Watercolor, Sunlight, and the Paints That Last

You’ve finish a piece you love. You hang it up. And some time later, something feels off. A color looks softer. A pink looks kind of beige. A shadow that used to sing is now…a shadow of it’s former self. If your one to dive headlong into a new medium (myself included), you might miss the early memo of why watercolor is sometimes still considered a “junior” medium and “less collectable”: Not all watercolor paints don’t all age the same way.

Some pigments are naturally strong and stable. Others are more delicate. When exposed to UV light (mostly from sunlight, but even indoor light over time), certain colors can fade, shift, or disappear entirely. It’s not because you did anything wrong—it’s just physics doing its thing.

But you don’t need to panic. You just need a little awareness.

What is “lightfastness,” anyway?

Lightfastness is simply a measure of how well a pigment holds up when exposed to light over time. Highly lightfast pigments stay true. Less lightfast pigments fade faster—sometimes dramatically, sometimes subtly. Most paint manufacturers test this, but the info can be buried in tiny print or confusing codes. And when you’re just trying to enjoy painting? That’s not the vibe.

A few beginner-friendly truths

• Student-grade paints often use cheaper pigments or dye-based colors that fade faster

• “Hue” colors are usually blends designed to mimic another pigment—and they’re often less stable

  You can absolutely still use less-lightfast colors, especially in sketchbooks or studies: art is about what makes you happy. Knowing this will make you a better artist. Lightfastness isn’t about rules. It’s about choosing when permanence matters.

The good news

There are lots of beautiful, reliable pigments out there—and once you know which ones they are, shopping and painting gets way less stressful.

If you want an easy way to check pigments without memorizing charts or squinting at labels, I built a tool that does the heavy lifting for you. Think of it as a watercolor sidekick - super useful when you’re online shopping for paints late a night, or just doing a “quick trip to the art store”. (What even is that??)

If you’re just starting out, let this be your gentle nudge: paint freely, learn as you go, and trust that you don’t need to know everything on day one.