Crimson 238911 224081669 2008-07-07T06:00:40Z RedWolf 27822 Disambiguate [[Dark Tower]] to [[The Dark Tower (series)]] using [[:en:Wikipedia:Tools/Navigation_popups|popups]] {{otheruses}} {{infobox color|title=Crimson|textcolor=white| hex=DC143C| r=220|g= 20|b= 60| c= 0|m=122|y= 73|k= 0| h=348|s= 91|v= 86 |source=[[Web colors#X11 color list|X11]]}} '''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 a [[scale insect]], ''[[Kermes vermilio]]'', but the name is now also used for slightly bluish-red colors in general that are between red and [[rose (color)|rose]]. == History == '''Crimson''' was produced using the dried bodies of the [[Kermes (genus)|kermes]] insect, which 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]]. They fell out of use with the introduction of [[cochineal]], because although the dyes were comparable in quality and color intensity it needed ten to twelve times as much kermes to produce the same effect as cochineal. '''[[Carmine]]''' is the name given to the dye made from the dried bodies of the female [[cochineal]], although the name '''crimson''' is sometimes applied to these dyes too. Cochineal appears to have been discovered during the conquest of [[Mexico]] by the Spaniard [[Hernán Cortés]], and the name 'carmine' is derived from the Spanish word for crimson. It was first described by [[Mathioli]] in [[1549]]. The pigment is also called '''cochineal''' after the insect from which it is made. '''[[Alizarin]]''' is a pigment that was first synthesized in [[1868]] by the [[Germany|German]] [[chemist]]s [[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 and mixed with [[ochre]], [[sienna]] and [[umber]]. It is not totally colorfast. ==Etymology== The word ''crimson'' has been recorded in English since [[1400]],<ref> The first recorded use of ''crimson'' as a color name in [[English language|English]] was in [[1400]] according to the following book: Maerz and Paul ''A Dictionary of Color'' New York:1930--McGraw Hill Page 193; Color Sample of Crimson: Page 31 Plate 4 Color Sample K6</ref> and its earlier forms include ''cremesin'', ''crymysyn'' and ''cramoysin'' (cf. [[cramoisy]], a crimson cloth). These were adapted via [[Old Spanish]] from the [[Medieval Latin]] ''cremesinus'' (also ''kermesinus'' or ''carmesinus''), the dye produced from [[Kermes]] scale insects, and can be traced back to the [[Turkish language|Turkish]] ''kırmızı'' (red in Turkish), which in turn stems from the [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]] ''krmi-ja'', a compound meaning "produced by a [[worm]]" from ''krmih'' "worm" + -''ja'' "produced" (from the [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] *''gene''-). A shortened form of ''carmesinus'' also gave the Latin ''carminus'', from which comes [[carmine]]. Other cognates include the [[Old Church Slavic]] ''čruminu'' and the [[Russian language|Russian]] ''čermnyj'' "red". Cf. also [[vermilion]]. == Dyes == {{mainarticle|carmine}} {{main|Kermes (dye)}} [[Image:Carminic acid structure.png|thumb|right|233px|Carminic acid]] Carmine dyes, which give crimson and related red and purple colors, are based on an [[aluminium]] and [[calcium]] [[salt]] of [[carminic acid]]. '''Carmine lake''' is an [[aluminium]] or aluminium-tin [[lake pigment|lake]] of cochineal extract, and '''Crimson lake''' is prepared by striking down an infusion of cochineal with a 5 [[percent]] [[solution]] of [[alum]] and [[Potassium tartrate|cream of tartar]]. '''Purple lake''' is prepared like carmine lake with the addition of [[calcium oxide|lime]] to produce the deep [[purple]] tone. Carmine dyes tend to fade quickly. Carmine dyes were once widely prized in both the [[Americas]] and in [[Europe]]. They were used in paints by [[Michelangelo]] and for the crimson fabrics of the [[Hussars]], the [[Turkic peoples|Turks]], the [[Great Britain|British]] Redcoats, and the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]]. Nowadays carmine dyes are used for coloring foodstuffs, medicines and [[cosmetics]]. As a [[food additive]], carmine dyes are designated [[E120]], and are also called '''cochineal''' and '''Natural Red 4'''. Carmine dyes are also used in some [[oil paint]]s and [[watercolor]]s used by artists. ==Alizarin crimson== {{infobox color|title=Alizarin Crimson|textcolor=white| hex=E32636| r=227|g= 38|b= 54| c= |m= |y= |k= 0| h=348|s= 90|v= 77 |source==[http://forums.bf2s.com/viewtopic.php?id=46435 BF2S Color Guide]}} The shade of red on the infobox to the right is '''alizarin crimson'''. This is an artificially created color, used to replace the harder to obtain [[rose madder]]. {{-}} ==Crimson in human culture== {{Unreferenced|date=March 2007}} ;Computer & Video Games * A color of [[Nintendo DS Lite]] (crimson on top, black on bottom) * In the