My attempt at a cobalt blue marble went completely purple

I was working on a set of drinking glasses last week and wanted to add a small cobalt blue marble to each one. I've used the same batch of Reichenbach cobalt rod for years with no issues. This time, after I encased it and worked it into the piece, the color came out a deep purple instead of blue. I was working in a slightly more reducing flame than usual because I was trying to keep the base glass extra hot. I think the extra reduction changed the chemistry of the color. I had to scrap the whole set because the client specifically wanted blue. It was about $150 worth of materials and time down the drain. I learned that even a familiar color can act totally different with small changes in the flame atmosphere. Has anyone else had a cobalt blue shift like this, and what's your method to keep it true?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_luna1d ago

Ugh that's such a bummer, but is the color shift really that bad? Purple cobalt can be really pretty. I get the client wanted blue, but maybe you could have shown them the result first before scrapping everything. Sometimes a happy accident leads to a better design.

margaret_nelson1d ago

Have you ever dealt with a client who's super specific? Honestly, showing them the wrong color first just wastes everyone's time and makes you look bad. Tbh, you gotta stick to the plan they paid for.