UMS "Agram" : Pigmentation principles: why powdered pigment doesn't work < Articles < Hobby

Pigmentation principles: why powdered pigment doesn't work

Dunja Singer, 4th May 2026

This text was written after a Wednesday get-together where a discussion about the pigmentation of plaster developed. Since I wasn't able to explain everything on the spot, I decided to put it all down on paper — and the principles in question apply more broadly than plaster itself anyway.

1. What is a pigment — and what is not

A pigment is a substance that imparts color by selectively absorbing certain wavelengths of visible light and reflecting others. A black pigment absorbs almost all wavelengths; a red pigment absorbs blue and green and reflects red. It is important to distinguish a pigment from a filler. Fillers are white or neutral substances that are added to paints, coatings, and masses to increase volume, improve texture, or reduce cost—but do not provide strong color or good hiding power on their own. Typical fillers include calcium carbonate (chalk, CaCO₃), calcium sulfate (gypsum, CaSO₄), barium sulfate, and similar materials. The difference between a true pigment and a filler is not just in color—it lies in a physical property called the index of refraction.

2. Refractive index and opacity

The refractive index (IR) describes how much light is refracted and scattered when it passes through a substance or encounters its surface. The higher it is, the more the particle scatters light — and thus appears more opaque, "opaque". A few comparative values:

• Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) — IR around 2.7 → excellent coverage, strongest white pigment
• Zinc oxide (ZnO) — IR around 2.0 → good coverage
• Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) — IR around 1.59 → poor coverage, filler
• Calcium sulfate / gypsum (CaSO₄) — IR around 1.52 → almost transparent in a binder, filler

This means that gypsum and chalk, although white as a powder, become almost transparent in the formulation of a coating or mass. They do not compete with the pigment — they are subordinate to it. That's why a small amount of pigment easily and evenly colors a gypsum or chalk-based mass, while the same amount of pigment in a mass containing TiO₂ would be barely visible.

3. Agglomeration — the enemy of even color

Pigment powders do not exist as perfectly separate particles. Due to electrostatic attractive forces and surface tension, the particles spontaneously group into clusters called agglomerates or aggregates. Agglomeration is particularly pronounced in: fine particles (the smaller the particle, the higher the surface area to volume ratio, so the attractive forces are relatively stronger) pigments with a high specific surface area, such as carbon black high temperature or humidity conditions When pigment powder is mixed with filler or binder powder, the agglomerates do not break down—they remain as compact clusters. The visual result is an uneven color: dark spots where pigment particles have accumulated, and pale areas where they are absent. The user then concludes that "more pigment is needed"—but this is not true. The problem is not a lack of pigment, but its poor distribution.

4. Dispersion — meaning properly dispersed pigment

Dispersion is the process of breaking up agglomerates and evenly distributing individual pigment particles throughout a medium (water, oil, binder). A well-dispersed pigment means that the particles are as evenly distributed as possible — each filler or binder particle "sees" the pigment, not just the neighborhood of the agglomerate. Dispersion is achieved by mechanical and chemical means:

• Mechanical: mixing with high shear forces (mixers, mill aggregates, ultrasound). Mixing with a spoon or spatula is not sufficient to break up agglomerates.
• Chemical: the use of dispersants and surfactants that adsorb to the surface of the particle and prevent it from re-adhering to neighboring particles.

5. Why liquid colorant works better than powdered pigment

Liquid colorants are not just pigment dissolved in water. They are ready-made systems that contain: Pigment — already dispersed to the level of individual particles or very small clusters Dispersants and surfactants — which keep the particles separated and prevent re-agglomeration Liquid medium — which allows the pigment to be evenly distributed throughout the material being colored before that material begins to set or dry When a liquid colorant is added to the mixing water (e.g. in gypsum, concrete, mortar), the pigment is already in an ideal state of dispersion. The same amount of pigment is evenly delivered to each part of the mixture. The color effect is therefore much more intense than with dry-mixed pigment — with a significantly lower total amount of pigment. The same logic applies to paints and varnishes: pigment pastes and dispersed pigments provide better coverage and color uniformity than pigments that have not undergone the dispersion process.

