A New Blue for Crayola & You!
June 1, 2017 1:08 PM   Subscribe

A brand new color called YInMn Blue, discovered 2009 at OSU, made of yttrium, indium, and manganese too, late this year will make its debut, replacing the retiring Dandelion hue. Got a great name for a new blue? There's a contest running until June 2!

Previously on MetaFilter:
The Blackest Black, none more black
The Pinkest Pink, and art feuds
The Whitest White, and corporate espionage
The Deadliest Green, with bonus Napoleon

Obsolete Pigments, like Mummy Brown
posted by Eyebrows McGee (75 comments total) 27 users marked this as a favorite
 
Pepsi Blue
posted by Atom Eyes at 1:12 PM on June 1, 2017 [9 favorites]


Pish, I call it.
posted by Segundus at 1:17 PM on June 1, 2017


Yves Klein Blue
posted by chavenet at 1:24 PM on June 1, 2017 [5 favorites]


Too bad "Boaty McBoatface" is taken.
posted by briank at 1:25 PM on June 1, 2017 [9 favorites]


Betcha "Bluey McBlueface" will be in the running though.
posted by The otter lady at 1:27 PM on June 1, 2017 [18 favorites]


why is everyone so obsessed with changing the name? YInMn Blue is a beautiful name.
posted by sexyrobot at 1:28 PM on June 1, 2017 [23 favorites]


Yes, my sole regret was that I couldn't find a way to work in an overt PepsiCrayolaBlue joke.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:29 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Hamlindigo Blue.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:30 PM on June 1, 2017 [6 favorites]


Wake me when they discover hooloovoo.
posted by SansPoint at 1:35 PM on June 1, 2017 [6 favorites]


"Wake me when they discover hooloovoo."

Well now I have two joke regrets.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:35 PM on June 1, 2017 [7 favorites]


What was the really bad blue Crayola crayon? Cornflower?

I always resented it's weak sauce.
posted by Squeak Attack at 1:38 PM on June 1, 2017 [13 favorites]


What no Covfefe?
posted by Young Kullervo at 1:39 PM on June 1, 2017 [9 favorites]


Blue Ivy.
posted by asteria at 1:40 PM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


Umm... cobalt? Maybe it's my monitor or layman eyes, but that color looked really cobalt to me.
posted by widdershins at 1:40 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly Blue.
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:41 PM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


Favorited for rhymes.
posted by ZeusHumms at 1:48 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


I suspect Janelle Shane has the perfect answer somewhere in her log files.
posted by effbot at 1:50 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


That color blue does craaaaazy things when combined with the heavy prisms in my glasses.
posted by soren_lorensen at 1:50 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Jarman Blue
posted by Nelson at 1:51 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


But how does it taste?
posted by cjorgensen at 1:52 PM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


Per https://twitter.com/ManuclearBomb/status/869955038495592448,

The Warriors Blue a 3-1 lead
posted by GuyZero at 1:55 PM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


So fyi, taken names include:

Bluey McBlueface
Blue Ivy
Winter Rose (for you GOT fans)
and Covfefe
posted by asteria at 1:59 PM on June 1, 2017


Bowie Blue (blue, electric blue)
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 2:05 PM on June 1, 2017 [7 favorites]


This will help Keep Tobias Blue
posted by polecat at 2:05 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


YInMn Blue is a beautiful name.

I feel like it's something you'd see/hear in a SF film like Solaris. It's quite perfect as it is.
posted by Fizz at 2:07 PM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


Like it's the name of a planet or an entity that has become sentient.
posted by Fizz at 2:07 PM on June 1, 2017


What, no Mefi Blue?
posted by adept256 at 2:12 PM on June 1, 2017


Gloucester Blue
posted by Chrischris at 2:12 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Dorset Blue.
posted by Squeak Attack at 2:22 PM on June 1, 2017


From reddit: The Warriors Blue a 3:1 Lead
posted by Slackermagee at 2:35 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


But how does it taste?

