BLUE (n.)
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Quotation
Whether all colours be compounded of white and black or no.
Theophrastus hath long since laboured to proove blacke to be no colour at all, his reason is, because that colour is proper to none of the elements, for faith he, water, ayre and earth are white, and the fire is yellow, but rather would fetch it from white and yellow, whereto Scaliger leaving Aristotle, perhaps for singularitie sake, seemeth to give consent, who sets downe four primary or first colours, viz.
White in the dry body as the earth.
Greene in thicke and moyst as the water.
Blew in the thin and moyst as the ayre.
Yellow in the hot as the fire.
Yet not without reason, for Aristotle affirmed that blacke was the privation of white, as darknesse of light, to that whom Scaliger replyes nothing can be made of privation and habit, but we will leave their argument.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Of Blew.
Blew hath his Etymon from the hye Dutch, Blaw, from whence he calleth Himmel-blaw, that which we call skye colour or heavens-blew, in Spanish it is called Blao or Azul, in Italian Azurro, in French Azur of Lazur an Arabian word, which is the name of a stone, whereof it is made, called in Greeke κυάνεος and in Latine Cyaneus a stone, […].
The principal blewes with us in use are,
Blew Bice.
Smalt.
Litmouse blew.
Inde Baudias.
Florey blew.
Korck or Orchall.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
A Blew.
Boyle Mulberries with Allum.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Of Limning in Water-Colours
The True Order and Names of Colours, the means to prepare them for the Pensill and to clense them from their corrupt mixtures, wherewith they are Sophisticate.
We name them Seaven (though in truth the first and last White and Black are no Colours ; but Elements.) [...] Blews,
Indico.
Ultramanue.
Bise-blew.
Smalt
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
The five perfect Colours, with their Lights and Shaddowes.
{Murray, or Amethyst.} The best for Limning, is a Lake of it self, of a Murray colour, which is best made, and to be had at Venice, or in Flanders at Antwerp ; […]. [...] 3. Blew, or Saphire.
{3. Blew, or Saphire.} The darkest and richest is of Ultra Marine of Venice ; but that is very dear, in the place thereof we use Smalt, of the best Blew ; Bises also of severall sorts, paler then other of five or six degrees. […].
Conceptual field(s)
Chap. XIII, Of Drawing, Limning, and Painting: with the lives of the famous Italian Painters, p. 137
Quotation
Of sundry Greens in Oyl.
For a deep and sad Green, as in the inmost leaves of trees, mingle Indico and Pinke.
For a light Green, Pinke and Masticote : for a middle and Grasse green, Verdigreace and Pinke.
Remember ever to lay-on your Yellows, Blews, Reds, and Greens, upon a white ground, which giveth them their life.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Of Colours there be seven Species, to wit, White, Red, Yellow, Green, Blew, Brown, and Black. White and Black are the extremities, and the parents of all other Colours ; for Red is an equal mixture of White and Black, and so is Green : Yellow is two parts of White, and one of Red, &c.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
An Exposition of Colours.
Abram colour, i.e. brown
Auburne or Abborne, i.e. brown or brown-black.
Cole black.
Sable black.
Velvet black.
Pitchy black.
Blanket colour, i. e. a light watchet.
Venice blew, i. e. a light blew.
Lincolne blew.
Coventry blew.
A Prince blew.
Crimson, i. e. Scarlet.
Cumatical colour, i. e. blew.
Flesh colour, a certain mixture of red white.
Gangran colour, i. e. divers colours together, as in a Mallards, or Pigeons neck.
Sabell colour, i. e. flame colour.
Incardine, or flesh colour.
Peacocke colour, i. e. changeable blew, or red blew.
Patise, or a kinde of red or Arsenick colour.
Plumbet colour, i. e. like little Speks of gray clouds in a fair day.
Puke colour, i. e. between russet and black.
Purpurine, or Purple colour ; of which read Matth. 27.2. A colour much used heretofore, by the Tyrians ; but now it is not to be had.
Ried colour, or Diversified.
Scarlet, i. e. crimson, or stammel.
Shammy colour, a smoakie, or rain colour, which is a kind of yellow ; as you may see upon whited walls or in a Chymny.
Stammel, i. e. Scarlet, as before.
