🇸 United States +4 Red Betanin A red food dye made from beets and other plantsPigment Blue Indigofera suffruticosa A shrub from the Americas used to make indigo dye and Maya blue pigmentColour named from nature · 🇺🇸 United States +5 Orange Canthaxanthin A reddish-orange pigment used in food and animal feedPigment · 🇺🇸 United States +1 Blue Brilliant blue FCF A synthetic blue dye widely used in foods, drinks, and medicinesPigment · 🇺🇸 United States Red Ponceau 4R A synthetic strawberry red dye used in foods outside the United StatesDye Green Green S A synthetic green dye used in food and eye testsDye · 🇦🇺 Australia +4 Purple and violet Murexide A purple chemical once used as a dye and indicator in chemistryPigment · 🇩🇪 Germany +1 Yellow Cosmos sulphureus dye An orange-yellow dye from the flowers of the Cosmos sulphureus plantColour named from nature · 🇲🇽 Mexico +5 Yellow Quinoline Yellow WS A greenish yellow synthetic dye used in foods, drinks, medicines and cosmeticsDye · 🇦🇺 Australia +1 Red Amaranth A synthetic red azo dye once used in foods and cosmeticsDye · 🇺🇸 United States +1 Yellow Goldenseal A North American herb with a yellow root once used as a dyeColour named from nature · 🇺🇸 United States +1 Purple and violet Turnsole A blue-purple dye once prized for manuscripts and textilesDye · 🇮🇳 India +2 Brown Quercus lusitanica A Mediterranean oak shrub that yields nutgalls for dyeingColour named from nature · 🇵🇹 Portugal +2 Yellow Yellow 2G A synthetic yellow azo dye once used as a food colouringDye Black Brilliant Black BN A synthetic black dye used in foods and decorations, known as E151 in EuropeDye · 🇺🇸 United States +2 Orange Violaxanthin An orange pigment found in many plants and used as a food colouring in some countriesPigment · 🇦🇺 Australia +1 Red Indian madder A plant root once prized for its red dye and pigmentColour named from nature · 🇮🇳 India +1
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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly palette

Every Monday: seven colours you may not know, what the world is wearing this week, and one idea about colour.