A color filter solution for applying on a face glass of a cathode ray tube and a method for patterning a color filter to improve the brightness and contrast characteristics of the color filter. The color filter solution comprises a pigment, an anion surfactant which contains sodium or ammonium ion or citric acid as a dispersion agent, a mixture solvent of a glycol and a pyrrolidone containing methyl or ethyl, a nonionic surfactant and a pure water. A method for patterning a color filter in a cathode ray tube comprises the steps of:preparing a color filter solution which comprises a pigment, an anion surfactant which contains sodium or ammonium ion or citric acid as a dispersion agent, a mixture solvent of a glycol and a pyrrolidone containing methyl or ethyl, and a nonionic surfactant;forming a photoresist slurry by adding an alcohol-sodium or ammonium dichromate to the color filter solution ; andcoating, exposing and developing the photoresist slurry on a face glass.