arcade game [[The King Of Fighters]], one of the main characters is called [[Ash Crimson]] owing to his red outfit and his personality. * Crimson is a name given to Rosso in ''[[Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII]]'' for her red outfit and bloodthirsty nature. * In the 1997 playstation strategy game [[Vandal Hearts]] the Crimson Guard were a bloodthirsty order of knights and soldiers that's crimson armour matched the color of the blood they spilled. * Alizarin crimson is one of the colors listed in [[Donovan]]'s ''[[Wear Your Love Like Heaven]]''. ;Cultural references * In English, crimson 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, and the haemoglobin molecule is structurally unrelated. * In Polish, ''karmazyn'' ('crimson') is also a synonym for a [[Magnate]], i.e., a member of the [[nobility]]. ;Emblem colors * The international non-profit Greek letter organizations [[Delta Sigma Theta|Delta Sigma Theta Sorority]] (ΔΣΘ), Incorporated & [[Kappa Alpha Psi|Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity]] (KAΨ), Incorporated use crimson and cream as its official colors. * Crimson is the school color of several universities, including [[Harvard University]], [[Indiana University (Bloomington)|Indiana University]], [[New Mexico State University]], [[Saint Joseph's University]], [[University of Alabama]], [[University of Belgrano]], [[University of Mississippi]], [[University of Oklahoma]], [[University of Utah]], [[Washington State University]], [[Korea University]] and [[Worcester Polytechnic Institute]]. The daily newspaper at Harvard is called [[The Harvard Crimson]], and the daily newspaper at Alabama is called [[The Crimson White]]. Harvard's athletic teams are the Crimson, while the University of Alabama competes as [[University of Alabama athletics|The Crimson Tide]]. The [[University of Kansas]] uses crimson paired with a deep blue to create its traditional colors. * Crimson is a color of several high schools. [[Morristown-Beard School]] in New Jersey, a prep school founded by Harvard graduates, has Crimson as its team names. [[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. [[duPont Manual]] High School adopted the Crimson in 1892 and the football team is known as the [[Manual Crimsons]]. The teams of [[Juneau-Douglas High School]] in Juneau, Alaska are known as the 'Crimson Bears' and their colors are crimson and black. ;Literature * In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah uses crimson to symbolize sin. Isaiah 1:18 states, "'Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." * In fiction, the primary villain of [[Stephen King]]'s ''[[The Dark Tower (series)|The 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. * In the comic strip [[Calvin & Hobbes]], Calvin's alter ego 'Stupendous Man' wears a crimson outfit. * In the Flemish comic strip [[Spike and Suzy|Suske en Wiske (Spike and Suzy)]] the name of the bad guy is Krimson * In the American G.I. Joe comic series, the COBRA terrorist organization's elite troopers are called the Crimson Guard. ;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 is the title of an album by the Swedish death metal band [[Edge of Sanity]]. They also made a follow-up to that album, entitled Crimson II. * Crimson is the title of an [[Alkaline Trio]] album. * [[Crimson Thunder]] the 2002 album of Swedish power metal band Hammerfall. * [[Kill to Get Crimson]] is the title of Mark Knopfler's 5th solo album released in September, 2007. * [[Crimson and Clover]] is a song and album by Tommy James and the Shondells. * [[Behind Crimson Eyes]] is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia. * A [[Sentenced]] album. * "King In Crimson" is the first song from the Bruce Dickinson album [[The Chemical Wedding]]. * [[The Crimson (song)|The Crimson]] is the name of a song by [[Atreyu (band)]]. ;Television * On the public television show [[The Joy of Painting]], [[Bob Ross]] usually used [[Alizarin|alizarin crimson]] as a color on his palette. ==References== <references/> == See also == * Red dye insects: [[cochineal]], ''[[Kermes vermilio]]'', [[Polish cochineal]] *[[List of colors]] *[[Scarlet (color)|Scarlet]] *[[Red]] *[[Amaranth (color)|Amaranth]] *[[Alizarin|Alizarin Crimson]] *[[Rose (color)|Rose]] *[[Carmine]] {{commonscat}} ==References== (incomplete) *{{1911}} *[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=crimson&searchmode=none Etymology OnLine] {{-}} {{shades of red}} [[Category:pigments]] [[Category:Food additives]] [[Category:Shades of red]] [[Category:Natural dyes]] [[es:Carmesí]] [[fa:زرشکی]] [[fr:Cramoisi]] [[ko:심홍색]] [[it:Cremisi]] [[he:ארגמן]] [[ja:クリムゾン (色)]] [[pl:Karmazyn]] [[pt:Carmesim]] [[simple:Crimson]] [[sr:Гримизна боја]] [[sv:Karmosin]] [[vi:Đỏ thắm]] [[zh:緋紅色]]