# Paints, Inks & Dyes What holds the colorant to the surface decides everything: paint and most inks suspend pigment or dye in a binder that dries into a film on top, while dye bonds chemically into the fiber itself. Surface or fiber type decides which chemistry actually sticks — a reactive dye that locks onto cotton will barely tint polyester. ## How it works Paint is pigment or dye particles suspended in a binder (an acrylic polymer, a drying oil, gum arabic, egg, or alkyd resin) that dries or cures into a solid film sitting on top of the surface; the binder decides dry time, flexibility, and whether it sits in water or solvent. Ink works the same way but thinner, carried in water, alcohol, or oil so it flows and sometimes soaks into the substrate instead of filming over it. Dye skips the binder: its molecules bond directly to the fiber itself, by chemical reaction (fiber-reactive), ionic attraction (acid, direct), or by dissolving into a synthetic fiber under heat (disperse) — which is why a dye that fits one fiber can fail completely on another. ## How an expert narrows the choice ```mermaid timeline section 1 · Paint, ink, or dye paint : ask Paint medium : skip Dye class, Fiber fit, Ink base ink : ask Ink base : skip Paint medium, Binder, Dye class, Fiber fit, Heat-set needed, Grade dye : ask Dye class, Fiber fit, Wash fastness : skip Paint medium, Binder, Ink base, Finish/sheen, Grade, Opacity, Surface or fiber, Cadmium/heavy-metal-free section 2 · Surface or fiber fabric : ask Heat-set needed section 3 · Paint medium enamel_hobby / spray : ask Solvent/carrier ``` 1. **Paint, ink, or dye.** Paint, ink, or fabric dye? Paint and ink sit a binder-held film on top of a surface; dye bonds into the fiber itself. That split drives every spec that follows. If paint: ask Paint medium; skip Dye class, Fiber fit, Ink base. If ink: ask Ink base; skip Paint medium, Binder, Dye class, Fiber fit, Heat-set needed, Grade. If dye: ask Dye class, Fiber fit, Wash fastness; skip Paint medium, Binder, Ink base, Finish/sheen, Grade, Opacity, Surface or fiber, Cadmium/heavy-metal-free. Skip if already known: a query already naming 'acrylic', 'watercolor', 'spray paint', 'calligraphy ink', 'tie-dye', or 'fabric dye'. 2. **Surface or fiber.** Fabric, paper or canvas, wood, glass/ceramic/metal, or plastic/model? Surface decides which binder chemistry can actually bond and flex; a rigid oil or enamel film cracks on fabric that stretches. If fabric: ask Heat-set needed. Skip if already known: an earlier answer naming fabric, canvas, wood, ceramic, or a model kit, product_type already answered as dye — dye is fabric-only, and fiber_compatibility asks the real question instead. 3. **Paint medium.** Acrylic, watercolor/gouache, oil, tempera/poster, enamel, or spray? Medium fixes the binder, dry time, and solvent before anything else about a paint matters. If enamel_hobby or spray: ask Solvent/carrier. Skip if already known: a query already naming the medium, e.g. 'acrylic paint' or 'spray paint'. ## What to surface ### Paint, ink, or dye Whether the item is a paint (pigment in a binder), an ink (a thinner pigment- or dye-carrying fluid), or a fabric dye (colorant that bonds into fiber). It decides which spec actually matters next: a paint's binder and medium, an ink's base, or a dye's chemical class and fiber fit. Asking it first avoids asking a dye question about a spray paint. [2] [3] Values: paint, ink, dye. Question to ask: Paint, ink, or fabric dye? Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: derived from listing fields, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Derive from the product title and category ('acrylic paint', 'calligraphy ink', 'tie-dye kit'). Title keyword match covers nearly every listing; ambiguous combo kits (e.g. 'fabric paint and dye set') default to the dominant product on the label. ### Surface or fiber What the buyer is coloring: fabric/fiber, paper or canvas, wood or furniture, glass/ceramic/metal, or plastic/model surfaces. A binder or dye class that bonds to one surface can fail outright on another — a rigid acrylic film flexes poorly on stretchy fabric, and a fiber-reactive dye will not tint polyester at all. [17] [16] Values: fabric, paper_or_canvas, wood_or_furniture, glass_ceramic_metal, plastic_or_model. Question to ask: Fabric, paper or canvas, wood, glass/ceramic/metal, or plastic/model? Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Usually named in the title or bullet points ('fabric paint', 'for wood & furniture', 'glass paint'). Title/category keyword match; default to paper_or_canvas for plain 'craft paint' listings with no surface named. ### Paint medium The paint family by binder and handling: acrylic, watercolor/gouache, oil, tempera/poster, hobby enamel, or aerosol spray. Medium fixes dry time, solvent, and reworkability before any other spec matters: acrylic dries in minutes and is reworked with water, oil stays workable for days and needs solvent, enamel and spray are alkyd-based and need ventilation. [13] [10] [8] [9] [16] [15] Values: acrylic, watercolor_or_gouache, oil, tempera_or_poster, enamel_hobby, spray. Question to ask: Acrylic, watercolor/gouache, oil, tempera/poster, enamel, or spray? Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Almost always in the title ('Acrylic Paint Set', 'Watercolor Pan Set', 'Enamel Model Paint'). Title keyword match; 'craft paint' with no further qualifier defaults to acrylic, the dominant craft medium. ### Fiber fit Which fiber families the dye actually bonds to: natural cellulose (cotton, linen, rayon), protein (wool, silk), synthetic (polyester, nylon), or mixed blends. This is the single most common dyeing failure: a reactive or direct dye bought for a cotton shirt will barely tint a polyester blend, because that fiber needs a disperse dye instead. [4] [5] [3] Values: natural_cellulose, protein_wool_silk, synthetic_polyester_nylon, mixed_blends. Question to ask: What's the fabric made of — cotton, wool/silk, or polyester? Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Dye packaging usually states compatible fibers directly ('for cotton, linen & rayon'). Keyword match on the listing's stated fiber list; cross-check against dye_class since the two should agree. ### Finish/sheen The dry surface look: matte, satin, gloss, or metallic. Sheen changes how light reflects off the finished piece and whether it reads as flat craft color or a polished, lacquer-like surface; it's a separate choice from color and opacity. [16] Values: matte, satin, gloss, metallic, unspecified. Question to ask: Matte, satin, gloss, or metallic finish? Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Usually a named line or title keyword, especially for acrylic and spray paint ('Gloss Enamel', 'Metallic Acrylic'). Title keyword match; default to matte for plain craft acrylic with no sheen named. ### Dry time How long the paint or ink takes to be touch-dry and workable again: fast (under an hour), moderate (a few hours), or slow (days to weeks). Fast-drying media let a buyer layer quickly but punish slow blending; slow-drying oil stays workable for days, which is the point for blending but means long waits between layers. [13] [10] Values: fast_under_1hr, moderate_few_hours, slow_days_to_weeks. Question to ask: Need it to dry fast, or stay workable for a while? Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Occasionally called out as 'fast-drying' or 'extended open time' in the title; otherwise not a field. Deterministic from paint_medium: acrylic/ink/dye are fast, tempera/poster/gouache moderate, oil is slow, unless the listing claims otherwise. Chart: position on a dry-time axis, fast to slow. ### Heat-set needed Whether the color needs heat (ironing, a hot dryer, or steaming) after application to become permanent and washable. Fabric paint and pigment-printed designs usually need heat-setting to survive a wash; skip it and the color can wash or rub out, which is the single most common fabric-paint complaint. [17] Values: yes, no, depends_on_product. Used as: filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Usually in the care/instructions text ('heat set with a dry iron') rather than a structured field. Default fabric paint and pigment-based fabric ink to 'yes' unless the listing states it's pre-set or heat-free; fiber-reactive dyes fix chemically and are 'no'. ### Waterproof when dry Whether the dry ink or paint resists smearing or re-dissolving when it gets wet again. A buyer layering watercolor over a drawing, or writing a document that might get wet, needs an ink that stays put once dry; many dye-based inks and water-soluble paints will reactivate and bleed. [12] Values: yes, no, varies_by_product. Question to ask: Does it need to survive getting wet again once dry? Used as: filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Sometimes stated ('waterproof India ink', 'archival pigment ink'); default carbon/India ink with a binder to yes and plain water-soluble dye ink to no. Keyword match; falls back to the ink_base_type default when the listing is silent. ### Opacity Whether the dry color is transparent (paper shows through), semi-transparent, or opaque (fully covers what's beneath). Transparent media (watercolor, most ink) let underlayers and the white of the paper show through for glazing and light effects; opaque media (gouache, tempera, most acrylic) cover completely and let a buyer paint light-over-dark. [8] [11] Values: transparent, semi_transparent, opaque. Question to ask: Need it to cover solidly, or stay see-through? Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Often stated for watercolor/gouache/ink ('opaque gouache', 'transparent watercolor') but rarely for acrylic. Keyword match on title/description; default gouache and poster paint to opaque, watercolor and most ink to transparent per medium. Chart: position on a transparent-to-opaque axis. ### Solvent/carrier What the colorant and binder are carried in and cleaned up with: water, oil/mineral-spirit solvent, or alcohol. Solvent-based paints (oil, most spray and hobby enamel) need ventilation and solvent for cleanup and can't be thinned with water; water-based media clean up with soap and water and are the default for indoor craft use. [13] [10] [15] [16] Values: water_based, oil_or_solvent_based, alcohol_based. Question to ask: Clean up with water, or does it need solvent/ventilation? Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Usually stated for spray and enamel ('oil-based enamel') and for alcohol ink; acrylic/watercolor/tempera are water-based by default and rarely state it. Deterministic from paint_medium/ink_base_type for most lines; only spray/enamel need a listing check for water-based reformulations. ### Ink base What carries the ink's color: dye-based liquid, pigment-based liquid, carbon/India ink, or alcohol-based ink. Dye-based ink is vivid but bleeds and fades faster; pigment-based ink is more fade- and water-resistant and is the choice for embossing or archival work; carbon India ink becomes waterproof once dry; alcohol ink is made for non-porous surfaces like resin, tile, and yupo paper. [14] [12] Values: dye_based_ink, pigment_based_ink, carbon_india_ink, alcohol_ink. Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Stamp pad and calligraphy ink listings usually name this directly ('pigment ink pad', 'India ink', 'alcohol ink set'). Title keyword match; default unlabeled drawing ink to dye_based_ink and unlabeled stamp ink to dye_based_ink (the more common type). ### Dye class The chemistry the dye uses to bond to fiber: fiber-reactive, acid, disperse, direct/substantive, or an all-purpose blend of these. Dye class, not brand, decides which fiber it will actually color: fiber-reactive dyes (e.g. Procion MX) bond to cellulose fibers, acid dyes bond to protein fibers, and disperse dyes are the only class that colors polyester. [4] [5] [6] [3] Values: fiber_reactive, acid, disperse, direct_substantive, all_purpose_blend. Used as: top-level split, filter. Data: needs research, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Specialty dye brands name the class in the title ('Procion MX Fiber Reactive Dye'); all-purpose dye brands usually don't. Keyword-match named classes in the title; default unnamed 'fabric dye' listings to all_purpose_blend, since that's how most mass-market dye is formulated. ### Consistency How thick the wet paint or ink is: ink-thin and fluid, pourable fluid, heavy-body/buttery, or thick paste. Consistency decides application method and texture: fluid acrylic is built for pouring and airbrushing, heavy-body holds a brush stroke and peak for texture work, and a thinner ink-like consistency is needed for pens, dip tools, and fine line work. [13] Values: fluid_ink_like, fluid_pourable, heavy_body_buttery, paste_thick. Question to ask: Thin and fluid, or thick enough to hold a brush stroke? Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Named in the product line for acrylic specifically ('Fluid Acrylic', 'Heavy Body Acrylic'); rarely a field for other media. Title keyword match for acrylic lines; default standard craft/student acrylic to heavy_body_buttery, ink and dye to fluid_ink_like. Chart: position on a thin-to-thick consistency axis. ### Grade Whether the paint is formulated as a student/craft grade (more filler, less pigment) or an artist/professional grade (higher pigment concentration, less filler). Higher pigment load gives stronger, more lightfast color and better mixing behavior; student grade stretches pigment with filler to cost less, which mutes color and shortens lightfastness, independent of brand or price point. [2] Values: student_or_craft_grade, artist_or_professional_grade, unspecified. Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: on the listing, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Usually named directly in the product line ('Student Acrylic', 'Professional Artist Acrylic'). Title keyword match; default unlabeled multi-pack craft paint to student_or_craft_grade. ### Cadmium/heavy-metal-free Whether the paint's pigments are formulated without cadmium or other heavy-metal compounds, versus using traditional cadmium-based pigments. Cadmium pigments are toxic in small amounts, especially as inhaled dust, so health-conscious buyers and anyone buying for children actively avoid them even on a product that otherwise carries an ACMI seal; this is a separate axis from the AP/CL seal, which many artist-grade cadmium paints still pass. [18] [19] Values: cadmium_free, contains_cadmium_or_heavy_metal, unspecified. Question to ask: Need it free of cadmium or other heavy metals? Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Named only when cadmium-free ('Cadmium Free Acrylic Paint', 'Cadmium Free Gouache'); plain cadmium-containing paint is almost never labeled as containing cadmium. Default to unspecified unless the listing states 'cadmium free'; flag as contains_cadmium_or_heavy_metal when the color name itself names a cadmium pigment (e.g. 'Cadmium Yellow', 'Cadmium Red'). ### Colorant type Whether the color comes from pigment (insoluble particles) or dye (soluble molecules), or a mix of both. Pigments are chemically inert and generally hold color longest; dyes dissolve into the medium, giving more vivid, transparent color but fading faster and bleeding more in water or light. [2] [14] Values: pigment_based, dye_based, mixed. Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Rarely a dedicated field; sometimes named for inks and markers ('pigment ink', 'dye-based ink'). Infer from medium: artist paints and India ink are pigment-based by default; alcohol ink, most fabric dye, and many stamp/calligraphy inks are dye-based unless labeled 'pigment ink'. Chart: position on a fade-resistance axis, pigment-based toward the lightfast end. ### Binder What carries the pigment and fixes it to the surface once dry: acrylic polymer emulsion, gum arabic/dextrin, drying oil, egg/casein/PVA, or alkyd resin. Binder sets dry time, flexibility, and solvent: acrylic polymer is water-based and flexible when dry, linseed oil stays workable for days but yellows over decades, gum arabic rewets with water so it never fully locks, alkyd resin dries hard and glossy. [13] [11] [10] [9] [16] Values: acrylic_polymer_emulsion, gum_arabic_or_dextrin, drying_oil, egg_casein_or_pva, alkyd_resin, carbon_with_shellac_or_gelatin, not_applicable_dye. Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost low. Look for it as: Not a listing field; derive from paint_medium (acrylic→acrylic_polymer_emulsion, watercolor/gouache→gum_arabic_or_dextrin, oil→drying_oil, tempera/poster→egg_casein_or_pva, enamel/spray→alkyd_resin). Deterministic lookup from paint_medium once that is known; no per-listing research needed. ### Health/safety seal Whether the product carries the ACMI AP (non-toxic, for any age) or CL (cautionary, for grade 7 and up) seal certifying it under ASTM D-4236, or carries no such seal. A buyer choosing for a young child must check for the AP seal specifically — the CL seal means the product is unsafe for children in sixth grade or younger — and an unlabeled product has not been through ACMI's toxicology review at all. [1] Values: acmi_ap_nontoxic, acmi_cl_cautionary, unlabeled_or_unknown. Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Often printed on packaging and repeated in bullet points for kids' products ('AP non-toxic seal'); adult/hobby products often omit it even when earned. Check the brand's ACMI-certified product list when the listing itself doesn't show the seal; default to unlabeled_or_unknown rather than assuming AP. ### Wash fastness How well the dyed color resists fading, bleeding, or stripping out when the fabric is laundered repeatedly, rated separately from lightfastness. A dye that looks vivid straight out of the dye bath can still wash out in a few laundry cycles if its bond to the fiber is weak; fiber-reactive dye's covalent bond gives it better wash fastness than direct/substantive dye, which has no such bond, so this is the companion spec to lightfastness for anything that gets laundered. [20] [4] Values: excellent, good, fair, poor, not_rated. Used as: filter, shown on the card. Data: needs research, backfill cost medium. Look for it as: Rarely a listing field; specialty dye brands occasionally cite an AATCC or ISO wash-fastness grade in technical documentation, mass-market dye kits almost never do. Default by dye_class: fiber_reactive to good/excellent, direct_substantive to fair/poor, disperse and acid to good when matched to the right fiber; mark not_rated otherwise. Chart: position on a wash-fastness axis, excellent to poor. ### Lightfastness How well the dry color resists fading under light exposure over time, rated on standardized