According to Bustanoby’s Color Manual, copyright 1939, which in my book is, hands down, no contest, THE authority of color: "It is a deep blue. Compound of cobalt and alumina. In admixture with white, cobalt Blue yields Sky Blue tints. Cobalt itself is a tough, steel- gray metallic element similar to nickel, valued for the blue pigment it forms. A high percentage of the world’s supply comes from a district near the town of Cobalt, in Ontario, Canada.” “ Dinky Bird” by Maxfield Parrish, 1904. Via Wikimedia Commons {{PD-US}} Cobalt blue is sometimes called Parrish blue because artist Maxfield Parrish used it to create his distinct, intensely blue skyscapes. Cobalt salts were first used to decorate ancient Chinese pottery with brilliant blue designs. Other ancient civilizations discovered the artistic potential of cobalt without knowing what metal they were using. One study don...
Harmonious blends and other artistic musings