Colored fluids for electrowetting, electrofluidic, and electrophoretic chromatophore devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, the colored fluid includes at least one solvent and at least one oligomeric and/or polymeric dye in the solvent. The oligomeric dye has at least one chromophore attached to one or more oligomeric chains, and the polymeric dye has at least one chromophore attached to one or more oligomeric and/or polymeric chains. The dye also has a molecular weight from 400 to 100,000, solubility in the solvent of at least 5% wt at 25° C., and a dynamic viscosity from 0.5 cPs to 2,000 cPs at 25° C. The solvent may be polar or non-polar each having specific properties defined.