Before Colors: Where Pigments and Dyes Come From

Colors don’t come out of nothing.
They always start somewhere . . . with something . . . with someone.

Brown roots are ground into bright yellow powder.
A yellow sea snail produces vivid purple dye.
Purple berries are crushed and mixed up into a green pigment.

Since ancient times, artists have sourced colors from the most unexpected places.
Trace the line from Earth's abundant beauty to the beauty of color as it is used in art and culture around the world. Organized by color and how each color is sourced, this encyclopedic look at pigments and dyes shows curious readers how colors are made.