Cobalt Silicate Blue Olivine

Description

Cobalt Silicate Blue Olivine (PB73) is a handmade single-pigment cobalt silicate blue pigment with an olivine crystal structure. It produces a vivid blue with a strong violet undertone and a deep, saturated masstone. Compared to traditional cobalt blues, this pigment runs cleaner and brighter in mixes, with a distinctly more violet character while still retaining the subtle granulation and clarity associated with cobalt colors.

In use, Cobalt Silicate Blue Olivine gives a bold, controlled blue ideal for luminous skies, water, glass, enamel effects, and high chroma accents in landscape and abstract work. It has strong tinting strength without the aggressive staining of phthalo blues, making it easier to lift and refine. It mixes beautifully with reds, violets, and earths for complex violets, blue-grays, and shadow neutrals that stay crisp rather than muddy.

This silicate-based pigment is chemically inert, heat-resistant, and highly resistant to acids and alkalis, which makes it suitable across a wide range of binders and mediums. In artist’s colors it offers a distinctive, modern violet cobalt blue that can function as a statement color in its own right or as a mixing blue for vivid, contemporary palettes.

History

Cobalt silicate blues were developed as part of the 20th-century expansion of ceramic and industrial pigments, when chemists began exploring complex cobalt compounds that could withstand high firing temperatures and harsh environments. Cobalt Silicate Blue Olivine (PB73) arises from combining cobalt oxides with silica to form a stable blue silicate phase with an olivine-like crystal structure.

Initially created for use in enamels, porcelain, and high-performance coatings, PB73 was valued for its intense violet blue hue, excellent lightfastness, and stability in both oxidizing and reducing kiln atmospheres. As artist paintmakers began to experiment with ceramic-origin pigments, Cobalt Silicate Blue entered the studio as a specialty color, often marketed under names emphasizing its violet character. Today it is appreciated by painters who want a bright, high-chroma cobalt blue that pushes toward turquoise while retaining the handling qualities and reliability of traditional cobalt pigments.

Health and Safety

Precautions:

Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Do not consume.

Not for cosmetic or food usage.

Do not spray apply.

For further health information contact a poison control center.

Use care when handling dry pigments and avoid dust formation.

Use particular caution with fibrous, fine, or toxic pigments.

Do not eat, drink, or smoke near dry pigments.

Avoid breathing in pigment dust and use a NIOSH-certified dust respirator with sufficient rating for dry pigment.

Wash hands immediately after use or handling.

If dust is likely, always wear protective clothing to keep out of eyes, lungs, off skin, and out of any contact as well as keep area ventilated.

This product may contain chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm.

Warnings and bottle information are abbreviated.

Pigment Information

Pigment Type: Synthetic (Inorganic) cobalt silicate pigment (olivine)

Suitable Mediums: Watercolor, Oil, Tempera, Acrylic, Lime / Fresco, Ceramic and cement applications

Lightfastness: Best

Opacity: Semi-opaque

Other Names: Cobalt Silicate Blue Olivine, Cobalt Silicate Blue, Cobalt Violet Blue (PB73)

Color Index Code: PB73