Crimson
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| Crimson | ||
|---|---|---|
| — Color coordinates — | ||
| Hex triplet | #DC143C | |
| RGBa | (r, g, b) | (220, 20, 60) |
| HSV | (h, s, v) | (348°, 91%, 86%) |
| a: Normalized to [0–255] (byte) | ||
Crimson is a strong, bright deep red color combined with some blue, resulting in a tiny degree of purple.
It is originally the color of the dye produced from the dried bodies of a scale insect, Kermes vermilio; however the name is also used for slightly bluish red colors in general that are between red and rose.
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[edit] Etymology
The word "crimson", recorded in English since 1416, in its earlier forms cremesin, crymysyn, also cramoysin, cf. cramoisy (a red cloth), is adapted via Old Spanish cremesin "of or belonging to the kermes", from the Medieval Latin cremesinus for kermesinus or carmesinus, the dye produced from scale insects in the genus Kermes, Arabic & Persian قرمز qirmiz, which stems from Sanskrit krmi-ja (cognate with Latin vermis and English worm. From the Latin carminus, a shortened form of carmesinus, comes carmine), a compound meaning "(red dye) produced by a worm", from krmih "worm" + -ja, "produced" (from Proto-Indo-European *gene-). Cognates include O.C.S. čruminu, Russian čermnyj "red," from the same source. Cf. also vermilion.
[edit] Dyes
The insects were gathered commercially in Mediterranean countries, where they live on the Kermes oak, and sold throughout Europe. Kermes dyes have been found in burial wrappings in Anglo-Scandinavian York. It fell out of use with the introduction of cochineal. The dyes were comparable in quality and color intensity, but ten to twelve times as much kermes was needed to produce the same effect as cochineal.
Alizarin crimson is a pigment that was first synthesized in 1868 by the German chemists Carl Gräbe and Carl Liebermann and replaced the natural pigment madder lake. Alizarin crimson is a dye bonded onto alum which is then used as a pigment. It is not totally colorfast, when mixed with ochre, sienna and umber.
Crimson, or crimson Lake, or carmine is sometimes the names given to the dye made from the dried bodies of the female cochineals, although it is more common to call the pigment "cochineal" after the insect from which it is made. It appears to have been discovered during the conquest of Mexico by Spaniard Hernán Cortés and brought to Europe in early 1500s. Carmine was first described by Mathioli in 1549.
Carmine is an aluminium and calcium salt of carminic acid and carmine lake is an aluminium or aluminum-tin lake of cochineal extract, whereas Crimson lake is prepared by striking down an infusion of cochineal with a 5 percent solution of alum and cream of tartar. Purple lake is prepared like carmine lake with the addition of lime to produce the deep purple tone. Carmine dyes tend to fade fast.
As a food additive, carmines have E number E120. It is also called cochineal and Natural Red 4.
[edit] Practical Uses
This dye was once widely prized in both the Americas and in Europe. It was used in paints by Michelangelo and on the fabrics of the Hussars, the Turks, the British Redcoats, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Nowadays carmine dyes are used for coloring foodstuffs, medicines and cosmetics. They are also used in some oil paints and watercolors used by artists.
[edit] Crimson in human culture
Arcade Games
- In the game The King Of Fighters, one of the main characters is called Ash Crimson, due to his red outfit and his personality.
Computer Games
- In the computer game Diablo using an eldritch shrine will give you the message "Crimson and Azure becomes as the sun", referring to its magical effect; turning all health (red) and mana (blue) potions into rejuvination (yellow) potions.
Fraternities and Sororities
- The international non-profit Greek letter organizations Kappa Alpha Psi and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (ΔΣΘ), Incorporated, uses crimson and cream as its official colors.
Literature
- In fiction, the primary villain of Stephen King's Dark Tower series is the Crimson King. The Crimson King also makes appearances in other King works, such as the novel Insomnia. Bev Vincent notes in his The Road to the Dark Tower that the color is intended to symbolize sickness, madness, and pain.
Military
- In the United States Army, crimson is the color of the Ordnance Corps.
Music
- King Crimson has been a popular rock group since the debut in 1969 of their first album, In the Court of the Crimson King.
- Crimson Thunder the 1992 album of swedish power metal band Hammerfall.
School Colors
- Crimson is the school color of several universities, including Harvard University, Indiana University, New Mexico State University, Saint Joseph's University, University of Alabama, University of Oklahoma, University of Utah, Washington State University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
- The daily newspaper at Harvard is called The Harvard Crimson while the daily newspaper at Alabama is called The Crimson White.
- Harvard's athletic teams are the Crimson, while the University of Alabama competes as The Crimson Tide. Morristown-Beard School in New Jersey, a prep school founded by Harvard graduates has Crimson as its team names. Morristown-Beard School.
- Also duPont Manual High School adopted the Crimson in 1892 and the football team is known as the Manual Crimsons.
- Maple Grove Senior High School in Maple Grove, Minnesota is called the 'Maple Grove Crimson' and the high school's colors are crimson and gold.
Social Class
Symbolism
- In English, crimson it is traditionally associated with the color of blood, and hence is associated with violence, courage and martyrdom. It was the most distinctive color of British officers' uniforms until the introduction of khaki camouflage, and remains in use for the colours (flag). The King's Royal Hussars still wear crimson trousers. However, the haemoglobin red is darker and has a lower chroma, while the haemoglobin molecule is structurally unrelated.
Video Games
- Crimson is a name given to Rosso in Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- for her red outfit and bloodthirsty nature.
[edit] See also
- Red dye insects: cochineal, Kermes vermilio, Polish cochineal
- List of colors
- Scarlet
- Red
- Amaranth
- Rose
[edit] Sources
(incomplete)
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
- Etymology OnLine
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