Plascon: There’s Nothing Blue About This Hue

According to Zurich University Chemist, Dr Heinz Berke, “Early mankind had no access to blue, because blue is not what you call an earth colour… You don’t find it in the soil.” Only with the advent of mining, Berke notes, could sources of blue pigment be extracted (nytimes.com).

And so it was discovered, from the mining for semi-precious Lapis Lazuli in Afghanistan 8000 years ago, the colour was first used for beads at the Neolithic Mehrgarh site in modern-day Pakistan before its ornamental influence spread to Mesopotamia and Egypt in the early fourth millennium. Here it was used for pendants, amulets, bowls, figurines, statue inlays, seals and jewellery.

The oldest known synthetic blue pigment, Egyptian Blue, is first evident on a pre-dynastic Egyptian bowl dating back to about 3200 BCE. This celestial-inspired blue was seen spanning entire ceilings in burial chambers of Egyptian kings and the temple of ancient Egyptian goddess, Hathor. Adorned in hieroglyphics, these ceilings are an ancient interpretation of the sky itself revealing how much we as modern-day humans have in common with our ancestors.

That the sky is blue is one of the first things we learn about colour when we are children and no matter how we use it, it’s always timeless and versatile. Ever-evolving, new shades of the heavenly colour are always being created with a new inorganic pigment accidentally discovered in 2009 by chemist Mas Subramanian during experiments with materials used for making electronics. Named YlnMn Blue, the colour was released for commercial use in June 2016. South African-born Swiss-based artist, Conor McCreedy, developed and used his trademark McCreedy Blue in his art and extended it into a successful lifestyle brand.

Whichever version of blue, it’s the perfect colour to add tranquillity, spirituality and culture to your life. This month Plascon is all about this happening hue, Storm Cloud (B4-C1-1), a retro-inspired blue which will grab enough attention without being overwhelming.

Plascon Digital and PR manager, Zurita Moore says, “Storm Cloud embodies the winter rain clouds and the stormy seas. Although most blues are cool hues, Storm Cloud is anything but cool. Even in the middle of winter, Storm Cloud is rich, intense, bold, and creates dramatic effects in any home if paired with the correct textures and accessories.”
Part of Plascon’s 2018 Colour Forecast Soft Composition Palette, team Storm Cloud up with some classical décor to create a grounded minimal look. Create a little pep and a pop of colour by combining it with Autumny yellow Tuscan Wall (Y1-B1-2) to invite a soothing but rich cosiness to your Winter days. Other wonderful complementary colours included muted, corally Pasta Primavera (O4-C2-1) and Ivory Pillar (O4-B2-3).

“Used as a monochrome, complementary or adjacent colour palette – our colour of the month fits right in and is as close to peacock blue as you can get. Think 70s-inspired pedestals next to the bed topped with an antique lamp or perhaps your granny’s old clock on a dainty desk at the front door. Whether feminine, contemporary, industrial or masculine, Storm Cloud will seamlessly bring a curated décor look together,” says Zurita.

For those not ready to take the bold step painting a whole room or feature wall in Storm Cloud, Zurita says, “The easiest way to introduce this beautiful colour into your space is by choosing interesting accessories like ceramics, a richly textured throw or some lovely scatters.”

Contact: Plascon