Tempera Paints are pigments suspended in emulsions of substance such as egg, gum casesin and wax. Preservatives are added to kill microorganisms which would feed on the vehicles.

Encaustics are dry pigments suspended in molten white refined wax such as beeswax, paraffin or carnuba combined with drying oils, venice turpentine, and natural resins. Working with dry pigments is very hazardous. Heating waxes can release irritating wax decomposition products such as acrolein, formaldehyde and other aldehydes. Torching the wax surface can also cause pigments to fume.

Consumer Oil Paints and Enamels contain pigments, fillers and a variety of solvents. A common solvent for these paints is paint thiner.

Consumer Latex Paints are primarily pigments and water emulsions of various plastic resins. Most also contain 5-15% solvents. Sometimes these solvents are the hightly toxic glycol ethers which can be absorbed and inhaled.