To coincide with Cobalt being our hero colour we wanted to look at what makes this blue green so unique. Teal is a rich, bright shade of blue/green that was created in the 19th Century and rose to popularity in contemporary art and design. The pigment is known for its durability, lightfastness, and versatility, making it a popular choice among artists and designers. Here we explore the various historical elements, properties and much more behind this colour.
EXPLORING COBALT TEAL
THE STORY OF COBALT TEAL
A distinctive green/blue hue which was introduced to artists palettes in the 19th century and quickly became a favourite amongst the Impressionists. In this article we explore the history, properties, and uses of Cobalt Teal
We delved into the various properties of Cobalt Teal - including experimenting with its complimentary colours and the tonal shifts with gradual dilution to uncover its distinctive its hue.
One of the prominent colours used in Vincent Van Goghs painting ‘Starry Night’ is teal, which is seen in the swirling skies above the village and the cypress tree. Teal is a blue-green colour that conveys a sense of calmness and serenity, but also an element of mystery and depth.
His use of Teal serves several purposes. First, it provides a contrast to the warm yellows and oranges used for the stars and the village. This contrast creates a sense of harmony and balance in the painting, and it helps to draw the viewer's eye towards the sky.
Starry Night
Vincent Van Gogh
Museum of Modern Art
ART HISTORY
MARK ROTHKO
In Mark Rothko's painting "No. 61 (Rust and Blue)," teal is used as a subtle accent colour among a predominantly rust and blue colour palette. This painting is part of Rothko's signature style of colour field painting, in which he explored the emotional impact of large, monochromatic colour fields.
He creates a sense of depth and luminosity through the use of layered, translucent colour fields. The teal colour appears as a thin, vertical stripe in the middle of the canvas, separating the dominant rust and blue hues. This stripe adds a subtle sense of contrast and harmony to the painting, breaking up the flatness of the other colours and giving the viewer's eye a place to rest.
NO.61 (Rust and Blue)
Mark Rothko
Museum of Contemporary Art,
Los Angeles
"I AM CRAZY ABOUT TWO COLOURS: CARMINE AND COBALT. COBALT IS A DIVINE COLOUR"
PABLO PICASSO
UNDERSTANDING SYNTHETIC PIGMENTS
We look into what about synthetic pigments make them unique? What differs them from organic pigments? Is ti worth know what is what before choosing a colour? we took a look to unearth the characteristics of these colours to see what makes them unique.
To celebrate Cobalt Teal we’re giving you the chance to win a £100 Cass Art Voucher with our second Cass Art Colour Challenge!
All you have to do is create an artwork using the colour TEAL in any medium you wish! Post it on Instagram and use the hashtag #cassartcobaltteal and you’ll be in with a chance to win! Competition closes on 28th May, good luck!
