Blue pigments have been used by artists for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used ground lapis lazuli to create vivid blue pigments, while the ancient Chinese developed their own blue pigments using minerals like azurite. Over the centuries, new sources of blue pigment were discovered and techniques for manufacturing blue paint evolved. So how exactly was blue paint made throughout history? Here is an overview of the raw materials and processes used to create blue paint.
Early Blue Pigments
Some of the earliest sources of blue pigment came from colored minerals found in nature. Here are some of the key blue minerals used in early pigment production:
Mineral | Chemical Composition |
Lapis lazuli | Lazurite, calcite, pyrite |
Azurite | Basic copper carbonate |
Indigo | Indigotin |
Smalt | Ground blue glass |
Lapis lazuli was one of the most prized sources of blue pigment in ancient times. It was mined mainly in Afghanistan and traded widely. The Egyptians used lapis lazuli pigment as early as the Fourth Dynasty. Grinding the lapis lazuli into a fine powder produced the deep blue pigment.
Azurite is a bright blue copper mineral found in mineral deposits around the world. The Chinese used azurite as a blue pigment and the Romans also made extensive use of it. The vivid blue azurite powder was produced by grinding and washing the mineral.
Indigo is a blue dye extracted from certain plant species such as the indigo plant. It was used in ancient Egypt and the Middle East as a blue dye. A purified form of the indigo dye, called indigotin, could be converted into a blue pigment.
Smalt was a blue pigment made by grinding blue cobalt glass into a powder. It was developed in the Middle Ages and used until the 19th century. The production of smalt involved adding cobalt oxide to molten glass to color it blue.
So in summary, the earliest blue pigments came from colored minerals and materials found in nature like lapis lazuli, azurite, indigo, and smalt. The minerals were finely ground and washed to extract the pure blue pigment powder.
The Quest for an Artificial Blue Pigment
While natural blue pigments like lapis lazuli and azurite produced lovely hues, they were expensive and scarce. This spurred efforts to develop an artificial blue pigment that could be mass produced.
In 1704, a German color maker named Diesbach accidentally created a new blue pigment while working with potash and cobalt salts. The vivid blue color was highly stable. Diesbach’s pigment, called Prussian blue, became the first modern synthetic blue pigment.
Prussian blue was a huge breakthrough because it could be artificially manufactured in large quantities. By 1710, the pigment was being commercially produced in Paris. Soon it overtook lapis lazuli and smalt in popularity. Prussian blue dominated as the blue of choice for artists until new synthetic blues emerged in the late 19th century.
Industrial Production of Blue Pigments
In the 18th and 19th centuries, blue pigment production shifted to large scale factories and industrial processes. Several important new blue pigments were invented during this era:
Pigment | Date Invented |
Cobalt blue | 1802 |
Artificial ultramarine | 1828 |
Cerulean blue | 1860 |
Phthalocyanine blue | 1930s |
Cobalt blue was invented in 1802 by French chemist Thénard. It was made by calcining cobalt oxide with aluminum oxide. Cobalt blue had excellent tinting strength and was resistant to fading.
The development of artificial ultramarine blue in 1828 was a major milestone. Natural ultramarine, made from lapis lazuli, was very expensive. French chemist Guimet figured out how to synthesize it artificially using kaolin, sodium carbonate, sulphur, and charcoal or silica. This made brilliant ultramarine blue affordable for a wide range of artistic uses.
Cerulean blue emerged in 1860 and was made from cobalt stannate compounds. It mixed well with other colors and was ideal for painting skies. Phthalocyanine blue was introduced in the 1930s and had excellent hiding power. It became a dominant blue for manufacturing paints.
The industrial era opened up the mass production of high quality blue pigments. Standardized manufacturing methods and synthetic pigment recipes enabled paint companies to produce blue paint cheaply and in huge volumes.
Modern Blue Pigments
In the 20th century, major paint companies developed optimized formulations of blue paint using synthetic pigments. Some key modern blue pigments include:
Pigment | Properties |
Ultramarine blue | Brilliant medium blue, transparent |
Phthalocyanine blue | Strong tinting, opaque turquoise blue |
Prussian blue | Dark blue, can fade over time |
Cobalt blue | Vivid medium blue, stable color |
Ultramarine blue offers a brilliant transparent blue for artistic painting. Phthalocyanine blue has incredible tinting strength and hiding power. Prussian blue delivers a classic deep blue, but can fade if exposed to light. Cobalt blue provides artists with a stable vivid blue.
By selecting the right blue pigments, paint chemists can create blue paints with any desired characteristics – opacity, durability, saturation, and hue. Modern blue paints also incorporate hiding white pigments like titanium dioxide to optimize opacity.
The binders and solvents have also evolved over time. Early blue paints used egg yolks, gums or waxes as binders. Modern blues use acrylic, vinyl, or oil-based binders. Water replaces turpentine as the main solvent. These paint bases provide good coverage, adhesion, and long-term stability.
With modern synthetic blue pigments and paint bases, artists have an incredible array of durable, long-lasting blue paints at their disposal.
History’s Impact on Blue Paint Today
The history of blue pigment and paint production profoundly impacted the blue paints available to modern artists. Here’s a summary of key historical influences:
– Early natural blue pigments like lapis lazuli, azurite, and indigo established blues as an important artistic color.
– Inventing synthetic blues like Prussian blue and artificial ultramarine allowed large scale production of blue paint.
– Industrial manufacturing techniques enabled paint companies to produce low cost blue paints.
– The invention of modern synthetic blue pigments gave paint chemists a versatile palette to formulate from.
– Advances in binders and solvents enhanced the coverage and durability of blue paints.
Without these technical achievements over centuries of paint history, artists today would not have access to the wide variety of affordable, high-quality blue paints available. So next time you buy a tube of phthalo or cerulean blue paint, you can thank the long history of innovation that made brilliant blues accessible to all.
Conclusion
The quest to produce blue pigments and paint has been a long, fascinating journey. From harvesting scarce minerals like lapis lazuli to synthesizing modern pigments like phthalo blue, each advance expanded the options available to artists. Thanks to the work of clever chemists and paint manufacturers over the centuries, blue paint has gone from rare and expensive to affordable and abundant. The history of blue paint is a story of scientific ingenuity placing the world’s most coveted colors within everyone’s reach.