As, promised, the first ludicrously small sneak peek in the blue pigment project is revealed. Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Blue! This pigment has a compelling history and is known for its clear blue beauty. A fabled mountainous vision of a cross-armed sleeping woman identifies the area near Globe, Arizona where the mines are located. Good and … [Read more...] about A Gem of a Color
Historical Pigments
Lessons from the Unfathomable Colors of the Oceans
Back in 1994, when I was just barely sure of what I wanted to be as an artist, I found an intriguing semi-official survey taken by two serious-minded artists named Alex Melamid and Vitaly Komar, both Russian emigres. Along with other art preferences, they set out to find which color is most overall favored adored and desired by ordinary … [Read more...] about Lessons from the Unfathomable Colors of the Oceans
Han Purple, Another Color from the Past
What is most exciting about the world of nature's pigments is you never know when you are going to discover something new. Veronica Bishop, my tech consultant, recently forwarded an article about such a color heretofore unknown to me. Thanks to her, I now have another pigment for possible inclusion onto my own historical palette, Han … [Read more...] about Han Purple, Another Color from the Past
Using Violet and Purple Pigments in Oils: Challenges and Solutions
Painting objects using violet and purple shades is always a challenge because it is easy to land on the garish side of this hue. We have all seen a house painted this color and we say "Whoa! That's intense!" Another example is painted flowers and fabrics that make your eyes water. So how to avoid this error in the use of purple/violet … [Read more...] about Using Violet and Purple Pigments in Oils: Challenges and Solutions
Lapis Lazuli Pigment Discovery: You’ll Never Guess Where
Last week I read a story about - no kidding - the 850 year old skeleton of a woman whose teeth were recently examined alongside other specimens in the same cemetery in Germany. According to the story in the journal Science Advances, scientists like to poke around in very old dental skeletal calculus to find evidence of food, bacteria, and … [Read more...] about Lapis Lazuli Pigment Discovery: You’ll Never Guess Where
Ancient Egyptian Color Gets a New Life
Besides making paints, now there is a newly found use for the ancient pigment, Egyptian Blue Frit. This pigment, made by heating a mixture of copper, quartz, sand, lime, and an alkali, dates from 3250 BCE and was used to decorate tombs, statues, coffins, and temple walls in Egypt during the long reign of the Pharaohs. Who Knew Pigments Could Be … [Read more...] about Ancient Egyptian Color Gets a New Life