The Appearance of Colour

Posted on October 8th, 2020 by Mathmos

We are sometimes asked why the colours of lava lamps look slightly different when you turn them on at home. Also why they look different in different lighting conditions.

So we took one of our new colours blue and pink in the Astro lava lamp and photographed it in different lighting conditions. We also commissioned Antoni Malinowski who is the colour consultant for the Architectural Association in London and a fine artist to look into this for us.

Antoni malinowski donmar warehouse staircase

Antoni chose two different paints with different colours and different reflective qualities to illustrate how the same colour lava lamp can look so different in rooms painted different colours.

Mathmos Astro Lava lamp blue pink against dark blue background with lights off.

The dark cool blue reflective background multiplies the lava effect through the sharp reflection. The pink of the lava bubbles combined with the blue becomes a strong and mysterious magenta. The blue background turns the turquoise liquid into the dramatic darkness of a night sky.” A. Malinowski

Buy Astro Lava Lamp – Blue/Pink

Mathmos Astro Lava Lamp - Yellow background with lights off

The same lava lamp in front of the yellow ochre matt background creates a very different ambience. The warm yellow glow turns the lava bubbles a softer pink. The reflection on the wall is softly diffused – it gently mixes the pink reflection with the yellow shades.” A. Malinowski

Buy Astro Lava Lamp – Blue/Pink

We then photographed the same Astro in blue pink against a white wall with the lights on and with the lights off. See how different they are;

Mathmos Astro Lava lamp - Blue Pink - Light on
Mathmos Astro lava lamp blue pink - lights off

So when choosing your colour for your lava lamp think where you will put it, how you want it to appear and how you would like it to make you feel.

Buy Astro Lava Lamp – Blue/Pink