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Phthalo Blue
#000F89 · click to copy
Cool
HEX
#000F89
RGB
0, 15, 137
CMYK
100%, 89%, 0%, 46%
Pigment
PB15
Lightfastness
Excellent (I) — among the most lightfast pigments available
Moods & Keywords
blue
dark
deep
intense
vivid
modern
Pigment & Material
PB15
Synthetic
Copper phthalocyanine (C₃₂H₁₆CuN₈). Synthetic, non-toxic, and extraordinarily lightfast. One of the most stable pigments ever created.
Origin & History
The accidental discovery of phthalocyanine pigments in 1928 was one of the most significant events in the history of synthetic colour. The molecule proved to be extraordinarily stable, intensely coloured, and non-toxic. Phthalo blue rapidly became the dominant blue in industrial applications — printing inks, automotive coatings, and plastics — while also transforming the artist's palette.
Also Known As
Monastral Blue
Helio Blue
Phthalocyanine Blue
Winsor Blue
Psychology
Intense, deep, and slightly aggressive. Phthalo blue is too blue to be natural — its saturation exceeds anything found in the sky or sea. It is the blue of imagination taken to an extreme. Used carefully, it creates depths of extraordinary resonance; overused, it overwhelms. The "phthalo blue mistake" — like the phthalo green equivalent — is a rite of passage for painting students.
In Culture
Phthalo blue is the most prevalent blue in the industrial world — it colours everything from food packaging to car paint to printer ink. When you see a vivid blue corporate logo, the chances are high that phthalo blue (or a close relative) is the pigment. Its ubiquity makes it simultaneously the most "everyday" blue and, in the art world, a colour of extraordinary expressive power.
Natural Sources
No natural source — copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) was discovered in 1928 at Scottish Dyes Ltd when a vivid blue contaminant appeared unexpectedly in a chemical reaction. The molecule is a large aromatic porphyrin-like ring with copper at its centre — structurally similar to haemoglobin and chlorophyll.
Making It Yourself
Phthalo blue is synthesised industrially — not available for home production.
Palette usage notes: like phthalo green, phthalo blue is extremely powerful — a tiny amount dominates mixtures.
Comes in two versions: Red Shade (PB15:1 — slightly warmer, more violet) and Green Shade (PB15:3 — slightly cooler, more cyan).
Mix with quinacridone red for rich, dark neutrals and blacks.
Mix with Hansa yellow for vivid, clean greens.
Palette usage notes: like phthalo green, phthalo blue is extremely powerful — a tiny amount dominates mixtures.
Comes in two versions: Red Shade (PB15:1 — slightly warmer, more violet) and Green Shade (PB15:3 — slightly cooler, more cyan).
Mix with quinacridone red for rich, dark neutrals and blacks.
Mix with Hansa yellow for vivid, clean greens.
Art Movements
Abstract Expressionism
Color Field Painting
Contemporary Art
Industrial Design
Famous Works
Yves Klein
International Klein Blue works (IKB uses ultramarine, but phthalo blue is its industrial counterpart)
Rothko
blue paintings
Frank Stella
geometric works
Available As
Winsor & Newton — Winsor Blue (Red Shade) (PB15:1)
Winsor & Newton — Winsor Blue (Green Shade) (PB15:3)
Daniel Smith — Phthalo Blue (Green Shade) (PB15:3)
Golden — Phthalo Blue (Green Shade)
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Colour data compiled with AI. Spot an error or have more to add? Leave a Note — ekphra reviews and updates.
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