Buying new paint can sometimes be a little costly, in this article we'll tell you about the variation in pigment costs and why manufacturers group certain colours. Paint pigments vary in costs, and some can be expensive, which is why manufacturers will group colours into various price bands or series, depending on the cost of the raw material and what the raw material is.

Artist or Professional quality paints are usually split into series bands depending on the cost of the pigment used. Whereas Student quality paints are usually series 1 or 2. Inexpensive or easy to source pigments such as Burnt Umber, Ochres or Ultramarine will be banded in series 1 or 2. When more expensive raw materials such as Cadmiums, Cobalt's or semi-precious minerals are used, the higher the series will be. Series is typically depicted as series A-D or 1-4 with very few colours having higher series. The higher the letter or number the more expensive the paint.