Amaranto

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Post XV - Advertisement

Chesterfield Ad - 1940's

Heinz Ad - 1910

Camels Ad - 1900's

Câline Ad, Perfume Jean Patou - 1960

Bitter Campari Ad - 1924

Dove Ad - 1958

The Amaranth color can be found in chemistry as a sulfonic acid-based naphthylazo dye for food, medicine or to color cosmetics. In 1796, many countries, such as the United States of America, Austria, Russia, and Norway, prohibited its use due to the possibility of E123 being carcinogenic. It's still legal in other countries, like England that uses it to give the bright color to their cherries.

As a food additive it has E number E123.

E123 gives products a red / purple colouration and is highly soluble in water - making it useful as a dye in photography. E123 is often used in wines and spirits.

Chemical Formula C₂₀H₁₁N₂Na₃O₁₀S₃
_{Molar Mass}604.47305

Melting Point 120 °C

A similar color can be found in Azorubine or Carmoisine, E number E122. It is a synthetic red food dye from the azo dye group and it tends to be used in fermented foods that require treatment by heat. Like Amaranth dye, it was also banned from some countries because it's believed to worsen asthma and hyperactivity in children and to cause allergic reactions to those allergic to aspirin.

Chemical Formula C₂₀H₁₂N₂Na₂O₇S₂
_{Molar Mass}502.44

Melting Point >300 °C

Solubility in Water Soluble (120g/l)

Friday, November 11, 2016

Post XIII - Comics

Writer: Hine, David
Artist: Braithwaite, Doug
Cover Artist: Braithwaite, Doug

Storm Dogs : when a crime team arrives on the planet of Amaranth to investigate a series of mysterious deaths, they begin to discover secrets that could unravel the fabric of the universe. With elements of westerns, mysteries, and political thrillers, this critically-acclaimed series is far more than just 'CSI in Space.'

Post XII - Culinary

Amaranth is a food that is believed to have been consumed for a long time, but only recently has started to be present in the European/American life style, due to recent discovers about its use back in the time. It's believed that Amaranth was present in the basin of the Mediterranean time of the Greeks and Romans, but it isn't confirmed that it is the same plant of our days from a genetic point of view. Amaranth was also a part of the Mayan and Aztec daily diet who ate even the leaves. With the grains of amaranth they was also prepared a nutritious drink called Atole amaranth.

Amaranth is one of those rare plants whose leaves are eaten as a vegetable while the seeds are used as cereals. The red dye from amaranth leaves is used to color alcoholic beverages in Bolivia (chicha) and northwestern Argentina, to color maize dough in Mexico and the southwestern United States, and to dye foods and beverages in Ecuador.

Raspberry derives its name from raspise, "a sweet rose-colored wine". The name may have been influenced by its appearance as having a rough surface related to Old English rasp or "rough berry". Raspberries are usually planted on winter and even though the most known color of it is pink/red, they can also be black, purple or yellow. These fruits contain more vitamin C than oranges, are super high in fibre, low in calories and supply you with a good dose of folic acid.

Cherry derives its name from the Latin cerasum, which referred to a Greek region (todays Giresun, Turkey) from which cherries were first thought to be exported to Europe. Cherries are native to Eastern Europe and Asia Minor regions. Cherries are one of the very low calorie fruits. Nonetheless, they are rich source of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Post XI - Document

The Amaranth color is mentioned in an Italian newspaper, Regio Delle Due Sicilie, Naples, 30th of March, 1811.

The book Amaranth: Modern Prospects for an Ancient Crop, 1984 talks about the importance of Amaranth grains to pre-columbian people, such as in their alimentation or rituals and beliefs.

Aesop's Fables, sixth century b.C. - "The Rose and the Amaranth"

A Rose and an Amaranth blossomed side by side in a garden,

and the Amaranth said to her neighbour,

"How I envy you your beauty and your sweet scent!

No wonder you are such a universal favourite."

But the Rose replied with a shade of sadness in her voice,

"Ah, my dear friend, I bloom but for a time:

my petals soon wither and fall, and then I die.

But your flowers never fade, even if they are cut;

for they are everlasting."

John Milton's poem Paradise Lost (1667), Amaranth as a symbol of immortality

"Immortal amarant, a flower which once

In paradise, fast by the tree of life,

Began to bloom; but soon for man's offence

To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows,

And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life,

And where the river of bliss through midst of heaven

Rolls o'er elysian flowers her amber stream:

With these that never fade the spirits elect

Bind their resplendent locks."

Plinio il Vecchio, speaks of amaranth in the "Naturalis Historia" by referring to the fact that the plant never withers and the flowers can be collected and maintained for a long time in the water.

Literature:

Amaranth is the name of the otherworldly pantheon that amuses itself by toying with individuals' luck in Tim Lebbon's novel "The Unfortunate".

"Love-Lies-Bleeding" (a poetic name for the amaranth flower) is the title of a 2005 play by Don DeLillo.

In Orson Scott Card's novel "Speaker for the Dead", amaranth is the only grass in the limited ecosystem of the planet Lusitania.

In the novel "To Live Forever" by Jack Vance, the members of the Amaranth Society have achieved immortality.

In Garth Nix's novel Abhorsen, the third chapter is entitled "Amaranth, Rosemary and Tears".

Post X - Logo

The logo I chose to represent the color Amaranth is from a Victoria's Secret lingerie line directed to younger women, PINK. As said in previous posts, the shades of pink are usually used to represent delicacy and feminine. Victoria's Secret being a brand that sells underwear, sleepwear, accessories and other stuff for women, both the shop and the color chosen to represent it are communicating these aspects. The logo consists in the outline of the word PINK in a slab serif typeface font, followed by the name of the main brand underneath.

Other logos with Amaranth:

The LG's logo sums up the slogan the brand stands for: Life's Good. The symbol mark is formed by two elements: the logo in grey and the pink-ish image next to it. The elements together create a face with the letter L and G representing the ideals of the brand above everything else. The color on the back represents friendliness, and also gives a strong impression of LG's commitment to deliver the best.