Fugitive pigments are non-permanent pigment

Pigment

A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light.Many materials selectively absorb...

s that lighten in a relatively short time when exposed to light. Fugitive pigments are present in types of paint

Paint

Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...

, marker

Marker

Marker may refer to:* Marker , a morpheme that indicates some grammatical function* Marker , a special-purpose computer* A set of sewing patterns tightly arranged within a rectangle that is placed over cloth to be cut...

s, ink

Ink

Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing and/or writing with a pen, brush, or quill...

s etc., which are used for temporary applications. Fugitive inks, which washed away when soaked in water, were sometimes used deliberately to prevent postage stamp

Postage stamp

A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...

s being removed from envelopes by soaking, and reused (e.g., the Queen Victoria Lilac and Green Issue

Queen Victoria Lilac and Green Issue

The postage stamps of the United Kingdom issued in 1883 and 1884 are known as the “Lilac and Green” issue because they were only printed in those two colours; lilac being used for the ½d, 2d, 2½d, 3d values and dull green for the 4d, 5d, 6d, 9d and 1s....

).

While permanent pigments are usually used for painting

Painting

Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...

s, painters have made work wholly or partially with fugitive pigments for a number of reasons: ignorance regarding the volatility of the pigments; being more concerned with the appearance of colors available only with fugitive pigments than with permanence; or the desire to have a painting change in appearance over time.