David Coles

What's your favourite colour? Ever wondered how it got from nature into your paints? Long ago, brilliant blues, glittering greens and radical reds weren't easy to make. Artists had to crush beetles, burn bones and even drain sea snails to create colours. Come on a journey through history, packed with amazing stories, dazzling illustrations and iconic artworks from around the...

Did you know that the Egyptians created the first synthetic colour; or that the noblest purple comes from a predatory sea snail? Throughout history, artist pigments have been made from deadly metals, poisonous minerals, urine, cow dung, and even crushed insects. From grinding down beetles and burning animal bones to alchemy and serendipity, Chromatopia reveals the origin stories of over...