How Egyptian blue is made:
| Source: | identical with the mineral cuprorivaite (at Mineralogy Database) |
| Artificial variety of pigment | Heating a mixture of a calcium compound (carbonate, sulfate or hydroxide), copper compound (oxide or malachite) and quartz or silica gel in proportions that correspond to a ratio of 4 SiO2 : 1 CaO : 1 CuO to a temperature of 900°C using a flux of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate or borax. The mixture is then maintained at a temperature of 800°C for a period ranging from 10 to 100 hours. |
The ground pigment:
Pile of ground Egyptian blue:
Other blues
(intro) - Azurite - Cerulean Blue - Cobalt blue - Egyptian blue - Indigo - Prussian blue - Smalt - Ultramarine
(intro) - Azurite - Cerulean Blue - Cobalt blue - Egyptian blue - Indigo - Prussian blue - Smalt - Ultramarine