World of Blue Paints—Natural and Synthetic Pigments—

January 28, 2025

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Before the character culture mature, the picture was used as an important means of transmitting information and rituals. About 30,000 years ago, in the cave of the Paleolithic era, walls colored in black, red, yellow, etc. have been confirmed.
At first, the stone, soil, and the natural pigments made from carbon, which are relatively easy to get, are mainly used. 。
Above all, blue made of natural pigments requires valuable resources and advanced refining techniques, so it is said that it was more valuable than gold before the appearance of synthetic pigments.
Furthermore, the birth of synthetic technology using fire by ancient Egyptians has greatly increased the number of pigments, and as the civilization develops, not only mineral pigments, but also dye -based pigments are produced. I did it.
However, for a long time and technological advances before the blue color exceeding natural pigments was born.
The process of pursuing the color beauty required by artists may have an effort and history beyond imagination.
This time, we will introduce the blue pigments that have attracted and loved not only artists but also many people.

Ultramarine

Lapis Lazuli

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Natural pigment / raw material: Lapis lazuli

The raw materials of blue colored materials include pigments and dyes that bring various blue colors, but in the blue used in many masterpieces, the ultramarine made from lapis lazuli is the best because of its beauty. It was evaluated as a luxury.

Its evaluation has not limited to Afghanistan, where good quality lapis lazuli is obtained, but has spread to areas where ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia (now Iraqi), Egypt, Indus (India), and China have flourished.

However, lapis lazuli was very expensive because the place where it could be mined was limited, and only the high -purity blue obtained in the purification process could be used as an ultramarine.

As a result, only a handful of artists were able to use this rare pigment.

Ultramarine's major innovation was brought in the era of industrial revolutions that occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the technological innovation and the rapid growth of the steelworks were progressing. In the early 19th century, ultramarine was born as a result of baking minerals and charcoal such as soda ash and quartz at high temperatures.

Prussian Blue

A strong desire for blue was also found among Japanese artists.

The blue pigments used in Japan were primarily azurite (or "landōkō" in Japanese), which is referred to as "Gunjo" in Japanese Iwa-enogu and dyes extracted from plants. The pigments using natural stones are very expensive, and it is reported that artworks using many rock paint were only available to upper class people, such as nobles.

Natural Gunjo

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In the Edo period (17th to the 19th century), the art for the common people, Ukiyoe, develops. Initially, the blue color used in Ukiyoe was a plant dye extracted from dew and indigo.
In the 18th century, a newly synthesized blue and prishan blue in Berlin, Germany is discovered. Purshan Blue was also transmitted to Japan, and became popular as "Bello Ai", the abbreviation of "Berlin Ai" and "Hokusai Blue" after the name of the writer.

At PIGMENT TOKYO, we will be holding a limited-time workshop where you can experience the process of making paint while learning about the history of pigments.

[Limited time offer] Ukiyoe Immersive Art exhibition TOKYO Special Workshop "Create and Paint with Hokusai Blue"

*Note

This workshop will be conducted exclusively in Japanese, and no English materials will be provided. If you are concerned about understanding the content, we kindly recommend enrolling in one of our workshops where English course materials are available. Thank you for your understanding.

Date: February 8 (Sat) – March 29 (Sat) ,2025 *10 workshops in total

February ...8 (Sat)　11 (Sat)　15 (Tue/ Holiday)　22 (Sat)

March ...1 (Sat)　8 (Sat)　15 (Sat)　20 (Thu / Holiday)　22 (Sat)　29 (Sat)

Time: 14:00 – 16:00

Venue: Pigment Tokyo

Course fee: ¥11,550 (ncluding tax, materials, and a ticket for the “Ukiyoe Immersive Art” exhibition)

Target age: 10 years old and up – Adult

Reservation / Details: WORKSHOP–PIGMENT TOKYO

<Ticket Option>

■ Seat for a parent/guardian (1 seat): Free

One additional chair will be prepared for you.

* There is a limit to the ticket available.

* Only one parent/guardian is allowed to stay per participant.

* Due to system limitations, you are unable to select more than two guests per reservation.

* Materials are not included with this ticket ( however, you are welcome to assist your children during the workshop).

＜"Ukiyoe Immersive Art exhibition TOKYO"Ticket>
You can enjoy the exhibition "Ukiyoe Immersive Art exhibition TOKYO" held at the Terada Warehouse G1 Building .
* Please note that tickets will be valid only on the day of the workshop (you can enter at your favorite time).

Until the end of March 2025, a tie-up project with the " Ukiyoe Immersive Art exhibition TOKYO" exhibition held at Tennozu Isle will hold a workshop to learn about Prussian Blue from lectures and practical skills.

In this workshop, participants mix two types of chemicals to create Prussian Blue pigment by hand, and then finish it as paint. Additionally, the workshop starts with using natural mica, often found in ukiyo-e, to carve mineral fragments and turn them into pigment.

Using the pigment you created, you will paint on a template featuring Hokusai’s "Sakura-wari" pattern, and complete a postcard-sized artwork.

How about experiencing the passion of ukiyo-e artists for their materials and colors through the workshop and exhibition?

YInMn Blue

YInMn blue

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YInMn Blue is a new pigment that was accidentally discovered in 2009 during research for the development of electrical materials.
A research team led by Professor Subramanian at Oregon State University recorded the emergence of a vibrant blue color as a result of an experiment in which manganese oxide was heated at high temperatures with the addition of other compounds.
Subsequently, this pigment was named YInMn (Inmin) after the elements Yttrium, Indium, and Manganese.

This pigment absorbs the wavelength of red and green light and has the characteristic of reflecting the wavelength of blue light and infrared rays.
According to the observation, this bright blue color is chemically stable, boasts very high durability, and hardly fades. In addition, in terms of health and safety, the substances used for synthesis do not contain harmful ingredients, so it is also notable that they are highly safe.
Like other synthetic pigments such as Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue, and Phthalo Blue, it is attracting attention as a pigment that provides a chemically stable color.
Although it was not developed for painting materials, etc., it is definitely worth using as an art material due to its characteristics.
Looking at YInMn Blue from an artistic point of view, the vividness of this color is very high and brilliant compared to other blue pigments. It has a subtly reddish tone, and this unique glow is based on the pigment particle structure, and its high optical reflectivity is clearly shown.
Its vividness, reminiscent of Yves Klein Blue, may be comparable to or even exceed that in terms of brilliance and characteristics. In the future, it is expected to become a widely adopted "blue" in both the art and industrial fields.