In our celebration of our hero colour Cobalt Teal we wanted to delve into the anatomy of this colour and unearth what makes it such a unique pigment. To explore this a little further, we did a series of colour tests such as swatching with watercolour and acrylic to showcase this pigments characteristics. Also, exploring the difference between Teals, Turquoise and other similar green/blue hues
Teal is a combination of blue and green, with a slightly more blue-leaning shade which falls somewhere between turquoise and green on the colour spectrum. It is a cool colour that is often associated with tranquillity, calmness, and sophistication and as we know a popular colour choice in fashion, home decor, and graphic design. But its also a versatile colour that can be paired with many other colours to create very vivid intense hues. Here I mixed 4 different colours - Phthalo Blue, Cadmium Orange, Alizarin Crimson and Quinacridone Magenta which create varied tones from muted red/browns with crimson to pale green when mixed with its complimentary colour Cadmium orange
In acrylic, Cobalt Teal is a more opaque colour with a high tinting strength. It has a medium body and dries to a matte finish. It mixes well with other colours to produce muted, earthy tones, but can also be used to create vibrant, bright colours when applied in thick layers or mixed with a white or lighter colour
In watercolour, Cobalt Teal is a transparent colour that has a medium staining and low granulating effect. It has a high tinting strength, meaning that it can overpower lighter colours easily. Cobalt Teal mixes well with other blue, green, and yellow colours and can produce a wide range of cool, muted colours. It is often used for painting water, skies, and foliage.
In gouache, it has similar properties to watercolour. It is also a transparent colour with a medium staining and low granulating effect. It has a high tinting strength, and mixes well with other colours to produce muted, pastel shades. However, gouache tends to have a more opaque quality than watercolour, so Cobalt Teal may appear more vibrant in gouache paintings.
As you can see mixing teal and Alizarin Crimson will result in a dark, muted purple or maroon colour.
Teal is a blue-green colour, while alizarin crimson is a deep red colour. When these two colours are mixed, the blue in teal will combine with the red in alizarin crimson to create a shade of purple. However, the green in teal will also combine with the red in alizarin crimson, creating a more muted or brownish hue.
The exact shade of purple or maroon will depend on the ratio of teal to alizarin crimson that you use, as well as the specific shades and concentrations of each colour. You can experiment with different ratios to achieve the desired hue, and also adjust the brightness or darkness by adding more or less of either colour.
Different Hues of Turquoise
Teal and turquoise are both blue-green colours that are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct differences in terms of their specific hues and colour properties.
As you can see above there are many different shades of Teal and Turquoise which initially can be a little difficult to tell the difference of them apart. One of the most effective ways to explore the properties of the chosen shade of colour is to take 1 complimentary colour and gradually mix each pigment with it and see the results. Here I have chosen Cobalt Teal, Cobalt Teal Light, Phthalo Turquoise, Ultramarine Turquoise and Aqua Green.
"COBALT IS A DIVINE COLOUR"
PABLO PICASSO
These are just a few examples of how mixing teal with other colours can create new and interesting shades. The resulting colour will depend on the specific shades and proportions used, so it's worth experimenting with different combinations to find the perfect colour for your practice.
