The piercing blue of the sky.
The blue of the sea is captivating.
Even though we say it is blue, the color of the sky changes from moment to moment. And we sometimes describe the sea as emerald green when it is blue no matter how you look at it. Japan is the only country that calls the "green" on traffic lights "blue."
Green leaves, green vegetables, green rice fields, green mandarins, blue mountains, lush greenery
Yes, Japanese people not only describe blue things, but even green things as "blue."
・You still have a lot to learn.
Youth is not an age, it's an attitude towards life!
The use of blue to convey an impression of youthfulness and freshness may be a traditional Japanese aesthetic concept.
It is said that the color that most Japanese people like is blue. Bright blue, subdued blue, dark blue, vivid blue. Enjoy incorporating various shades of blue to create your own unique expression.
Cobalt Blue: Known as one of the most saturated blue colors. Among the pigments with 100% cobalt aluminate content, which are now difficult to obtain, Gekkoso uses one with an even higher cobalt ratio, which gives it a deep, strong blue color. In terms of its composition, it can be mixed with any color with confidence.
- Uses ultramarine sulfur complex salt. Because it is highly transparent, if you apply it thickly, the color will sink and look dark. Therefore, use it in thin layers or mix in a little white to bring out the vivid blue. However, if you mix it with lead-based paints such as silver white, it may turn black. Since it is a blue that leans towards red, be careful not to mix it with yellow as it will not create a beautiful green. It has average light resistance.
・Cerulean Blue Cobalt tin oxide is used as a pigment. It is a sky blue with a deeper blueness and less redness than Sky Blue. There are no particular restrictions on the thickness of the paint or the mixing of colors, making it easy to use for a variety of purposes. However, it has the property of turning black when rubbed against metal, so Gekkoso takes great care when using spatulas etc. when manufacturing it.
・Prussian Blue: Prussian Blue (ferric ferrocyanide), also known as Milori Blue, is used as a pigment. Because of its strong coloring power, it is best to start with a very small amount when mixing colors. Also, when using it as a single color, it is effective to apply it thinly, as the color will appear darker if applied too thickly. Be careful not to apply it on alkaline surfaces such as concrete, as it will turn brown.
- When used alone, indigo is a deeper navy blue than Prussian blue. Because it has no brightness, the blue color stands out when mixed with white or applied thinly. Gekkoso uses a fairly old pigment, but the indigo pigments currently in circulation have been almost all synthetic since the early 20th century. When produced using a single pigment, it is almost black, so we use ultramarine as a base and gradually mix in indigo pigment to adjust the color to Gekkoso's shade. As with ultramarine, it is best to avoid mixing with lead-based paints as this may cause the color to turn black.
・Compose Blue: A transparent, slightly greenish light blue. At Gekkoso, we use a synthetic pigment containing phthalocyanine blue and a small amount of phthalocyanine green as a base, and further combine zinc white, titanium white, and synthetic viridian to adjust the transparency, brightness, and color. Any color can be mixed.
・Violet Blue Violet does not contain any purple. Instead, Gekkoso uses ultramarine as a base and crimson lake to create a bright blue-purple like Akebia japonica. If you apply multiple coats, the crimson lake may bleed out (a phenomenon known as bleeding), so it is not suitable as a base coat. Also, because it uses ultramarine, mixing it with lead-based paints may cause the color to turn black, so it is best to avoid this.
・Asile Gray is a neutral color that is mixed with zinc white and ultramarine, and the transparency and brightness are adjusted with titanium white and indigo. Although it is called gray, it does not contain black, so it is a light light blue with low saturation. Since it uses ultramarine, it is best to avoid mixing it with lead-based paints.
Photo by Eisuke Yamashita
