A watercolor label can help you answer several practical questions before you open the tube: Which pigments am I buying? Will this color show the layer underneath? Is it likely to lift easily? Start with the paint’s name and pigment information, then use the manufacturer’s key to interpret its ratings.
Start with the pigment code
The color name helps you find a familiar shade, but it does not always identify its ingredients. Two paints with similar names may contain different pigments. Conversely, differently named paints can share a pigment.
Look for a short code such as PB29. This reads “Pigment Blue 29” and identifies ultramarine blue. Other common prefixes include PY for yellow, PR for red, and PG for green. The number identifies an entry in the Colour Index; it is not a strength or quality score. Even matching codes do not promise identical shades or handling, because pigments can vary with manufacture and processing. Jackson’s explains the Colour Index and its limits.
Count the pigments
When a complete pigment list contains one code, you are looking at a single-pigment color. Several codes indicate a mixture. Paint makers sometimes call ready-mixed colors “convenience mixtures.” Daniel Smith’s label guide explains this distinction.
This information is useful when building a palette. A single-pigment paint makes it easier to keep track of what enters a mix; a ready-made mixture may give you a favorite shade without remixing it each time. Choose according to the result you want, rather than treating pigment count as a competition.
Check lightfastness and permanence separately
Lightfastness concerns resistance to change under light exposure. Permanence can be a broader manufacturer assessment. Winsor & Newton, for example, considers factors including lightfastness and binder stability in its permanence ratings. Its AA and A markings are not the same scale as the Roman-numeral lightfastness ratings. Read Winsor & Newton’s rating definitions.
Schmincke uses a five-star system based on the blue wool scale and tests its finished paints. This illustrates why letters, stars, and Roman numerals should not be translated into one another by appearance alone. Check the maker’s current explanation for that range and color. A rating is not a guarantee of an exact number of years on your wall. Schmincke describes its testing system here.
Find the transparency or opacity marking
Transparency describes how much the underlying surface or layer remains visible. Labels and charts may use words, letters, or graphic symbols, so keep the brand’s key nearby.
Winsor & Newton’s chart terminology uses T for transparent, ST for semi-transparent, SO for semi-opaque, and O for opaque. It also notes that these ratings are relative: a thin application appears more transparent than a thick one. Use the marking as a starting point for layering, then test the dilution you actually paint with. See the transparency key.
Separate texture from lifting
Granulation describes the grainy or textured appearance produced as pigment particles collect unevenly in a wash. It can be useful when you want visible texture. Jackson’s watercolor guide explains granulation.
Staining describes how readily a color lifts from the paper after application. Schmincke distinguishes non-staining, semi-staining, and staining colors by their ease of lifting. These describe a different property from granulation or transparency, so read each field separately. See Schmincke’s watercolor FAQ.
Check series and size before comparing prices
A series number generally indicates a price tier within a paint range, driven by pigment cost. A higher series is not a quality ranking. Daniel Smith explains its series numbers.
Also check the tube volume or whether you are buying a half or full pan. Compare like-sized tubes first. Avoid treating a pan’s capacity as a direct equivalent to the same volume of tube paint: dried pans and tube paint contain different amounts of water. Schmincke explains this packaging distinction.
Turn the label into a useful swatch
Make a small reference card on the paper you use most:
- Record the brand, range, color name, and pigment codes.
- Copy the relevant ratings alongside their meanings from the maker’s key.
- Paint a stronger patch that fades into a diluted wash.
- Let it dry before judging the color and texture.
- Try lifting a small area with a clean, damp brush and note what happens.
Keep the card with your palette. If a label is incomplete or unclear, consult the manufacturer’s current color chart rather than guessing. Follow the product’s handling instructions, and do not infer safety from pigment codes or lightfastness ratings.
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