White is the presence of all colors. This differs from paint, because paint is pigment. Pigments are that which absorb color; I.E. not themselves colors. What a pigment does not absorb is reflected and generally perceived. White is a number of combinations of wavelengths. These combinations are indistinguishable from one another. A pigment absorbing enough wavelengths moves the perception away from white and toward black. Therefore, black and not white is the absence of color and the presence of all pigment. White and not black is the absence of pigment and the presence of all colors.