Significance:　Tissue　phantoms　that　mimic　the　optical　and　radiologic　properties　of　human　or　animal　tissue　play　an　important　role　in　the　development,　characterization,　and　evaluation　of　imaging　systems.　Phantoms　that　are　easily　produced　and　stable　for　longitudinal　studies　are　highly　desirable.Aim:　A　new　type　of　long-lasting　phantom　was　developed　with　commercially　available　materials　and　was　assessed　for　fabrication　ease,　stability,　and　optical　property　control.　Magnetic　resonance　imaging　(MRI)　and　x-ray　computed　tomography　(CT)　contrast　properties　were　also　evaluated.Approach:　A　systematic　investigation　of　relationships　between　concentrations　of　skin-like　pigments　and　composite　optical　properties　was　conducted　to　realize　optical　property　phantoms　in　the　red　and　near-infrared　(NIR)　wavelength　range　that　also　offered　contrast　for　CT　and　MRI.Results:　Phantom　fabrication　time　was　＜1　h　and　did　not　involve　any　heating　or　cooling　processes.　Changes　in　optical　properties　were　＜2%　over　a　12-month　period.　Phantom　optical　and　spectral　features　were　similar　to　human　soft　tissue　over　the　red　to　NIR　wavelength　ranges.　Pigments　used　in　the　study　also　had　CT　and　MRI　contrasts　for　multimodality　imaging　studies.Conclusions:　The　phantoms　described　here　mimic　optical　properties　of　soft　tissue　and　are　suitable　for　multimodality　imaging　studies　involving　CT　or　MRI　without　adding　secondary　contrast　agents.