What is the significance of Egyptian Blue? Why was Tyrian Purple so prized? And what did people claim was the original source of Dragon’s blood?
These were just some of the topics skilfully addressed by master paint maker, David Coles, founder of Langridge Artist Colours at a recent presentation to VCE Visual Arts students.
Using objects contained in his Chromatopia exhibition in the School’s Motor Works Gallery as talking points, David took students along a historical exploration of paints, dyes and pigments, tracing their evolution in parallel with the advancement of civilization.
“Although this is not part of any core VCE curriculum, ‘outside the classroom’ experiences like this are intended to trigger curiosity in our visual arts students with the hope that, in turn, they trigger a student’s ability to think differently and more creatively – and that is what we are all about,” explains Cat Poljski, Teacher of Visual Arts.
For Year 11 student Robert Strangward, the presentation gave him a new perspective on his own artwork. “I am fascinated by the psychology of colour, but I’d never thought about how the origin of colour can influence that before,” he explains. “It helps me appreciate that the colours in my photographs create an experience beyond just the objects within it.”
During the presentation, David explained that artists are “tiny users” of colour pigments today, with manufacturers spending significant sums on research and development for new colours for automotive coatings, architectural coatings, plastics, printing and much more. So, what is the significance of David’s focus on producing unique oil-based paints for artists?
“Many paints and pigments were incredibly precious thousands of years ago because it took so much effort to produce them,” explains Ryan Plunkett, Year 11. “However, these days we can capture colour by simply taking a photo on your phone. I think David’s work is incredibly important to maintain the authenticity and credibility of the fine art world.”
Oh, and if you are interested in the questions posed at the beginning of the article…
What is the significance of Egyptian Blue?
While our first pigments were derived mainly from the ground, the invention of Egyptian Blue marked humankind’s first venture into synthetic colour production. It was first created in Ancient Egypt about 5,000 years ago, around the time the Great Pyramids were built.
Why was Tyrian Purple so prized?
The production of Tyrian Purple commenced more than 3,500 years ago. A particular species of sea snail held one drop of dye in a sac in their body resulting in more than 250,000 snails being sacrificed to generate around 30 grams of dye. This labour-intensive process made the dye so precious that it was allowed only to be worn by individuals of the most elite status in the Ancient World.
What did people claim was the original source of Dragon’s blood?
During Medieval times, a popular legend claimed that the garnet-red colour named Dragon’s blood was the mixed blood of dragons and elephants, gathered from the battleground where these creatures supposedly fought and perished together. In reality, Dragon’s blood was derived from a tree resin. However, the myth was a useful representation of hylomorphism at the time – where the dragon’s passion and the elephant’s memory were combined.
