– Pigment blue refers to a group of colors used in art and decoration, historically derived from minerals and known for their rich hues and stability.
– The earliest known blue pigment is ultramarine, made from the mineral lapis lazuli, sourced primarily from mines in Afghanistan.
– Ultramarine was highly prized in the Renaissance for its vivid color and was often reserved for depicting important figures such as the Virgin Mary.
– Synthetic blue pigments have largely replaced natural ones, a synthetic ultramarine.
– Cobalt blue, another significant pigment, is known for its bright and durable color, used in various applications including ceramics and glass.
– Modern blue pigments include Phthalocyanine Blue, a synthetic pigment known for its stability and intense color, used in printing and painting.
– The CMYK color system defines pigment blue as a tone achieved by mixing equal parts of cyan and magenta.