Pigmentés

Pigmentés, commonly written as pigmentation, is the process of coloring a material or tissue with pigment particles. It spans biological, artistic, and industrial contexts, including natural coloration in living organisms and colorants used in paints, plastics, and cosmetics. In many languages the term describes both the presence of color and the act of coloring.

In biology, pigments such as melanin, hemoglobin, carotenoids, and chlorophyll determine color patterns and contribute functions beyond appearance, including UV protection, photosynthesis, and signaling. Pigment production is controlled by genetics and influenced by light exposure, diet, and health. Variation explains differences among individuals and species, for example human skin color or the green of leaves.

In art, printmaking, and manufacturing, pigments are solid, insoluble colorants dispersed in a medium. They contrast with dyes, which dissolve. Pigments can be inorganic (e.g., titanium dioxide white, iron oxides) or organic (e.g., quinacridones, phthalocyanines). Properties include color strength, lightfastness, opacity, and safety.

Pigmentations can also refer to abnormal coloration in medicine, such as hyperpigmentation conditions in the skin (melasma, lentigines) arising from inflammation, hormones, or sun exposure. Diagnosis and treatment depend on cause and may involve topical agents or procedures.

Color science uses objective methods to quantify pigmentation, including reflectance spectrophotometry and color spaces such as CIELAB to compare hues, saturation, and brightness.