Natural organic pigments are derived from plant or animal extracts. They are original versions of some well-known colors, but are less durable. For example, tan used to be made from mollusk ink sacs and cochineal was extracted from cochineal insects. Indian yellow, indigo and dark green were originally derived from plants, and genuine rose madder remains so. Ivory black, bone black, and vine black are made from charcoal made from charred ivory, bone, and certain types of wood.
Before the 1850s, most organic pigments were natural, but with advances in organic chemistry, the vast majority have been replaced by synthetic organic pigments, some of which mimic the hues found in natural organic matter. The physical form and hue of synthetic pigments are easier to control than natural pigments, and they tend to be more lightfast and offer a wider range of colors. Today's synthetic organic pigments include bright, permanent phthalocyanines, quinacridones, and perylene.
Dyed organic pigments include phthalocyanine, alizarin crimson, anthraquinone red (a more lightfast alternative to alizarin), Prussian blue, Hansa yellow, Hooker's green, indigo, Payne's gray, Perinon orange, and quinacridone (also has transparency properties). Although the pigment particle size is usually relatively uniform, there is still some sedimentary organic matter present, such as ultramarine blue, ultramarine violet, and azure. Transparent organic pigments include Rose Madder Genuine, Viridian, and Quinacridones, which make beautiful glazes.