Generally speaking, are pigments better than dyes?
We think so. Dyes are synthetic, often unstable and sooner or later (usually sooner), they will fade. At Magnolia we have a deep concern for permanence and durability. In both traditional and digital printmaking we use pigments, not dyes. Historically, pigments (derived from minerals) have stood the test of time. From the paintings of cavemen to the first Gutenburg Bible, from Rembrandt to Sam Francis, all lasting images have been made with pigments. Pigment is a finely ground, particulate substance which, when mixed or ground into a liquid to make ink or paint, does not dissolve, but remains dispersed or suspended in the liquid. Pigments are categorized as either inorganic (mineral) or organic (synthetic). A pigment, such as red iron oxide (rust) is simply an oxidized form of iron. One could leave iron, lead, or gold in the sun for a million years and they would never change color or change into another substance (much to the consternation of alchemists). In contrast, man-made synthet
