Woad Purple

Isatis tinctoria

Isatis tinctoria, also called woad, dyer's woad, dyer's-weed, or glastum, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae with a documented history of use as a blue dye and medicinal plant. The double use of woad is seen in its name: the term Isatis is linked to its ancient use to treat wounds; the term tinctoria references its use as a dye. It is occasionally known as Asp of Jerusalem. Woad is also the name of a blue dye produced from the leaves of the plant. Woad is native to the steppe and desert zones of the Caucasus, Central Asia to Eastern Siberia and Western Asia but is now also found in South-Eastern and Central Europe and western North America.

Purple

Purple is a color similar in appearance to violet light. In the RYB color model historically used in the arts, purple is a secondary color created by combining red and blue pigments. In the CMYK color model used in modern printing, purple is made by combining magenta pigment with cyan pigment, black pigment, or both. In the RGB color model used in computer and television screens, purple is created by mixing red and blue light in order to create colors that appear similar to violet light. According to color theory, purple is considered a cool color.

woad

Noun

1. The plant Isatis tinctoria.
2. The blue vat dye made from the leaves of the plant through partial drying and fermentation.

Verb

1. To plant or cultivate woad.
2. To dye with woad.

purple

Noun

1. A colour between red and blue; violet, though often closer to magenta.
2. Any non-spectral colour on the line of purples on a colour chromaticity diagram or a colour wheel between violet and red.

Adjective

1. Of a purple hue.
2. Not predominantly red or blue, but having a mixture of Democrat and Republican support.