This article contains basic information about color pigments. Pigments are of two basic types, organic and inorganic. Organic pigments are usually derived from petroleum. In general, organic pigments are less resistent to sunlight and chemicals than inorganic pigments. Inorganic pigments are divided into those that are the product of high temperature firing or calcination and those that are not. Iron oxide colors are a large and useful class of inorganic pigments owing to low cost, lightfastness, bleed resistance, and chemical resistance. The US and Canadian color pigments industry is represented by the Dry Color Manufacturers' Association, which is described briefly at the end of this article. An inset box in the article discusses the physical differences between dyes and pigments, and mentions some of the differences in application between the two.