scales (e.g. ASTM D4303, the Blue Wool Scale). A piece hung in direct sun with poor lightfastness can visibly fade within a year or two; artists choosing paint for anything displayed or sold check this before color or price. [7] Values: excellent, very_good, fair, poor, not_rated. Used as: filter, shown on the card, sortable. Data: needs research, backfill cost high. Look for it as: Rarely a listing field; artist-grade paint tubes sometimes print an ASTM rating (I–IV) on the label, student-grade craft paint almost never does. Needs the brand's own lightfastness chart per pigment; backfill artist-grade lines first and mark craft/student lines not_rated rather than guessing. Chart: position on a fade-resistance axis from excellent to poor. ## What you give up - Dye dissolves fully into the medium for intense, transparent color, but because it's chemically bonded rather than an inert particle, it fades faster in light and is more prone to bleeding than a pigment. [2] [14] Board branch: "More vivid color, less fade and bleed resistance". - Fiber-reactive dyes form a covalent bond with cellulose, which is why they're the standard for cotton tie-dye, but that same chemistry can't attach to polyester at all — a disperse dye is needed instead. [4] [5] Board branch: "Locks onto cotton, does nothing on polyester". - Oil stays workable for days because it cures slowly by oxidation rather than drying by evaporation, which is exactly why it can't be built up in quick layers the way acrylic can. [10] [13] Board branch: "Longer blending time, much slower layering". ## Words you will meet - **Pigment**. A colorant made of insoluble particles that stay suspended in a binder rather than dissolving into it. - **Dye**. A colorant that dissolves and bonds chemically into the fiber or medium itself, rather than sitting on top as particles. - **Binder**. The liquid vehicle (acrylic polymer, oil, gum arabic, egg, alkyd resin) that carries pigment and dries into the film holding it to a surface. - **Lightfastness**. How well a color resists fading when exposed to light over time, measured on standardized testing scales. - **ACMI AP/CL seal**. Certification marks from the Art and Creative Materials Institute: AP means non-toxic for any age, CL means safe only for grade 7 and up. - **Fiber-reactive dye**. A dye class that forms a permanent chemical bond with cellulose fibers like cotton, linen, and rayon. - **Disperse dye**. The dye class made for polyester and other synthetic fibers that won't take reactive, acid, or direct dyes. - **Acid dye**. A dye class that bonds to protein fibers like wool and silk, and to nylon, under mildly acidic conditions. - **Gum arabic**. A natural plant gum used as the binder in watercolor and gouache; it never fully locks and can be rewet with water. - **Alkyd resin**. A synthetic resin binder that dries hard and glossy, used in most hobby enamel and spray paint. - **Shellac**. A natural resin sometimes added to carbon-based India ink to make it more durable and water-resistant once dry. - **Heat-set**. Fixing a fabric paint or pigment print permanently by applying heat (ironing, a hot dryer, or steaming). - **Viscosity**. How thick or fluid a wet paint or ink is, which decides whether it pours, brushes, or holds a sharp stroke. - **PVA**. Polyvinyl acetate, a synthetic water-based glue used as a binder in some tempera and poster paint. - **Casein**. A milk protein used as the binder in traditional casein paint, a tempera variant. - **Dextrin**. A starch-derived substance used as an alternative to gum arabic as the binder in some gouache and poster paint. - **Gelatin**. An animal-protein substance sometimes added to carbon-based India ink, alongside or instead of shellac, as a binder. - **Direct/substantive dye**. A dye class that colors cotton and other cellulose fiber by simple attraction rather than a chemical bond, and washes out faster than fiber-reactive dye. - **Wash fastness**. How well a dyed color survives repeated laundering without fading, bleeding, or stripping out, rated separately from lightfastness. ## Where we made a call - Unlabeled all-purpose fabric dye works well on natural fiber but only partially stains synthetic blends. (confidence medium). Sourced to general dye-chemistry articles explaining direct/acid dye behavior; brand-specific dyeing guides (Rit, Dharma, Jacquard) were blocked by bot protection this run. [3] [6] ## References 1. [ACMI Materials Safety — AP and CL Seals](https://www.acmiart.org/materials-safety) (standards body). Supports: AP seal means non-injurious for kids sixth grade or younger, under ASTM D 4236; CL seal means safe only for grade 7 and older, never for younger children; Both seals require toxicological testing by board-certified toxicologists. 