ultramarinetype

Ultramarinetype refers to a stylistic and historical category within typography and printing that centers on the use of ultramarine blue pigment in type and ink. The term appears in art-historical and bibliographic discussions to describe printwork whose type or ornamentation employs a vivid blue hue derived from ultramarine pigments.

Historically, ultramarine was produced from lapis lazuli and later manufactured synthetically in the 19th century. Natural ultramarine was expensive and reserved for special editions or elaborate decorations, while synthetic ultramarine made the blue more accessible in printing and publishing. In early modern and 18th–19th century typography, blue ink or blue type occasionally marked initials, headings, or rubrication, contributing to a distinctive visual identity often linked with prestige or ecclesiastical publications.

From a technical perspective, ultramarine ink can be formulated from ultramarine pigment dispersed in a resin or oil binder for ink, or used in water-based inks for lithography. Durability and colorfastness depend on pigment quality, binder, and exposure to light. In some contexts, ultramarine-type prints show a stronger bluish cast and less tendency to fade than many other blues, though modern inks vary widely.

In contemporary practice, ultramarine-type is largely historical or decorative. It is used by scholars as a descriptor for specific print runs or design aesthetics and may appear in museums, rare book libraries, and art-prints. In digital design, ultramarine-type is often approximated by standard blue hues rather than pigment-based effects.

See also: Ultramarine pigment; Blue ink; Typography history; Ink color in printing.