6. Practical application — gypsum example

Gypsum is a good example because it illustrates all the above principles at once. Because it has a low refractive index (~1.52), it is not a true white pigment — it does not resist staining when mixed with a binder. This means that a small amount of black pigment can easily and evenly color the gypsum mass. Why then does it happen to many people that they have to add a large proportion of pigment in relation to the mass of plaster? Because they mix the pigment in powder form directly into the gypsum powder. Pigment agglomerates (especially Fe₃O₄ or carbon black) remain intact, the distribution is uneven, and the result is disappointing. The conclusion "we need more" is wrong — we need better.

Correct procedure:

Add the colorant (or pigment dispersed in water) to the mixing water Mix the water with the colorant well Only then add the gypsum and mix until a homogeneous mixture This way, the pigment is distributed throughout the entire mass before the gypsum begins to set. The result is an even, intense color with a much smaller amount of pigment than with dry mixing. For those who do not have access to professional colorants, a good alternative are liquid pigment additives available in building paint stores — usually in the form of small bottles intended for tinting wall paints. It is the same principle: the pigment is already dispersed in a liquid medium with additives that prevent agglomeration. Added to the mixing water, they give a more even result than powdered pigment with a significantly smaller amount.

Conclusion

The intensity and uniformity of color in a mass depend not only on the amount of pigment — they depend on how well the pigment is dispersed. A pigment powder mixed with a powder of another material almost always gives worse results than a pigment that has been previously dispersed in a liquid medium, in the presence of dispersants. When you encounter the problem of "the pigment does not color enough," it is worth asking yourself: is the problem not in the way it was added — and not in the amount.

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Krunoslav Belinić, 30th October 2026

Agram Group Build #7 – Amon Hen, pt.6

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	Next came the painting of the terrain. As always, we used a palette of brown and gray paints from the Pebeo Deco brand. These are acrylic paints—relatively affordable and quite thick—which allow for easy coverage or a quick drybrush, should the need arise. We started with the brown tones, beginning with the darker shades and finishing with the lighter ones.

	  

	  

	  

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	Zatim je uslijedilo bojanje terena. Kao i uvijek, koristimo paletu smeđih i sivih boja marke Pebeo Deco. To su akrilne boje, relativno pristupačne cijenom, a dosta guste tako da omogućava lagano prekrivanje ili brzi drybrush ako nam zatreba. Prvo smo odradili smeđe nijanse, krenuvši prvo od tamnijih i završivši sa svjetlijim nijansama.

	  

	  

	  

	Zatim smo kamene plohe istaknuli crnom bojom i onda posvjetljavali sivim nijansama od tamnijih do svijetlijih. Hram i kipove smo ostavili prekrivene samo sprejevima iz prvog koraka.

	  

	  

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	Složio ih je i maknuo tabove za baze. Sljedeći put nastavlja s drugom polovicom.

	  

	  
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Marko Paunović, 22nd October 2026

Lizardmen Sauropod – part 1

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	Prilikom printa modela sauropoda kojeg sam mislio koristiti za kitbash Lizardmen modela bastiladona, ostao je jedan printani model trupa sa greškama u nogama. U slično vrijeme sam igrao Pokemon Crystal i obožavajući neke od koncepata u toj igri, odlučio sam spojiti dva svijeta u jedan.

	  

	Uzevši pokemona Meganium-a kao početni koncept, želio sam napraviti dinosaura na velikoj bazi koji izranja iz jezera, okruženog skinkovima koji ga timare.

	  

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	Prvi korak je bio napraviti latice cvijeta oko vrata dinosura. Koristio sam malo deblji papir, izrezan u oblik latice. Nakon toga sam ih zalijepio super ljepilom u oblik cvijeta. Premazao sam svaki list drvofixom u cca 6 slojeva, kako bih učvrstio listove u formu u kojoj će biti elastični i čvrsti za bojanje. Sve premaze sam radio s manjim kistom potezima prema van, kako bih stvorio teksturu na stranicama latica.

	Trup dinosaura sam zalijepio na bazu sa superljepilom i zapunio rupe.

