‘World’s Blackest Paint’ You Can Buy Is Now Dangerously Close To Vantablack
Image via Culture Hustle
Got an affinity with the darkness? It’s too bad you can’t coat your room in Vantablack and stew in it. The material, known as the world’s blackest, is exclusive to British artist Anish Kapoor, who holds the rights to use it in art.
And so spawned a war with color-crazed artist Stuart Semple, whose primary mission appears to “liberate” trademarked hues to the wider community. In 2017, Semple invented ‘Better Black’, a super-black acrylic paint that anyone could have their hands on. Its formula has continued to evolve since, which leads us to today, with the all-new ‘BLACK 4.0’.
Semple, through his website Culture Hustle, touts BLACK 4.0 as “the blackest black paint in the known universe.” Operative word, “known,” because Vantablack is still on lock and key.
Image via Culture Hustle
BLACK 4.0 surpasses its predecessor, BLACK 3.0, with the ability to absorb 99.95% of visible light—up from the previous 99.8%—making objects look 2D.
It’s “the mattest, flattest black you’ll ever see,” the artist says. One lick of paint is enough for most applications.
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The paint is moving dangerously close to the real Vantablack, which promises to trap 99.965% light. With that, it supposedly beats the 99.8% claim made by Vantablack’s sprayable S-VIS paint.
That’s thanks to a full reworking of the paint’s resin. Apart from changing up some of the ingredients in the recipe, Semple’s team overhauled the process, which was what truly “gave us the breakthrough,” the artist tells Hackaday.
3.0 had the slight tendency to separate and leave little crystals. With the 4.0, “that’s all gone now,” Semple proclaims.
Image via Culture Hustle
BLACK 4.0 is available in 150ml (US$56) and one-liter (US$247) bottles, as well as an “XXXXXXL” six-liter option, which will set darkness seekers back a whopping US$1,115.
As usual, anyone can purchase the paint. Well, anyone except Kapoor.
Does this look like it's rotating or going back & forth?
— STUART SEMPLE (@stuartsemple) October 17, 2023
I painted it with the brand new BLACK 4.0 - the more I look at it, the more bizarre it gets!
The blackest paint in the universe DROPS THIS FRIDAY.
Don't miss it: https://t.co/xDwPH5kRi1#BLACK4 pic.twitter.com/qMrEovAvDN
“By adding this product to your cart you confirm that you are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor,” reads the small print on the website. “To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this material will not make it's way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.”
Besides being able to create superior dark sculptures and backdrops, Semple foresees the material being useful for innovations like telescopes and cameras, as the ultrablack pigment would adeptly prevent light leaks.
More fun & games with the brand new Blackest Black paint!
— STUART SEMPLE (@stuartsemple) October 22, 2023
What direction does it look like it's rotating?
If you want to use Black 4.0, we're shutting the doors on this batch soon.
I don't want you to miss out if you need it for your art, so click here:https://t.co/dqZuwJWaOV
x pic.twitter.com/qCDgo1G14w
The initial BLACK 4.0 batches will begin shipping this month.
[via Hackaday and Artnet News, images via Culture Hustle]
