Discuss the history of Ancient Egyptian Blue; the impact of modern technology on the revival of this pigment in present day creative practices.
Outline and introduction
To begin, it is important for the reader to understand several points: The colours we see are dependent on what colours (wavelengths) from the visible light are reflected or absorbed by that object. An example of this is, the dye molecules in the fabric absorb wavelengths from the red end of the visible light spectrum. Therefore, blue is reflected through the shirt and we see blue. Similarly, white objects reflect all wavelengths whereas black objects absorb all colours. Blue has shorter wavelength compare to green yellow and red, where red has the longest which makes blue rarer. The beginning of blue and EB |
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colour blue holds extreme importance in the history of art; it was once
considered more precious than gold. Before the discovery of EB, blue in old art
especially in the Western art is hardly seen even if it was present the blue is
very feeble and dull. For some reason, there was no word for blue, the ancient
humans saw and observed blue, which is evident from the sky and the sea in
their paintings, but it was not present in the colours of the rainbow (Lieber,
2017). It can be questioned that the colour of the rainbow come from the
visible light shone by the sun, so it could be assumed that it had always been
the same. Perhaps, it was because green and blue on the visible light spectrum
are so close to each other that humans had not yet evolved to distinguish
between them when the two colours almost merged into each other in the rainbow.
It could have been because they did not have the perfect blue that could do
justice to the blue seen in the rainbow. On the other hand, 6000 years ago
Egyptians imported a rare stone called Lapis Lazuli from thousands of miles
away (in Afghanistan) and made the first synthetic blue pigment, but then the recipe
to make it was lost on the fall of the Romans (Lieber, 2017). Historically,
information and skills were verbally passed down from one person to another, it
takes only a few generations for the information to be lost. But the question
remains that why seeing certain blue hues was apparently so complicated? It
could be something to do with evolution. Most of the touchable things such as blue whales and a few blue looking food groups such as blueberries, they are not truly blue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Ts7CsJDpg - Here is a short video that may interest you (💙for the love of butterflies!💙🦋). The Morpho butterflies, is one example of something that looks blue, but is not. Its wing scales are shaped in ridges that causes the sun light to bend in such a way that only the blue wavelength is reflected at just the right wavelength to make it to our eyes (Hanson, 2018). If the shape of the ridges was different or the gaps in the tiny hair was filled with something other than air, we will not be able to see it blue any longer. For example, if we filled the gaps with alcohol, since the wings are naturally water resistant, it is evident that the wing will go saturated and green (Hanson, 2018). This is because it changes the refractive index (R.I) of the blue light. In this example, the R.I determines at how much the light bends when it enters from medium to another. The rarity in nature and difficulty in perceiving the colour blue may help to identify why it was such an important colour. Understanding the use of technology to study the effects of natural binders on pigments (mainly EB) The
pigment which is made up of EB is known as Ultramarine. Advanced technology has
enabled us to make the EB yet again with all its possible uses that it can
offer across various felids of design, science and history. The most useful
element of it is when it becomes the only detectable pigment in certain light.
Fig 1 shows 4 different binders 3 of which seem very safe and natural, and how
they appear in VIS and UVR; where fig 2 shows something very interesting, its
blue pigment is detected as a light emitting block of paint under UVR. It seems
as if the blue that the Egyptians made with Lapis Lazuli was also mixed with
fresco, (see fig 4) because that reflects too. Nevertheless, it is doubtful to
some extent, as I have marked it in fig 1, the viridian reflects too. Is using
fresco the reason, more than the pigment, that it reflects light? This is resolved when you see fig 3, where EB
is the only pigment that reflects the brightest light in IRF. Meaning, the
infrared radiations are the cause of this evidently strong phenomenon. This was
also tested by a group of students at Yale University, a year earlier. It
becomes more credible as it is from an academic institution and supervised by
academic academics. 
R.I=
Refractive index: The R.I determines how much the light bends
when it enters from a medium to another; it determines the speed of light, e.g.
If the R.I of oil is 1.5, it means light travels 1.5 times as fast in the
vacuum as in oil.  In 2014, another test was carried out by some
students at Yale, they experimented on some 2D Egyptian art work to see how the
colours might be like when they were originally painted. Fig 4 shows how even
the smallest grain of Egyptian blue is detected under visible induced infrared
luminescence (YaleCampus, 2014). It is very interesting to find out that infrared was common in both 2015 and
2014 experiments. Meaning, infrared is the cause for light reflection from EB. As we can
see in (see fig 4), the pigment is found more around the
eye area and on hair of the figure, this suggests that realistically the colour
of the facial hair must have been very dark blue. Studies like this could open
new ways of recreating images from the past that had probably faded. It can be
used by film makers who want a historical story to be portrayed to make it look
as close to the original set-ups as possible.  One could argue what is the need for using EB when we can clearly see that viridian also reflects with fresco binder in UVF. Yes, perhaps that could also be used for minor experiments where precise results aren’t necessary. But as it is distinguishable from both fig 3 and 4, the results are very precise and sharp to even micro level. They look like micro light bulbs, whereas fig 1 shows that EB and viridian give more of a greyer tone in UVF. Moving forward, EB and viridian with fresco could perhaps be used as a dye on security jackets because UVF are present all around us. However, it is not ideal to recommend having infrared based car lights just to make the dye on the security jackets more reflective, as it basically means more heat. Contrarily, LED lights are beginning to be replaced in new cars due to less heat production, they are free of all harsh chemicals and do not emit UV rays (Evans, 2019). This sounds very environmentally sound. As we understand this unique property of EB one could propose many ways of using it in the present day as an alternative to extremely chemicalised materials. Such as using EB for high security related cases as in forensic investigations, where other ways might be difficult to apply such as fingerprints on non-flat surfaces. The EB pigment powder could be dusted on the finger print and when it is photographed under infrared radiations the finger prints could be detected. However, as far as I have understood it (for the pigment to reflect in the photograph) it will have to be done on a very light or white surface. This is because as we can in fig 3 and 4 examples one is tested on white paper and the Yale’s students used faded Egyptian art work. This is perhaps how we could use EB in modern scientific applications. Original
EB making, discussing the binders (Egyptian
times vs recreating them now) Understanding the research development
from 1998-2015  Fitzhugh stated, ‘To date there has been
little study of Egyptian blue by infrared, ultraviolet, and visible
spectroscopy since data from these methods do not provide possibilities for
identification or distinction between different varieties of pigment’ (1998:
35). A development took place in 2001 Newman and Halpine were able to identify
which binders were used in the Egyptian art through Chromatography procedures i.e.
