Purpose The purpose of this work is to study the patterns of pigment colour formation and to develop metal compositions for obtaining spinels using the precipitation and heat treatment methods. Design/methodology/approach Precursor materials were prepared using co-precipitation method. Phase composition of pigments were determined by X-ray diffraction. Colour of pigments was determined spectrophotometry. Modelling of colour formation was performed using simplex method. Planning in the future to carry out full synthesis of pigments of blue, red and yellow colours. Findings The paper deals with the results of theoretical and experimental research on the synthesis pigments of blue, red and yellow colours based on Fe-Co-Al-O spinel. The influence of the chromophore cation content and the heat treatment temperature on optical and colour characteristics of pigments were studied. Originality/value The resulting composition-property diagrams make it possible to evaluate the effect of chromophore cations and heat treatment on the colour formation for Fe2O3-Al2O3-CoO system. Crystal-phase composition of the pigments is installed and its relationship with the optical colour characteristics. That makes it possible carry out targeted synthesis of pigments blue, red and yellow colours in further. The phase composition of pigments and its relationship with optical and colour properties has been established thus enabling the directed synthesis of blue, red and yellow pigments.