Eat Me Blue?
posted by strelitzia at 2:52 PM on June 1, 2017


Pork Away Pal Fuck Her Blue?
posted by The otter lady at 3:13 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Apparently the new crayon is female (from the Crayola link):

Dandelion is an extremely hardworking crayon and wants to make sure everything is wrapped up before his last crayon is molded. So, before he can kick back and enjoy retirement, he will be spending the next month or so wrapping up work back at headquarters, in the factory and throughout the various Crayola products he's been proud to be a part of. Don't be surprised if you happen to catch him out & about for a while as his final packages ship out and join those already located on his favorite retailers' shelves. Dan D's crayon friends are excited for his upcoming retirement adventures and look forward to welcoming the new blue crayon once she has a name and she's completed her on-the-job crayon training.
posted by dreaming in stereo at 3:29 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


i love cornflower blue
posted by PinkMoose at 3:31 PM on June 1, 2017 [5 favorites]


Yttrium? I don't even know 'um!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:32 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


I'd call it Seriously Fucking Blue, because it is. Good work, Crayola Chemists!
posted by kozad at 3:45 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


I'm with chavenet. That is definitely an Yves Kleinian shade of blue.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 3:50 PM on June 1, 2017


It is pretty much a cobalt blue to look at, but it has another interesting property in that it is highly reflective of near infra red, meaning it could be an alternative to white or silver for heat-reflecting roofs, which could be a nice new option in that department.
posted by StickyCarpet at 4:13 PM on June 1, 2017 [4 favorites]


The first blue pigment to have been created in over 200 years will serve as the newest Crayola crayon

That's hyperbole right?
posted by Carillon at 4:16 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


I am confused here. Will Crayola actually use the new pigment, or just introduce a new blue inspired by the new pigment.

The original press release (all articles I have seen are just rehashes of the press release, go journalism!) just implies that the new pigment will be used. The actual quote from Crayola CEO is:

"we strive to keep our color palette innovative and on-trend, which is why we're excited to introduce a new blue crayon color inspired by the YInMn pigment"
posted by Dr. Curare at 4:38 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


> What no Covfefe?

So if YInMn is comprised from the elements yttrium, indium and manganese, "which along with oxygen comprise the vibrant pigment", I wonder what Covfefe (cobalt, vanadium, iron and iron again) would look like.
posted by christopherious at 4:43 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


NeverBlued
posted by grumpybear69 at 5:03 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


S+K+Y+B+Lu=SKYBLu

But, as a non-chemist, that probably equals explosion, or maybe some chemical burns while colouring, and even if these elements could be combined, it's probably not going to be blue?
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:06 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


I am confused here. Will Crayola actually use the new pigment, or just introduce a new blue inspired by the new pigment

I was wondering this too because I know manganese can be toxic - maybe not like cadmium or cobalt but with chronic exposure it can cause a Parkinson-like syndrome. I would think Crayola would be wary of that. But the discoverers say YInMn toxicity is low so who knows.
posted by atoxyl at 5:11 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


MnIntlY Blue
posted by jamjam at 5:13 PM on June 1, 2017


Swing State.
posted by Chitownfats at 5:31 PM on June 1, 2017


BAF, Trublu, IOSBlu, (indigo on steroids.)

Delphinium Blue.
posted by Oyéah at 5:32 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


MgoBlue
posted by HuronBob at 5:48 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Manganese helps the body form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. It also plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation. Manganese is also necessary for normal brain and nerve function.
Manganese | University of Maryland Medical Center

posted by Oyéah at 5:55 PM on June 1, 2017


Twilight.

To me, that color is nearly the same shade and vibrancy of blue that I saw about a half hour ago.

(But Bowie Blue would be a fun name, too. :) )
posted by droplet at 6:07 PM on June 1, 2017


.....I'm trying to think if there's some kind of name that would tie into climate change/environment, so we could promote that name as a protest for today's Paris agreement announcement.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:21 PM on June 1, 2017


Zenith Blue
posted by lucidprose at 6:32 PM on June 1, 2017


Clearly it should be called Mindy for the elements it is composed of (Mn In Y), but sadly it seems I can't enter the competition from Australia.
posted by drnick at 6:33 PM on June 1, 2017


I'm certain that they're not using the actual pigment. Fine art paint manufacturers that evaluated the pigment (Gamblin and Golden, for two) found that it really didn't make sense to add to their lines due to the cost.
posted by jimw at 6:44 PM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


Norwegian Blue.
posted by Wolfdog at 6:52 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Indigo Montoya, perhaps?
posted by 1f2frfbf at 6:54 PM on June 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


atoxyl - Manganese is pretty much non-toxic if ingested. However, manganese fumes can cause brain damage when inhaled and are a hazard for welders. The article mentions that the pigment is considered non-toxic.
posted by tommyD at 6:57 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


That picture makes me want to snort Lapis.
posted by clavdivs at 7:25 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Missing Shade Blue
posted by oddman at 7:47 PM on June 1, 2017


Primary Blue.
posted by Oyéah at 7:47 PM on June 1, 2017


That picture makes me want to snort Lapis.

