Paint Is Pigment Suspended in a Binder
Paint is a coloured liquid applied to a surface. Every paint has the same basic structure: pigment, binder, solvent and additives.
Paint is a coloured liquid applied to a surface to decorate or protect it. Every paint, from cave ochre to car lacquer, has the same structure: *pigment* for colour, a *binder* to hold it together and stick it down, a *solvent* to make it flowable, and additives. What distinguishes oil paint from acrylic or watercolour is the binder, not the pigment — the same blue can appear in all three. The word comes from Latin *pingere*, to paint, which also gives *picture* and *pigment*.
- A coloured coating. *A coat of paint.*
- To apply paint. *Paint the wall.*
- Pigment — the colour. *A blue pigment.*
- Binder — what holds it. *An acrylic binder.*
- Latin — *pingere*, to paint. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | paint | White paint. |
| Verb | paint | Paint it. |
| Agent | painter | A painter. |
| Noun | painting | A painting. |
| Latin | pingere | To paint. |
- Give the door two coats of paint.Decorating.
- The binder distinguishes oil from acrylic.Chemistry.
- Pingere also gives picture.Etymology.
Paints by binder
- Oil paint — pigment in drying oil, usually linseed
- Acrylic — pigment in an acrylic polymer emulsion
- Watercolour — pigment in gum arabic
- Tempera — traditionally pigment in egg yolk
- Emulsion — the British name for water-based wall paint
Old French *peint*, the past participle of *peindre*, from Latin *pingere*, to paint or embroider.
What is the difference between oil and acrylic paint?
The binder. Oil paint uses drying oil, acrylic uses a polymer emulsion. The pigments can be identical.
Are paint and picture related?
Yes. Both come from Latin pingere, to paint, which also gives pigment.