A nondestructive sampling method for single grains of pigments applied in color etching for quantitative x-ray microanalysis in connection with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is described. A copper support grid, usually used in transmission electron microscopy, is cemented on a polished block of resin and forms a quadratic screen. This block is pressed on the painted area. Single pigment particles adhere to the surface of the plastics. The copper grid allows retrieval of definite particles by comparing the light microscopic and the electron microscopic image. It serves also as a pure element standard for quantitative analysis of copper pigments. Examples of the application of the method and analytical data are given.