Lyon Tawny.
Turkie colour, i. e. Venice blew, or as others will have it, red.
Milke white.
Paper white.
Snow white.
Bastard yellow.
Bright yellow.
Dark yellow.
Of the Names of Colours, read more in Aul. Gel. Noct. Attic.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
CHAP. XVII. Of the seven Colours in General. [...] VI. The chief BLEWS are Ultramarine, Indico, Smalt, Blew bice. [...].
Les différents bleus mentionnés dans cette partie sont ceux que l'on doit utiliser dans le cas de la peinture à l'eau (limning).
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
CHAP. II. Of the Colours in General.
I. The chief Whites for painting in oyl are, White lead, Ceruse, and Spodium. [...] VI. The chief Blews are, blew Bice, Indico, Ultramarine, Smalt.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Now the Painter expresseth two things with his colour : First the colour of the thing, whether it be artificial or natural, which he doth with the like colour, as the colour of a blew garment with artificial blew, or the green colour of a Tree with the like green : Secondly he expresseth the light of the Sun, or any other bright Body apt to lighten or manifest the colours, and because colour cannot be seen without light, being nothing else (as the Philosophers teach) but the extream Superficies of a dark untransparent Body lightned, I hold it expedient for him that will prove exquisite in the use thereof, to be most diligent in searching out the effects of light, when it enlightneth colour, which who so doth seriously consider, shall express all those effects with an admirable Grace ; […].
Now when the Painter would imitate this blew thus lightned, he shall take his artificial blew colour, counterfeiting therewith the blew of the garment, but when he would express the light, wherewith the blew seems clearer, he must mix so much white with his blew, as he findeth light in that part of the garment, where the light striketh with greater force, considering afterwards the other part of the garment, where there is not so much light, and shall mingle less white with his blew proportionably, and so shall he proceed with the like discretion in all the other parts : and where the light falleth not so vehemently, but only by reflexion there he shall mix so much shadow with his blew, as shall seem sufficient to represent that light, loosing it self as it were by degrees, provided alwayes, that where the light is less darkned, there he place his shadow,
In which judicious expressing of the effects of light together with the colours, Raphael Urbine, Leonard Vincent, Antonius de Coreggio and Titian were most admirable, handling them with so great discretion and judgement, that their Pictures seemed rather natural, then artificial ; the reason whereof the vulgar Eye cannot conceive, notwithstanding these excellent Masters expressed their chiefest art therein, considering with themselves that the light falling upon the flesh caused these and such like effects, in which kind Titan excelled the rest, who as well to shew his great Skill therein, as to merit commendation, used to cozen and deceive Mens Eyes, […].
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
The Colours to be used in Limning are termed thus,
Whites (Flake white / Serus)
Red (Carmine, / Indian Lake, / Red Lead, / Indian Red, / Burnt Ocur, &c.)
Yellow (Masticot, / Yellow ocur, / Eng. ocur, / Pinck.)
Greens (Sap Green, / Pinck and Bice, / Green Bice, / Terra Vert.)
Blews (Ultra Marine, / Dutch Bice, / Smalt, / Indigo.)
Browns (Gall Stone, / Mumme, / Cullins Earth, / Umber, / Rust.)
Blacks (Ivory black, / Sea-cole, / Lamp black, / Cherry Stone.)
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
The NAMES of the COLOURS Most useful and onely necessary for MINITURE.
(Flake White)
Reds (Carmine / Indian Lake / Cynnabar Lake / Florence Lake / Cynnabar / Red Lead / Yellow Oker burnt)
Blews (Ultra Marine / Dutch Bice / Smalt / Indigo)
Yellows (Light Masticote / Deep Masticote /Yellow Oker / Roman Oker / Gall-stone / Light Pink / Dark Pink)
Greens (Green Pink / Green Bice / TerraVerte)
Browns (Collens Earth / Burnt Umber / Umber / Rust of Iron)
Blacks (Burnt Ivory / Sea Cole / Cherry-stone burnt / Verditer burnt)
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
SECT III. Of Colours.
There are simply six, viz. White, Black, Red, Green, Yellow, and Blew ; to which we may add Browns, but they are compounded. […].
Chap. II, Of Colours used in Limning : their names, and how to order them.
SECT. I. Of the Names of Colours, and how every Colour is to be prepared ; whether Ground, Wash’d, or Steep’d.
BLACKS. / Cherry-stones burnt. / Ivory burnt. / Lamp black.
WHITES. / Ceruse. / White-Lead.
REDS. / Red-Lead. / Lake.
GREENS. / Bise. / Pink. / Sapgreen. / Cedar-green.
BLEWS. / Indico. / Ultramarine. / Bise. / Smalt.
YELLOWS. / English Oker. / Masticote.
BROWNS. / Umber. / Spanish Brown. / Colen’s Earth.
These are the principal Colours used in Limning ; I have omitted many others but they are such that are not fitting for this Work, which I shall speak of when I come to teach how to wash Maps and printed Pictures, for which use those Colours I have omitted are only useful.
Of the Colours here mentioned, useful in Limning, they are to be used three several ways, viz. either Washed, Grownd, or Steeped.
The Colours to be only Washed are these :
Bise. / Smalt.
Cedar. / Ultramarine.
Red-Lead. / Masticote.
To be Steeped, only Sap-green.
The Colours to be Washed and Grownd, are these :
Ceruse. / White-Lead. / Lake. / English Oker.
Pink. / Indico. / Umber. / Colens Earth.
Spanish Brown. / Ivory, / and Cherry-stone. ) black.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Note, that in all your Shadows you must use some White ; wherefore, 1. lay a good quantity of White by it self, besides what the Shadows are first tempered with. 2. For Red for the Cheeks and Lips, temper Lake and Red-lead together, some use Vermilion, but I like it not. 3. For your Blew Shadows, as under the Eyes, and in Veins, &c. Indico and White, or Ultamarine and White. 4. For your Gray, faintish Shadows, take White English-Oker and Indico, or sometimes Masticote. 5. For Deep shadows, White, English-Oker, and Umber. 6. For Dark-shadows in mens Faces, Lake and Pink, which make an excellent fleshy shadow. Many other Shadows you may temper up, but these are the chief ; your own judgment, when you look upon the party to be Drawn, will best direct you, and inform your fancy better than a thousand Words.
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Quotation
Chap. I. Of the Names of your Colours, and how to Grind and order them.
The Names of the Colours in Oyl.
BLACKS / Lamp-black. / Seacoal-black. / Ivory-black. / Charcoal-black. / Earth of Colen.
WHITES / White-Lead.
GREENS. / Verdigrease. / Terra vert. / Verditer.
BLEWS. / Bise. / Indico. / Smalt. / Ultamarine.
REDS. / Vermilion. / Red-Lead. / Lake. / India-Red. / Ornotto.
YELLOWS. / Pink. / Masticote. / English Oker. / Orpiment. / Spruse Oker.
Spanish Brown, Burnt Spruse, Umber.
These are the chief Colours that are used in Painting in Oyl, the most part of which are to be grownd very fine upon your Stone with a Muller, with Linseed-Oyl : some must be Burnt before they be Grownd ; others must be only temper’d upon the Pallat, and not grownd at all.
The Colours to be burnt are these :
Ivory, Spruse, Oker, and Umber.
The Colours that are not to be Grownd at all, but only tempered with Oyl upon your Pallat, are these :
Lamp-black, Verditer, Vermilion, Bise, Smalt, Masticote, Orpiment, Ultamarine.
All the rest are to be Grownd upon your Stone with Linseed-Oyl ; only White-Lead, when you are to use that for Linnen, you must grind it with Oyl of Walnuts, for Linseed-Oyl will make it turn yellow.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Chap. VI, Of Garments of several colours, and of their proper Colouring.
The next thing I shall speak of, shall be of Drapery or Garments, and the true and proper manner of Colouring of them.
And
1. For a Red Garment.
For a light-red Garment, first dead-colour it with Vermilion, and when you would finish it, glaze it over with Lake, and heighten it with White.
For a Scarlet.
[…]
For a Crimson Velvet.
[…]
For a sad Red.
[…]
2. For Green Garments.
The best Green for holding, is Bise and Pink, heighten it with Masticote, and deepen it with Indico and Pink.
For Green Velvet.
[…].
