Margaret Best, EE Week Contributor
Different colours are generally associated with different emotional reactions in human beings. Not only that, the same colour may evoke different reactions in different people. As a result, a single colour can be associated with different and diverse emotions, some positive and some negative.
Blue is generally regarded as a colour of peace and tranquility, a calming colour. But it is also said that the impact of the colour can change as the shade of blue changes. For instance, electric or brilliant blues express exhilaration by becoming dynamic and dramatic. It has also been said that some shades of blue or the overuse of blue may come across as cold or uncaring.
The colour blue occurs in abundance in nature, two of the most obvious examples being the sky and the ocean. It is perhaps not surprising then, that it is apparently the most popular of colours with about equal appeal to both genders.
Blue has an interesting historical association with art, particularly as a result of the origin of the pigments used to produce blue paint. The most commonly referenced association of the colour blue with art, is in the religious symbolism of the colour in religious paintings of the medieval era.
Mary, the mother of Christ, a central theme in the many religious paintings of that period, was mostly depicted in blue. It is believed that it was because she was deemed worthy of the most expensive blue pigment available at the time, ultramarine. Ultramarine was acquired by means of the laborious grinding and processing of Lapis Lazuli, a relatively rare semi-precious stone mined in Afghanistan.
Some artists of the era could neither afford nor obtain this sought-after colour. They substituted with azurite, a more readily available, mineral-based pigment (copper carbonate) that was mined in vast quantities near Lyon in France. Unfortunately, blue paint made from azurite (commonly called azure) darkened over time to a dark grey or even an almost black appearance, depending on the environmental conditions to which the art was exposed. The result was a far cry from the striking brilliance and permanence of the more red-shade blue of Lapis Lazuli.
It is interesting to note that while it is sometimes assumed that the “marine” component of the name “ultramarine” has oceanic links, particularly with the Mediterranean, that is not the case. Its origin actually lies with the medieval Italian artists who referred to the highly-prized “Oltromarino” (“from beyond the seas”) as a pigment that had to be brought from a distant Afghanistan that was “over the sea.”
Today, artists have a wide range of blue pigments available to them. Fortunately, a less expensive source of the colour Ultramarine (PB29) has been manufactured synthetically for decades and, for the most part, has replaced the Lapis Lazuli source. The colour is vibrant, transparent and, equally important, it is permanent. It will not fade or change with age or as a result of exposure to ultra violet light.
The only downside is that for watercolourists, it can be a little annoying because it can easily separate if blended with other pigments and therefore requires constant stirring. But it is a vital component in mixing the deeper blues seen in the enormous waves of high-tide seas or in the brooding sky and water in the calm before the storm.
For seascape artists in particular, another vibrant pigment now readily available and which is perhaps closer to the more stereotyped colour of the ocean, is Phthalocyanine Blue (PB15:3). The jaw-breaking name is often shortened to Phthalo or Thalo Blue. This is a powerful green-shade blue that is rapidly gaining in popularity and showing up more frequently in the palettes of contemporary artists.
There are also a number of other blue pigments that have served artists well through the centuries. A quick visit to an art supply store will reveal a host of tempting names of blue options such as Cobalt, Cerulean, Indigo, Prussian, Turqouise and more. The choice of blue best suited to the artist’s individual needs and preferences often depends on the medium, for example, watercolour, gouache, acrylic, or oils. The key is to conduct tests and to follow the manufacturer’s advice on safety of use and its tendency to change over time.
Whether it is the blue of the sky, the blue of the ocean or any other blue subject, there are many choices available to artists who wish to capture it.
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