Research Results For 'Lapis Lazuli'

BLUE

Blue is one of the seven colours into which the rays of light divide themselves when refracted through a glass prism, seen in nature in the clear expanse of the heavens; the term is also applied to a dye or pigment of this hue.

The substances used as blue pigments are of very different natures, and derived from various sources; they are all compound bodies, some being natural and others artificial. They are derived almost entirely from the vegetable and mineral kingdoms. The principal blues used in painting are ultramarine, which was originally prepared from lapis-lazuli or azure-stone - a mineral found in China and other oriental countries - but, as now prepared, it is an artificial compound of china-clay, carbonate of soda, sulphur, and charcoal; Prussian or Berlin blue, which is a compound of cyanogen and iron; blue bice, prepared from carbonate of copper; indigo blue, from the indigo plant. Besides these, there are numerous other blues used in art, as blue-verditer, smalt- and cobalt-blue, from cobalt, lacmus or litmus, etc.

Before the discovery of aniline or coal-tar colours dyers chiefly depended for their blues on woad, archil, indigo, and Prussian blue, but now a series of brilliant blues are obtained from coal-tar, possessing great tinctorial power and various degrees of durability.

Blue as a colour ranges from green-blue (turquoise) through to purple-blue (indigo).

• Alice blue - A very light greenish-blue colour.
  
• Aquamarine - A bluish-green colour.
  
• Azure - A deep blue colour reminiscent of the sky.
  
• Aquamarine - A pale greenish-blue colour.
  
• Bice blue - A medium blue colour
  
• Cambridge blue - A light blue colour.
  
• Cobalt blue - A deep blue colour with a greenish-tint. The colour of old blue glass.
  
• Cornflower - A soft purplish-blue colour.
  
• Cyan - A greenish-blue colour
  
• Duck-egg blue - A pale, greenish-blue colour.
  
• Electric blue - A vivid, metallic blue colour.
  
• Gentian blue - A purplish-blue colour.
  
• Lapis - Lapis is a deep blue colour, the colour of the lapis lazuli gem stone.
  
• Lupin - A pale, greyish-blue with a hint of purple.
  
• Midnight blue - A very dark blackish-blue colour.
  
• Navy - A dark, greyish-blue colour.
  
• Nile blue - A pale greenish-blue colour.
  
• Oxford blue - A dark blue colour.
  
• Peacock blue - A greenish-blue colour.
  
• Powder blue - A pale blue colour.
  
• Prussian blue - A deep greenish-blue colour.
  
• Royal blue - A deep blue colour.
  
• Saxe blue - A light, greyish-blue colour.
  
• Toffee - A yellowish-brown.
  
• Turquoise - A bright greenish-blue colour.
  
• Ultramarine - A vivid blue colour.
  

ULTRAMARINE

Ultramarine is a blue pigment derived by grinding the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli. Ultramarine is also produced artificially from a mixture of silica, china clay, sulphur and soda ash, subjected to prolonged calcination. Ultramarine is attacked by acids, but has a good resistance to alkalis. Ultramarine has a good staining strength and opacity in water, but poor opacity and only moderate staining strength in oil.
Research Ultramarine

LAPIS LAZULI

Lapis lazuli is a blue mineral used in the manufacture of ultramarine pigment.
Research Lapis Lazuli

LAZURITE

Lazurite has the formulae (Na,Ca)8(Al,Si)12O24(S,SO4) and a relative hardness of 5. It is usually a deep blue colour, the greenish variety is called lapis lazuli and is very rare. Lazurite is found in metamorphic limestones associated with calcite and pyrite.
Research Lazurite

	The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by Matt and Leela Probert ©1993 - 2009 The Probert Encyclopaedia Southampton, United Kingdom