Generally speaking, powder pigments have been found satisfactory. The transparent ones are the best. The body colours are also used, though they are not so good, because not all the colours are obtainable in transparent or semi-transparent form. The body colour may be used first and the transparent one on top of it in order to obtain satisfactory results. Mineral pigments are not good for our purpose, for they do not sink into the paper.
Some powders are readily soluble in water, but others take a long time.
Glycerine is used in water-colour painting and oil is mixed in oil painting, but in prints the pigments must be used pure, though mixed with paste on the block. Printing ink is far from being good, except for kyogo. Furthermore, the oil spreads over the paper, discolouring it. For the purpose of thinning the colour, white may be added to the pigment. This too has a tendency to minimize the beauty of the colour.