A coloring material including a protein-based pigment and a chelating agent, the content of the protein-based pigment in the coloring material being 1% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, the content of the chelating agent in the coloring material being 10% by mass or more and 99% by mass or less, with the content of solid components in the coloring material being 100% by mass. A method for producing the coloring material, the method including a drying step in which a pigment composition including a protein-based pigment, a chelating agent, and a solvent is dried.