ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Lake pigment

Okay kiddo, let me explain what a lake pigment is in a way that you can understand!

Have you ever painted or colored with watercolors? Watercolors are a kind of paint that are made by mixing color pigments with water. However, some pigments (like red and yellow) don't dissolve very well in water, which can make it hard to get a bright and vibrant color.

That's where lake pigments come in! A lake pigment is a special kind of pigment that is made by combining regular pigments with a sticky substance called a binder. This binder helps to hold the pigment particles together, so they don't dissolve when you add water. Instead, they form tiny little clumps or particles that float around in the water, giving you a more concentrated and intense color.

Lake pigments have been around for a very long time, and were originally made from natural materials like plants and insects. For example, a kind of red lake pigment called madder lake was made using the roots of a plant called madder, which were crushed up and mixed with a binder. Another popular lake pigment was cochineal lake, which was made using a kind of insect called the cochineal bug.

Today, most lake pigments are made using synthetic materials, which are easier and cheaper to produce in large quantities. However, some artists and craftspeople still prefer to use natural lake pigments for their unique colors and properties.

So, there you have it! A lake pigment is a special kind of pigment that helps to make colors brighter and more concentrated, and it's made by mixing regular pigments with a binder.