Color Permanence is the measure of the ability of a paint, color or pigment's ability to remain permanent in it's intended intensity.

If a color changes, for example fade, or becomes darker once dry. It's Color Permanence is not strong, Also similar is similar Light Fastness.

Childrens poster paints for example are not intended to last, therefore they have low color permanence due to using a lower pigment load or a lower quality pigment, they will fade over a short time, especially if exposed to light and other atmospheric conditions. Professional artists paints however generally have both a higher pigment load and use greater quality pigments.

Not all artists paints are are the same as the origins of a pigment differ greatly, and thus each brands color permanence or light fastness may differ greatly. One helpful way to compare various pigments is to refer to a paint ASTM rating number.

Natural Dyes also generally have a low color permanence.

For more information on specific brands of paint, see: Artists Paint Manufacturers or Pigment Manufacturers