Yacinthos blue
Yacinthos blue is a rare pigment made from a certain subspecies of Yacinthos flower. The bulbs are picked up, air-dried in even temperature for a fortnight outside, but only at night, and then grounded into fine powder, which afterwards needs to be gently smoked for a few hours to bring out the rich blue color. Afterwards it is usually stored in an airtight container or mixed with oil or water. Sometimes they are pressed into small pigment cakes, which tend to be very delicate and need to be handled with care.
Many different aspects affect the produced color. Bigger bulbs tend to produce lighter, baby blue color. Smaller, drier bulbs tend to have strong, rich aquamarine shade, but they are harder to ground evenly and lumpy paint is not desired. The smoking part is also important: the firewood needs to be gathered at night and be of a certain subspecies of a local birch. It is often mixed with juniper branches and sometimes with certain wild herbs to bring out the desired color. The most sought after color is a deep, rich blue with a characteristic purple sheen which cannot be produced in any other methods.
Yacinthos blue is a desired color in dyeing cloth, calligraphy, make-up and even as a hair dye. Due to it being difficult to produce, only the elite can have the means and enough wealth to get it. It is only produced in a small area near The Spine and is the main trade resource for those few little rural villages where the local microclimate is suitable for farming the rare Yacinthos flower.
Many different aspects affect the produced color. Bigger bulbs tend to produce lighter, baby blue color. Smaller, drier bulbs tend to have strong, rich aquamarine shade, but they are harder to ground evenly and lumpy paint is not desired. The smoking part is also important: the firewood needs to be gathered at night and be of a certain subspecies of a local birch. It is often mixed with juniper branches and sometimes with certain wild herbs to bring out the desired color. The most sought after color is a deep, rich blue with a characteristic purple sheen which cannot be produced in any other methods.
Yacinthos blue is a desired color in dyeing cloth, calligraphy, make-up and even as a hair dye. Due to it being difficult to produce, only the elite can have the means and enough wealth to get it. It is only produced in a small area near The Spine and is the main trade resource for those few little rural villages where the local microclimate is suitable for farming the rare Yacinthos flower.
History & Usage
Everyday use
Make-up, dyeing cloth, calligraphy pigment, painting
Distribution
Trade & Market
The Yacinthos blue is a luxury item. It is considered to be the best blue pigment in the whole Altaros.
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