	  

	Priprema za bojanje je bila lakši dio posla, primer je bio svijetlosivi sprej, sa jednim slojem ljubičaste contrast boje. Nakon toga sam drybrushem bijele prekrio cijrli model. Ovime sam dobio čudnu bolesnjikavu bazu za slojeve zelene. Ovime završavam prvi dio tutoriala, nastavljam u drugom sa bojanjem i lijevanjem rezinske mase, uz završne detalje modela.

	  
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Mario Grgurev, 19th October 2026

Agram Group Build #7 – Amon Hen, pt.5

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	Agram Group Build is back. For this seventh installment, the team decided to create a gaming board/diorama for Amon Hen. To that end, we fulfilled a childhood dream and acquired the original Forge World Amon Hen terrain (released around 2000) along with the accompanying set of miniatures. This series of articles will document the entire project—from crafting the terrain to assembling and painting the miniatures.

	  

	The plan last time was to also build a balsa wood frame, but unfortunately, the balsa got misplaced during the move following the renovation of the space, so we had to postpone it. Now, it’s time to get it done.

	  

	We cut the balsa wood into four 50 cm pieces. Afterward, we measured the highest points of each side, marked the balsa accordingly, and cut it to the desired dimensions.

	  

	  

	Then we traced the relief onto the balsa frame and carefully cut it out.

	  

	The final step was cutting each corner at a 45-degree angle to create a neat frame joint.

	  

	Next came the gluing of the frame. We bonded the sides using PVA glue, while the joints where one frame side met another were secured with superglue.

	  

	We filled the gaps between the balsa wood frame and the terrain we created last time with DAS modeling clay.

	  

	Finally, we coated the top surfaces of the frame and the air-drying clay infill with PVA glue, and sprinkled over it the same sand we had used for the rest of the board.

	  

	And that’s it for this time. Next week, it’s time for painting.

	  

	 
"
    ["content_hrv"]=>
    string(4765) "
	Agram Group Build se vraća. U svojoj sedmoj instalaciji, ekipa je odlučila izraditi igraću tablu / dioramu za Amon Hen. Za tu potrebu, ispunili smo si dječačke sne i nabavili originalni Forge World teren Amon Hena (izašao negdje cca 2000.) sa setom pripadajućih figura. Ova serija članaka pratit će izradu cijelog projekta – kako izrade terena, tako i sastavljanja i bojanja figura.

	  

	Plan za prošli put bio je da napravimo i okvir od balze, ali na žalost u selidbi nakon renovacije prostora, negdje smo zagubili balzu tako da smo to odgodili. Sad je došao red na to.

	  

	Odrezali smo balzu na četiri komada od 50cm. Nakon toga izmjerili smo najviše dijelove pojedine strane i tako označili balzu te ju prerezali na željene dimenzije.

	  

	  

	Potom smo ucrtali reljef na okvir od balze i pažljivo ga izrezali.

	  

	Zadnji korak bilo je zarezivanje svakog kuta pod 45 stupnjeva tako da dobijemo uredan spoj okvira.

	  

	Tada je uslijedilo lijepljenje okvira. Stranice smo zalijepili PVA ljepilom dok smo spojeve stranice okvira na drugu stranicu okvira zalijepili superljepilom.

	  

	U rupe između okvira od balze i terena kojeg smo napravili prošli put ubacili smo DAS glinamol.

	  

	Na kraju smo gornje plohe okvira i popune od glinamola premazali PVA ljepilom te na to posipali isti pijesak koji smo koristili za ostatak table.

	  

	I to je bilo to za ovaj put. Sljedećeg tjedna ide bojanje.

	  
"
    ["created"]=>
    string(19) "2026-10-15 10:05:42"
    ["modified"]=>
    string(19) "2026-10-15 10:05:42"
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    ["id"]=>
    string(2) "64"
    ["group_id"]=>
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    ["first_name"]=>
    string(9) "Krunoslav"
    ["last_name"]=>
    string(8) "Belinić"
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    string(9) "krunoslav"
    ["last_name_mask"]=>
    string(7) "belinic"
    ["username"]=>
    string(5) "Kruno"
    ["password"]=>
    string(40) "eb3fda45fbec0258e90d809803b10491c548b22f"
    ["born"]=>
    string(19) "2015-01-18 09:19:00"
    ["created"]=>
    string(19) "2015-01-18 09:20:39"
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}