A suggestion seen in passing on Twitter: Gargamel's Cocaine
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 8:09 PM on June 1, 2017 [4 favorites]


There was an NPR article about it last July. Looks like the pigment is already licensed to the Shepherd Color Company but there's no indication anybody has actually put it in a product, and at an estimated cost of $1000/kg I'm gonna guess it's not actually going to be in even the finest artisanal crayons poured by hand in Brooklyn or Portland.
posted by fedward at 8:18 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]


You wonder about the fastness of the color, some oil paints are called fugitive if they blanch out over time, some are very permanent, I mean over hundreds of years. Cobalt blue is very color fast, and ultramarine fades. So if this is a brand new mixture, I wonder what the colorfastness would be if it became oil paint?
posted by Oyéah at 8:24 PM on June 1, 2017


YInMn is lightfast.

It looks like ultramarine fading of old paintings is an active research subject, but not a problem with new formulations of paint using synthetic ultramarine.
posted by sebastienbailard at 9:34 PM on June 1, 2017


atoxyl - Manganese is pretty much non-toxic if ingested. However, manganese fumes can cause brain damage when inhaled and are a hazard for welders. The article mentions that the pigment is considered non-toxic.

I've also heard of manganism associated with sufficient exposure to manganese salts - for example as a result of potassium permanganate being used in illicit drug synthesis. But the metal itself/other forms may not be harmful if ingested (and yeah it is also a trace nutrient but a few of those are things that you don't want to get too much of).
posted by atoxyl at 10:07 PM on June 1, 2017


YInMn Blue is a beautiful name

That's Welsh, right? And it's pronounced "cay-effee-gear-ado"?
posted by iffthen at 10:31 PM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


We got this far without a mention of Tobias and "I just blue myself"?

I am ashamed, MetaFilter. ASHAMED.
posted by hippybear at 3:46 AM on June 2, 2017 [4 favorites]


Speaking strictly practically here, it doesn't help to look at an image of an isolated sample of the substance on the web, because the camera and the light matter and everybody's OS and display are different. To calibrate, I want to see a single image of the finished crayon together with its 63 brothers and sisters. Then we can name it.
posted by rlk at 3:57 AM on June 2, 2017


Actually, you want to see the new crayon IN REAL LIFE under natural lighting before you can name it. Anyone familiar with photography and Pantone knows how difficult it is to get life, display, and reproduction to match.
posted by hippybear at 4:00 AM on June 2, 2017 [1 favorite]


I say we let a neural net decide. (previously)
posted by Gev at 4:12 AM on June 2, 2017 [2 favorites]


My dad had the bluest eyes (granted, not quite that blue), so for sentimental reasons, I suggest the color be called "Dad's blue eyes".
posted by she's not there at 4:45 AM on June 2, 2017


Cookie Monster!
posted by tully_monster at 4:55 AM on June 2, 2017


I remember asking a materials science friend "What makes something translucent ?" And got an answer I understood, but the followup was "can we know, a priori, if something will be translucent/transparent ?"

I want to ask that about colors too, since it's more or less the same question.

TFA seems to indicate the grad student just threw some stuff in the furnace and got this. Can any of this be modeled or analyzed, or is it pure throw it at the wall and see what sticks ?
posted by k5.user at 7:10 AM on June 2, 2017


I say we let a neural net decide.

Jinx! Oh, wait, I linked to her work long before you did :-) Seems she's having some issues, though: Entered Stargoon in Crayola contest to name their new blue color. Not sure how to answer the "not a robot" question.
posted by effbot at 8:49 AM on June 2, 2017 [2 favorites]


I wanted something more royal than royal blue and also feminine (since the crayon is presented as female). I submitted "Hestian."
posted by dances with hamsters at 11:15 AM on June 2, 2017 [1 favorite]


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