The principal difference between dyes and pigments is their solubility. Most dyes are soluble and can be made soluble in a liquid medium and have the characteristics of staining a surface after penetrating it to some degree. All pigments are soluble in the medium in which they are suspended and require a binder to hold them to the substrate in which they are brushed or spray. paints does inks and natural colorants create color by absorbing some wavelengths of light and reflecting or transmitting others.