It will be useful to the amateur painter to mention the various pigments or coloring substances used in painting to produce different simple colors, and to follow these with a list of colors that are produced by combinations of two or more of these colors. White lead, a substance highly prejudicial to the health, both of those who manufacture it and those who use it, is mixed with all colors to tone them down and produce different shades, hues, and tints. There are, however, other mineral whites capable of supplying the place of white lead, which have the advantage of being non-poisonous pigments.

It will be convenient to classify each set of coloring substances, whether mineral or otherwise, under the color which it yields when properly mixed.