
14 min read
Natural Pigments: How Artists Made Color Before Tubes Existed
Before paint tubes, artists ground minerals, boiled insects, and kneaded lapis lazuli under water. Discover how painters made their own colors for 30,000 years.
2 articles tagged with "lapis lazuli"

Before paint tubes, artists ground minerals, boiled insects, and kneaded lapis lazuli under water. Discover how painters made their own colors for 30,000 years.

Blue was once the most expensive pigment in the world, ground from Afghan lapis lazuli and worth more than gold. Discover the history of blue in art, from ultramarine to Yves Klein.