A thin-layer chromatographic method on silica gel is described for the separation and identification of synthetic organic pigments in artists' oil and acrylic paints. Six solvent systems are proposed, and it is established that, except in the case of paints containing phthalocyanine pigments, the presence of the binding medium has no effect on the separations and R_F values obtained. For the removal of binding medium from phthalocyanine paints, a multiple extraction with suitable solvents is suggested. -- AATA