Notes On Color: Blue Ochre, King's Blue & Azure Blue
Here at R&F we love blue. I mean, we really love blue. Which is why we make so many different versions. Seventeen different blues to be precise.
In our newest feature - Notes On Color - we will share with you a few of our thoughts each week on color. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two. Maybe you'll discover a color you aren't using already and must acquire. At the very least, we hope you find this entertaining. It's full of eye candy for you color aficionados.
You can find all our posts on color - from tips on color mixing to suggestions about how to choose a color - neatly organized for you on our Articles & Links page at rfpaints.com.
Enjoy. Keep painting.
Azure Blue. A bright, slightly greenish light blue, Azure can act like a high-keyed Cerulean. In the picture above you can see us working on the Phthalo Blue part of the Azure Blue process.
We mill our Phthalos separately from the rest of our mixes because they have a much smaller particle size and therefore require a more thorough (tighter) milling. In the case of Azure, we mill the Phthalo Blue multiple times by itself until we achieve a consistent, evenly dispersed grind (particle size is measured with a Hegman Gauge). We then mill the Titanium-Zinc and Ultramarine Blue parts of the mix, combine all pigments, and mill a final time until the final color is fully developed.
Available in both our encaustic and Pigment Stick® color lines. Opaque with a slow drying rate. Chemical Composition: phthalo blue, ultramarine blue, zinc-titanium white.
Blue Ochre. The top tone and undertone of Blue Ochre have the same kind of edginess as our Indigo, but that is where the similarity ends. This totally different mix is much greener and still very blue. Rubbing it out reveals a surprising yellowish brown.
Many of our complex mixes are a result of intentional research and development. In other words, we get a color idea and pursue it until we arrive at something close to what we're looking for. This wasn't at all the case with Blue Ochre. Blue Ochre was a serendipitous discovery, born at the mill by paint makers making paint.
As is often the case during the milling process, unmilled pigment and linseed oil collect on the wax paper where our tools rest. One of our paint makers was making Cobalt Blue Pigment Stick® and another, Raw Sienna Pigment Stick®. Out of curiosity, we began hand mixing the milled Cobalt Blue with the unmilled Raw Sienna. The results were captivating.
Pairing the opaque Cobalt Blue with the transparent (very loosely milled) Raw Sienna allowed for a dynamic, dusky blue that will go almost green with just a little bit of pressure.
Available in both our encaustic and Pigment Stick® color lines. Semi-Transparent with a Pigment Stick® drying rate of medium. Chemical composition: cobalt blue and raw sienna.
King's Blue. A very warm, soft light blue. With cool colors, King's Blue can be almost neutral. Alongside warm colors, you'll glimpse hints of lavender, like a blue that's hiding a rose.
Available in both our encaustic and Pigment Stick® color lines. Opaque with a Pigment Stick® drying rate of medium. Chemical composition: cobalt blue and zinc-titanium white.
