Adulterants

Any material in art materials that should not be there, is there only to increase profits, and generally weakens or dilutes colors. Often extenders are an important part of making a color usable. Pthalo blue without extenders is so strong it overpowers all other colors. The right amount makes one of the best paints on the market, just 1 gram extra weakens the color and diminishes the artist experience. Children don’t complain it seems because kids colors are notoriously diluted with cheap adulterants. The practice is less obvious, but does happen in artists colors especially the budget lines. It is why the greater expense of professional grade is sometimes not so expensive after all when one factors in using less because the color is stronger.