3. For Blew Garments.
Take Indico and White, first lay the White in its due places, and then your mean colour, namely Indico and White mixed in their due places, then deepen it with Indico only, […].
4. For Yellow Garments.
For a Yellow Garment, Masticote, yellow Oker, and Umber ; lay the dead colour of Masticote and White in the lightest places, Oker and White in the mean places, and Umber in the darkest places ; when it is dry glaze it with Pink. […].
5. For Black Garments.
Let the dead colour be Lamp-black, and some Verdigrease ; when that is dry, go over it with Ivory-black and Verdigrease ; before you go over it the second time, heighten it with White.
6. For Purple Garments.
Oyl Smalt, tempered with Lake and White-Lead, heighten it with White Lead.
7. Orange Colour.
Red-Lead and Lake, lay the lightest parts of all with Red-Lead and White, the mean parts with Red-Lead alone, the deeper parts with Lake, if need require heighten it with White.
8. Hair Colour.
Umber and White for the ground, Umber and Black for the deeper shadows, Umber and English Oker for mean shadows, for heightning White with a little English Oker.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
Colours to be used in Washing, which are not used in Limning.
BLACKS. / Printers Black, / or / Franckford-black, / to be had of the / Plate-Printers.
REDS / Vermilion. / Rosset.
BLEWS. / Verditure. / Litmos. / Flory.
YELLOWS. Gumbooge, Yellow-berries, Orpiment.
Also these ;
Brazeel and Log-wood ground, and Turnsoil.
Of these Colours above-mentioned, Printers Black, Vermilion. Rosset, Verditure, and Orpiment are to be Ground as is taught in the second Section of the second Chapter of the third Book, page 70. and therefore, I say, Grind them as you are there taught.
Now for the other Colours above-mentioned, they are to be ordered several ways, as followeth.
And
1. Of Litmos, how to order it.
Take fine Litmos and cut it in small pieces, then lay it in steep the space of twenty four hours […] it will be a pure Blew Water, good to Wash withall.
2. Of Flory Blew.
Take Flory Blew and grind it with the white of an Egg, […].
Flory thus ground, if you add thereto a little Rosset, it maketh a light Violet-colour.
If you mix with it both Red and white Lead, it maketh a Crane Feather-colour.
It, and Pink, Masticote, or Gum-booge make a fair Green.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
7. To make a Blew.
There is Venice-Ultamarine, but this is very dear ; there are Bises of several sorts, deeper or paler ; there is Smalt and Verditer ; grind any of these with Gum-water.
8. Of shadowing Blews.
There is Indico, Litmos, or Flory, take any of these, they need no grinding, steep them in the lees of Sope ashes ; […].
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
What Colours sets off best together.
1. Whites are very useful in all Colours, and sets off Black and Blew very well ; but Blacks are not much used, but upon necessary occasions in some things, as you judgement shall direct you.
2. Reds sets off well with Yellows.
3. Yellows sets off well with Reds, sad Blews Greens, Browns, Purples.
4. Blews sets off well with Reds, Yellows, Whites, Browns, and Blacks ; but Blews set not off well with Greens and Purples.
5. But Greens sets off well with Purples and Reds.
Conceptual field(s)
Quotation
And it is obvious to any, that have any competent Talent in Painting, how impossible it must needs be, such rare and extraordinary Paintings as seems to emulate and challenge Nature herself in all her luxuriant Variety of Composures and Colour, should ever be express’d, or accomplish’d by the slender Assistance, only of those four Species of Colours [ndr : white, yellow, red, black] ; and unless they were as comprehensive as the four Elements, out of which they tell us all Things do emerge ; […] yet it will come short of giving a full Answer to the Objection ; for, without Blew, the derivative Colours cannot be made up to furnish and compleat our Painters Palate ; and without this, how can it be imagin’d he [ndr : Apelle] was able to approach the Beauty of the Heavens in the glorious Representation of the Sky ? How could he ever expect to parallel the variegated and unparallel’d Complections of the glorious Gayeties of the Gardens ? In Absence of this, the Fields and sprightly Plants must loose their Verdure, and appear only in their Autumnal Dress ; and his Venus herself must fall short of what she was, for want of a Tenderness to express the Delicacy of her azured Veins.