Re: How does one fabricate colours, like black for instance...?

      The colors that you see in commercial products are divided into two 
types: dyes, which in general are chemically active and bond by themselves 
to whatever is being dyed, and pigments, which are usually very fine 
particles of something that has a particular color. Both types of 
colorant, depending on the color desired, can be derived from either 
natural or synthetic sources.
     For example, the blue color frequently associated with denim is a dye 
from the indigo plant;  a warm yellow dye can be gotten from the use of 
saffron; and a purple dye called cochineal is actually derived from 
beetles! Many synthetic dyes are derived from coal tar.
     Many minerals are finely ground to provide pigments. Rust, which is 
iron oxide, actually comes in a variety of chemical forms, which provides 
different pigment colors - red and yellow are the most common. Titanium 
dioxide and zinc oxide are often used for white.  
    Black is actually easy as a pigment. It's usually carbon, just like 
the soot in a fireplace or stove or on a lamp chimney. It's what makes a 
pencil "lead" dark. It's harder to find as a dye, but there are some 
sulfur compounds that work well.
     Sometimes something called a "binder", usually clear, is added to the 
pigment to make it act like a dye -- that is, to stick to something. 
Crayons are a good example. What crayons usually are is a stick of a wax 
or waxy substance mixed with very fine particles of whatever the color is -
- as mentioned above, it could be carbon for black, titanium dioxide or 
zinc oxide for white, iron oxide for yellow and red, aluminum or mica for 
silver, and so on. So when you draw with them, the wax acts as a binder, 
and holds the pigment particles to the piece of paper on which you've 
drawn.
     There is a vast amount of information available on the Web if you 
have internet access; just use a good search engine (I like 
www.google.com) and search for "pigments and dyes." Good luck!