For orange pigment, they use minium or red lead. Synthetic miniums from Nepal are considered superior. Earth white is a mineral of high-grade chalk. It is ground when it is dry and then soaked in water to get yellow impurities out. Soot and black ash are obtained by burning larch wood and birch bark.
Painters use finely powdered gold.
As paint it is known as cold gilt. Special techniques developed by Newars in Nepal are used to grind the gold. It is then mixed with roasted wheat glue or hide glue as a binder. Gold is very workable when used in very thin layers. It has the beauty and shine of solid gold.