plant gums, animal glue egg white and natural resins (Newman and Halpine,
2001). As the test carried out in 2015
(from fig 1-3 and 5) it is admirable that both the types, of radiations and
binders, used by them were considered from the previous studies: such as the
infrared, ultraviolet, visible light and the egg tempera, Arabic gum etc. It
can be safe to say that say that they are very close to accuracy, for EB
because, Egyptians prepared EB by ‘heating together a calcium compound like powered
limestone with a copper alloy (or copper filings)’… quartz… (plant-derived
potash)’ (Eastaugh et al., 2004: 147). From Table 1 in (Fitzhugh, 1998:29)
Silicone dioxide is majorly found in the spectroscopy in the Egyptian blue in
most of the data analysis, which probably comes from quartz. It is also found that
fresco was also prepared with lime plaster (from 2015 figures) that possibly
acts as a calcium compound, which became the only binder to make EB reflect in
infrared. Although, any mention of the use of oil as a binder in (Newman and
Halpine, 2001) is not emphasised which remains a question. Maybe it was just
comparatively a new binder that the modern investigators wanted to compare with
the old binders. Discussing
how my research helps me to understand my own practice Regarding
the types of binders used by the Ancient Egyptians, Newman and Halpine raise an
almost similar question that is worth discussing, ‘Were different media used
for different parts of individual painted objects, perhaps for different visual
effects?’ (Davies, 2001:25) As
mentioned earlier in the essay, understanding what elements go into the
materials we use as artists and designers, it can help us understand the nature
of our materials and perhaps change the way we make use of them. Fig 6 shows
two materials that I have been using in my practice for a very long time. In
space, both Perspex and lino look similar and transparent but when the lino is
placed on a white surface it shows a green tint. Clear lino is a malleable
plastic. I was very curious to know what makes this lino clear and soft at the
same time unlike Perspex. The only information I could get was that they treat
it with linseed oil. To find out whether it was true, this was where my
research and study came in. So, I tried to laser cut the lino block and after
cutting I was left with burnt spot and a layer of oil on the surface. Besides,
now it was understandable why it has that green hue to it, because of the
presence of oil. When oil is used as a binder it makes the pigment a little
saturated and dull compared to aqueous media (Cosentino, 2015: online). This
could also be due the fact that the R.I (refractive index) difference between
the two, linseed oil and the other elements used to make Lino, was perhaps very
little or no difference at all. I can say that because, the phenomenon is that
the closer the R.I of the binder and the pigment the more transparent they are
(Cosentino, 2015: online). Hence, the more the R.I difference, the opaquer; the
less the R.I difference the more transparent. Although, the R.I of fresco isn’t
stated by the source, see fig 5, with which EB was reflected; we can still
assume that the R.I difference must be very high between the pigment and the
fresco binder to achieve an opaque paint. In present day, the R.I phenomenon is
used by professional paint makers; to achieve transparent or opaque varnishes
and paints. This Answers Newman’s and Halpine’s question, to some extent.   How other artists make their own pigments or approach them in a natural way As
artists and designers, making a colour entirely from our own selective
compounds, it gives a sense of control, personalism and adds a uniqueness to it.
It will not be wrong to say that making a colour in this way, the artist can
own that colour in a sense. In other words, it might become something that the
artist is known for. An example is Yves Klein’s blue, which also fits in this
context. He believed that using an oil-based binder alters the actual colour of
the pigment, so he used his own formulated clear
binder to achieve the purest EB/ultramarine blue (Art Documentaries, 2014). Fig
8 and 9 show a comparison between Klein’s blue and EB (made using Egyptians’
method). Klein supported Cosentino study
that oil makes the colour dark and saturated. I wonder whether using coconut
oil will be ideal or not as it is a clear oil. However, its melting and solidification
makes it not ideal; it might just make a cloudy layer on top of the painted
surface instead of drying. Reason for discussing this point was that, in my
course we do not learn to use natural dyes in the print workshop neither do
they provide natural dying pigments or binders. The
Ecological and sustainability issue of the modern pigments |
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