The Mystery of Colour: and how we solved it

Travel through time to learn how artists and inventors unlocked the rainbow and changed the way we see the world.

What's your favourite colour? Ever wondered how it got from nature into your pencils and paints?

Long ago, brilliant blues, glittering greens and radical reds weren't easy to find - they hid in nature. Artists had to crush beetles, burn bones and even drain sea snails to make their paints.

Come on a colourful adventure through history, packed with amazing stories, dazzling illustrations, and iconic artworks from around the world. Written by colour detective and master paint maker David Langridge with stunning illustrations by Margaux Samson-Abadie, this book will inspire curious minds to see colour in a whole new way!

About the Author

David Coles is a real-life colour detective. He has spent years investigating how colours are transformed into pigments and paints, and now runs his own company Langridge Artist Colours, where he creates some of the world's most beautiful paints. He is also the author of Chromatopia. Margaux Samson-Abadie's illustrative work is intricate and colourful, and rooted in her fascination for nature and cherished childhood memories.