Do you have a question about art supplies? Let us know in the comments or by contacting us here.

It can be a little overwhelming, standing in front of a rack of artist paints. With dozens or even hundreds of colors to choose from, where do you start?

With the label, of course! While technically written in English (and sometimes Spanish and French too), they can sometimes be a little tough to decipher. But everything you need to know is there, from the pigments used to make the paint, to its archival qualities, to what kind of safety precautions, if any, you need to take.

If you ever need any help choosing or reading paint labels, The Art League Store is staffed by knowledgable, working artists who are there to answer your questions. Here’s our quick guide to finding what you need on paint tubes, front and back:

About pigments: Different manufacturers have different “common” names for paints that use the same pigment. For example, Winsor & Newton’s “Winsor Lemon,” Golden’s “Hansa Yellow Light,” and Williamsburg’s “Permanent Yellow Light” all use PY3: Arylide Yellow, but you wouldn’t know that unless you peeked at the back of the label.

About lightfastness: Lightfastness lets you know how permanent (or archival) the paint will be: will the color look the same in a few years or does it lose its vibrancy or shift hues after periods of exposure to light or heat? The manufacturer has tested it for you so you don’t have a nasty surprise years down the road.

About series numbers: The higher the number (or letter), the higher the price. Why are some paints more expensive than others? It’s all about the pigments, which might be from organic sources or manufactured synthetically, and how much they cost the manufacturer.

Of course, these are just the basics — different products have many variables that may or may not be on the label, like opacity and transparency, how thick or thin the paint is (viscosity), and drying time.