The Blog

A new color has been discovered; the first new one in the last 200 years!  YlnMn blue is very exciting because it is very stable (it doesn’t fade), it’s safe to produce and isn’t toxic.  Already being tested in fine art materials like paints, perhaps it is also headed to the textile industry for a beautiful new color in dyes.  This update is from an artnet news post:

The pigment was discovered in 2009 by chemist Mas Subramanian and his team at Oregon State University while they were conducting experiments connected to electronics. For one series of tests, the scientists mixed black manganese oxide with a variety of chemicals and heated them to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. (The name comes from the pigment’s elemental makeup, which includes Yttrium, Indium and Manganese.)

Subramanian has also fielded interest from art restorers. “Our pigment is useful for art restoration, because it is similar to ultramarine but really more durable,” he explained.

Watch this short video to find out more about this beautiful new color development: