With various shades of blue being a common stable in any artists color collection, we have noticed more and more people reaching out with various questions about the different popular hues of blue. One of the more popular options that we have noticed people reaching out about is Prussian Blue due to it being on one of the more commonly used dark blue paint and ink options on the market.
Although there are a number of similar shades of blue available, the oxidation of the ferrous ferrocyanide salts that give Prussian blue its intense dark blue look make it unmistakable. Prussian blue has always been a popular option but it does seem to be seeing a spike in its popularity in recent years with more and more people reaching out and asking for color comparisons for Prussian blue.
With so many people requesting a wide range of comparisons we have decided to publish this dedicated article and go over the seven more popular requests that we see. As we move through each of the color comparisons we will share a color sample so you can see how each shade compliment each other as well as how they look when blended. We will then offer a short text break down for each option too so you are able to get a better understanding of what to expect if you opt to use them for your acrylic paint, oil paint, watercolor work, or any other arts and crafts.
More and more people are starting to make their own homemade Prussian blue paints too but for this article, we will be sticking to the commercial paint options as they tend to be more consistent in their color and performance. Additionally, a commercial Prussian blue paint tends to be considerably cheaper than their homemade counterparts too.
Prussian Blue Vs Phthalo Blue
Phthalo blue is a synthetic blue pigment that comes from the group of phthalocyanine dyes that offer a brilliant dark blue and is just as popular as Prussian blue when it comes to art work. It tends to be ever so slightly lighter than Prussian blue while almost having very light hints of purple in it. Both Phthalo blue and Prussian blue are commonly categorised in the “dark blue” and often fill the same roll in an artists color collection.
Due to this, many people will only carry Prussian blue or Phthalo Blue to avoid overlap and keep costs down with the community seeming to be split around 50/50 between their preferred dark blue option. Both colors work well as a stand alone option or when mixed with other colors but due to being so similar are rarely used when mixed together with no other colors.
Personal preference will come into play on this one as you can easily get away with only adding one of these options to your collection. Due to both colors being so similar and the popular paint options being a similar price we usually recommend that our readers try to see if either option is on sale and then go for that. If you are in the middle of some artwork using either paint though, keep in mind that there are subtle differences so you should try to stick to the same color if you already have a commission underway.
Prussian Blue Color Code – #003153
Phthalo Blue Color Code – #000f89
Prussian Blue Vs Ultramarine
Ultramarin is another popular dark blue option that is created by grinding up lapis lazuli into a powder to use in various types of paint and ink. It is ever so slightly lighter than Prussian blue and also has slight hints of purple in it but is close enough to the color of Prussian blue that it falls into a similar trap of Phthalo blue in that they are so similar that most people will go with one or the other rather than both.
Both tend to work well as stand alone colors as well as when mixed with other colors but it tends to be rare that they will be used when mixed together without any other colors due to their similarities. The vast majority of decent commercial Ultramarine paints are at a very similar price point to their Prussian blue counter-parts so we usually recommend that our readers stick to looking for bargains when products go on sale.
Prussian Blue Color Code – #003153
Ultramarine Color Code – #120a8f
Prussian Blue Vs Navy Blue
Navy blue is the final option from the four most popular dark blue options commonly used in arts and crafts but it tends to fall into the same trap as the two options covered above as it is so similar to Prussian blue. In fact, they are both so similar to each other that we often see people reaching out to ask if they are the same and although the official digital color hex codes are different, the actual physical paint options may be the same.
This will depend on the brand but you will need to check the packaging of your navy blue paint and you’re Prussian blue to check the actual pigment chart. This is due to some brands literally using the exact same pigment formula for the paint that they will sell labeled as navy blue and as Prussian blue.
We have noticed a number of people fall foul of this and end up purchasing the exact same paint twice due to not paying attention so always be double-checked. That said though, the majority of people do tend to just add a Prussian blue or a navy blue paint to their collections rather than both as they are so similar to each other.
Prussian Blue Color Code – #003153
Navy Blue Color Code – #000080
Prussian Blue Vs Indigo
Indigo is a deep purple that tends to work well with Prussian blue as a complementary color but can also be used as a stand-alone, mixed with Purssian blue or when mixed with other colors. Although it can be a similar shade to some paint formulas for ultramarine that we covered above, indigo does tend to be on the purple side where as ultramarine tends to be on the blue side with a slight cross-over.
Due to the versatility of modern Indigo paint formulas offering a ton of variation when mixed with other paints, indigo has to be the first color on our list that we would recommend that you add to your collection in addition with Prussian blue. Unlike the other colors that we have covered above, indigo does have its own unique use cases that Prussian blue is not able to fill meaning that most people will carry both color options as standard in their kit.
Prussian Blue Color Code – #003153
Indigo Color Code – #4B0082
Prussian Blue Vs Royal Blue
Royal blue is a unique color on our list due to there being two variants of the color, one a light, bright shade of azure blue and the other a dark shade of azure blue. When it comes to painting and artwork, the term Royal blue is almost always used to refer to the light, bright shade of azure so that is what we will be considering for our article.
As you can see from our sample above, royal blue does tend to be considerably lighter than Prussian blue with the difference being easy to see. Royal blue does have uses as a stand alone color while also performing well when mixed with Prussian blue or other colors and has a wide range of applications for arts and crafts.
Although you can technically mix a white paint with your Prussian blue to get a hue similar to royal blue, the majority of people do tend to just add a decent royal blue paint to their collection in addition to their Prussian blue due to each color having slightly different use cases. If you are on a tight budget and only able to add one option to your collection then we would recommend that you go with royal blue over Prussian blue as it tends to mix better with a wider range of colors but most people do tend to add both to their collection.
Prussian Blue Color Code – #003153
Royal Blue Color Code – #4169e1
Prussian Blue Vs Cerulean Blue
Cerulean blue is another color option in our list that has different hues depending on brand with it usually ranging from a moderate azure to a darker sky blue. On top of this, some shades will have hints of turquoise is paints and inks labelled as cerulean blue too making it harder to distinguish the differences between cerulean blue and Prussian blue. Due to the wide range of hues all being labeled as cerulean blue when it comes to paint and ink, we have decided to stick to the digital hex code for the article.
As you can see from our sample above, the hex code hue for Cerulean Blue is lighter than Prussian blue but it doesn’t tend to be as light as royal blue. Due to this, many people will tend to opt to add a royal blue paint and a Prussian blue paint to their collection over a cerulean blue option. That said though, due to the range of colors all labelled as cerulean blue on the market, personal preference will come into play.
Prussian Blue Color Code – #003153
Cerulean Blue Color Code – #2a52be
Prussian Blue Vs Cobalt
Cobalt blue is another ligher shade of blue created by sintering cobalt oxide with aluminum oxide that can result in a beautiful looking shade. Cobalt blue is lighter than Prussian blue with the difference being obvious to the naked eye with it working as a stand alone or when mixed with other colors. Although you could mix Prussian blue and cobalt with each other, we would guess that most people would opt for royal blue or a lighter shade due to cobalt being closer to Prussian blue than the other light blues.
Although many people do add a Cobalt option to their collection, we feel that it is close enough to Prussian blue to be avoided if you know that you need Prussian blue in your collection and go with a lighter blue than cobalt for your lighter shade. This will offer you the highest level of versatility while keeping your costs as low as possible too getting you the best bang for your buck.
Prussian Blue Color Code – #003153
Cobalt Color Code – #0047ab
Conclusion
That brings our article going over the seven most popular Prussian blue color combinations that we see requested on a regular basis to an end. We hope that you have gave you a better idea of how each of the color combinations hold up, how they compliment each other as well as how they may blend with each other too. Prussian blue is an excellent option to add to your collection and well worth it in our opinion with it being one of the more popular dark blue paint options.
