True blue! Crayola announced that a new shade of blue recently discovered by chemists at Oregon State University will be the latest addition to the iconic 24-pack of crayons.
The Crayola shade, which doesn’t yet have a name, will replace the dandelion crayon. The dark yellow hue was retired in March on National Crayon Day.
“We are a company all about kids, creativity and color, so we strive to keep our color palette innovative and on trend,” Crayola CEO Smith Holland said in a statement. “The new blue crayon color will help Crayola to continue to inspire kids and kids at heart, to create everything imaginable.”
The blue pigment, known as “YInMn” blue, was accidentally discovered when OSU chemists were experimenting with materials for electronics. They combined the elements yttrium, indium, manganese and oxygen, which created a striking and brand-new blue color.
Crayola fans can help choose a name for the crayon by submitting ideas on Crayola’s website until June 2. The company will reveal the top five names on the site on July 1, and then people can vote for the crayon’s final name throughout August. The winner will be announced in September.
