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Dyes are used as colorants primarily in the textile industry and by designers and illustrators who prepare camera-ready artwork. Most dye colors are not permanent enough to be used for fine art applications where long term lightfastness is required. Two primary factors differentiate pigments and dyes:
Solubility - Dyes are nearly always soluble in the liquid into which they have been introduced, while pigments are nearly always insoluble.
Affinity - Dyes have an affinity for nearly any surface and will stain freely, with or without the addition of a binder. Pigments have little or no affinity for the surface onto which they are applied. To unite the pigment with the painting surface, a binder is required.
Dyes can be chemically converted into pigments for paints by Precipitating (separating them from their solution) and fixing them onto a colorless base so they become insoluble. The pigments obtained are called lakes, such as Crimson Lake or Alizarin Crimson.