2. [Pigment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigment) (primer). Supports: Pigments are insoluble particles; dyes are soluble colorants, often organic vs. pigments often inorganic. 3. [Dye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye) (primer). Supports: Acid dyes are used mainly for wool, silk, and polyamide (nylon); Dye classification includes mordant, direct, disperse, reactive, and acid dyes. 4. [Reactive dye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_dye) (primer). Supports: Reactive dyes bond covalently to cellulose fiber, giving good wash fastness; Procion MX is a dichlorotriazine reactive dye, the lowest-fixation-temperature class (30°C) in the comparison table. 5. [Disperse dye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disperse_dye) (primer). Supports: Disperse dye is a synthetic dye category intended for polyester and related hydrophobic fibers. 6. [Substantive (direct) dye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_dye) (primer). Supports: Direct/substantive dyes color cellulose textiles such as cotton without a mordant. 7. [Lightfastness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightfastness) (primer). Supports: ASTM D4303 and the Blue Wool Scale are standard tests/scales for lightfastness of artists' materials; Watercolors, inks, pastels, and colored pencils are particularly prone to fading. 8. [Gouache](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gouache) (primer). Supports: Gouache uses a gum arabic or dextrin binder and a higher pigment-to-binder ratio than watercolor, making it opaque. 9. [Tempera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempera) (primer). Supports: Tempera binders include egg yolk (egg tempera), milk protein (casein paint), and synthetic PVA; Poster paint is a distemper-type paint bound with gum arabic or cornstarch. 10. [Oil paint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_paint) (primer). Supports: Oil paint suspends pigment in a drying oil (commonly linseed oil) and is slow-drying and waterproof once cured. 11. [Watercolor painting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watercolor_painting) (primer). Supports: Watercolor's transparency comes from a gum binder absorbing into the paper, leaving pigment visible through it. 12. [India ink](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_ink) (primer). Supports: India ink is carbon pigment in colloidal suspension that forms a waterproof layer when dry; Shellac or gelatin may be added as a binder to make it more durable once dried. 13. [Acrylic paint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_paint) (primer). Supports: Acrylic paint is pigment in acrylic polymer emulsion, is water-based, fast-drying, and water-resistant once dry. 14. [Ink](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ink) (primer). Supports: Dye-based inks give stronger color per unit mass than pigment-based inks but are more prone to bleeding and fading. 15. [Aerosol paint (spray paint)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosol_paint) (primer). Supports: Spray paint is pigment, binder, and solvent propelled by a can's propellant through a valve. 16. [Enamel paint](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enamel_paint) (primer). Supports: Most enamel paint is alkyd resin based and dries to a hard, glossy finish. 17. [Textile printing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textile_printing) (primer). Supports: Pigment textile printing is fixed with steam or hot air after printing; Mordant dyeing fixes color only where a mordant was printed onto the cloth first. 18. [Dick Blick — Acrylic Paint category page](https://www.dickblick.com/categories/acrylic/) (retail listing). Supports: Dick Blick's acrylic paint category lists 'Cadmium Free Acrylic Paint' as its own filterable sub-category; Dick Blick lists 'Cadmium Free Gouache' as a separate filterable sub-category distinct from AP non-toxic. 19. [Cadmium pigments](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmium_pigments) (primer). Supports: Cadmium is toxic in small amounts, especially inhaled as dust, unsafe for children in art supplies; Cadmium in artists' paints has faced EU REACH restriction proposals over health and environmental concerns. 20. [Colour fastness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colour_fastness) (primer). Supports: Lightfastness, wash fastness, and rub fastness are the main standardized forms of colour fastness, rated as separate scales; Washing fastness is a dyed textile's ability to resist fading or bleeding through repeated laundering.