Fugitive pigments are

impermanent Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies. In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhist three marks of existence. It is ...

pigment A pigment is a powder used to add or alter color or change visual appearance. Pigments are completely or nearly solubility, insoluble and reactivity (chemistry), chemically unreactive in water or another medium; in contrast, dyes are colored sub ...

s that lighten, darken, or otherwise change in appearance or physicality over time when exposed to environmental conditions, such as

light Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be visual perception, perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400– ...

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...

, or

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...

. Fugitive pigments are present in types of

paint Paint is a material or mixture that, when applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer. As art, this is used to create an image or images known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are ...

, markers,

ink Ink is a gel, sol, or solution that contains at least one colorant, such as a dye or pigment, and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, reed pen, or quill. ...

s etc., which are used for temporary applications. Fugitive inks which washed away when soaked in water were sometimes used deliberately to prevent

postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail). Then the stamp is affixed to the f ...

s being removed from envelopes by soaking, and reused (e.g., the

Queen Victoria Lilac and Green Issue The Lilac and Green issue is a series of postage and revenue stamps issued in the United Kingdom in 1883 and 1884. The stamps are known as such because they were only printed in those two colours; lilac being used for the d, 2d, d, 3d values and ...

). While permanent pigments are usually used for

painting Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

s, painters have made work wholly or partially with fugitive pigments for a number of reasons: availability and cost of pigments; being more concerned with the appearance of colors available only with fugitive pigments than with permanence; lack of knowledge regarding the deterioration of pigments; or the desire to have a painting change in appearance over time.

References

Painting materials Pigments {{Art-stub