Big Blue & bright colors from the 70s
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HelluvaHoax!
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QUESTION: WTF was Ron thinking when he had the complex painted ugly blue.
ANSWER: He was thinking this. . . .
EXPLANATION: When Ron saw blue he thought of the ocean. And Ron loved the ocean. So, naturally Ron assumed that everyone else wanted to look at blue buildings because they are the same as the ocean. And so people would be happy. It's Scientology--it doesn't have to make sense.
QUESTION: WTF was Ron thinking when he had the complex painted ugly blue.
ANSWER: He was thinking this. . . .
EXPLANATION: When Ron saw blue he thought of the ocean. And Ron loved the ocean. So, naturally Ron assumed that everyone else wanted to look at blue buildings because they are the same as the ocean. And so people would be happy. It's Scientology--it doesn't have to make sense.
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Gib
Crusader
There is The Art book, copyright 1991, by Bridge Publications that states on page 105 Color Associations:
click on the pictures below. I'm not saying this is true, I'm just posting what the book says.
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Lone Star
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TheOriginalBigBlue
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Wow, that was only 2 years before the church bought it. I didn't realize it was still being used that long. Read the history. It was quite a place. It was built like a tank because they knew of the earthquake risk but this is its last go round. After the COS or another big quake it will be leveled. If you want pictures for posterity don't wait too long.
TheOriginalBigBlue
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Udarnik
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TheOriginalBigBlue
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...
QUESTION: WTF was Ron thinking when he had the had the complex painted ugly blue.
ANSWER: He was thinking this. . . .
EXPLANATION: When Ron saw blue he thought of the ocean. And Ron loved the ocean. So, naturally Ron assumed that everyone else wanted to look at blue buildings because they are the same as the ocean. And so people would be happy. It's Scientology--it doesn't have to make sense.
You make a good case for the exterior color aspect of this thread.
Gib
Crusader
well, go to tony ortega blog, and note the pictures of DM on stage with a blue background:
http://tonyortega.org/2015/04/09/re...the-father-of-scientologys-leader/#more-21725
TheOriginalBigBlue
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I checked out your picture. Blue is clearly integral to the long standing general SO color theme as evidenced by uniforms and decor, etc. However, just to be fair, if you pay attention to a lot of back lighting for TV newsrooms and sophisticated productions like Miami CSI you will see a similar usage of blue, especially with complimentary orange, etc. It really works well on-screen and in later years LRH was very much into that kind of thing. So this all does seem to support a possible bias towards the approval of blue by LRH even if he initially didn't specifically order that blue be used.
Smurf
Gold Meritorious SP
It was rated as one of L.A.'s "10 ugliest buildings".. http://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/attractions/the-10-ugliest-buildings-in-los-angeles
"HOLLYWOOD: Crack historian/commenter Vokoban has dug up a 1930 LA Times article on the completion of the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital on Fountain Ave.--the property that would eventually become the Church of Scientology's West Coast headquarters. The LAT wrote then: "It has a capacity of 250 beds and cost approximately $1,500,000 to erect. Some idea of its massiveness may be gained from the fact that the materials used for the concrete work, furnished by Consolidated Rock Products Company, amounted to 8900 tons of rock and 6800 tons of washed sand." CoL merged with Mount Sinai Hospitals in 1961 to became Cedars-Sinai.":
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2011/...was_big_and_blue_chris_browns_parking_tix.php
Gib
Crusader
Hubbard used everything and anything,
to persuade.
It's called the "cheese" to make folks get on the bandwagon known as being a "scientologist", somebody who supposedly "knows". But all they "know" in the end is Hubbardology. LOL
dchoiceisalwaysrs
Gold Meritorious Patron
Here I had thought that blue was chosen to represent what Tubs was actually doing. So the paint selection team had it exactly on Source, and matched the "Let's Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky" theme that Jon Atak later stole from Tubs for the title of his book. 
That damned Jon, always so on Source...LOL
That damned Jon, always so on Source...LOL
TheOriginalBigBlue
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Thank you for both of these very pertinent articles. The first article appears to answer the public survey question. On the second historical story, one thing that can be said in favor of the paint, is that it did serve to provide a little protection for the original design work during the building's reprieve from its inevitable destiny with a controlled demolition expert.
F.Bullbait
Oh, a wise guy,eh?
Yup, LRH showed up at least once. ASHO was done and AO was being renovated. He pitched a fit in the usual manner. The renovation was going too slowly. Capt. Bill was brought in and EPFers were worked until they dropped from lack of sleep.
eldritch cuckoo
brainslugged reptilian
Fascinating thread, as I'm interested in colors and pigments, and especially in blue pigments and dyes - and their history.
Long story short, human beings were obsessed with acquiring blue paint and fabric dye during the whole history. Blue still is the favorite color of around 40% of all people, around the world.
In my opinion, the color of this building was intended to match or symbolize "sky blue".
This would also match the general Co$ "sky blue / laser blue" promotion color, but I don't know whether that color scheme was implemented before or after the paint for this building was chosen. Or probably HelluvaHoax is right, and for Hubs it was merely a reference to the blue of the ocean (and the citie's name).
In any case, look at a front shot of the building, with its dominant "wings", and it almost seems to merge with the blue sky (given that the sky is not clouded, or darkening). It is an eerie feeling. I suppose this was intentional, even if Hubs hasn't imagined (or experienced) standing in front of the wings and looking up. Especially for a believer, it makes the building appear more powerful, more meaningful. It is a sinister effect.
Look at the often used front shot provided to news outlets for articles about "Going Clear". As the color hues ("H" of "HSL") of building and sky match each other so exactly in that shot, and more than in any other photo I could find, I suppose it was shooped. Otherwise this would be a great coincidence, not only depending on the time of day and the weather but also on the specifics of the camera used, etc. This would be another clever move of the film makers, as it makes the building appear even more eerie and "dominant" (amplifying just what the original intention of Hubbard probably was with that color choice).
I don't know about other countries, but here pastel blue - "sky blue" or "baby blue" - is, together with other pastel colors, a relatively normal color to paint one's house. (Although the city has to be asked for approval to "fit the style of the street/city" ("Ortsbild"), so you can't paint your house, small or large, just in any crazy color.)
Although in the case of the "Big Blue", the blue seems to be darker than usually when a building is painted in any version of what is commonly known as a happy "sky blue" or "baby blue".
And to be honest, I'd paint a house of mine just that color, or even darker (if the city lets me).
If they would let me, I'd probably smear the walls with low-binder Ultramarine paint until they glow, even if it doesn't keep long, hehe. It's not long ago that I found out the trick to apply Ultramarine that way (even without the help of Mr. I'm-A-Smartass Klein), and I'm definitely going to do that in my next apartment to parts of the walls!
After studying all these shots of the "Big Blue", I'm still insecure which pigment was used in that case because the differences between cameras and screens and the possibility of some postprocessing (contrast adaption etc) make it impossible to be certain of what it really looks, whereas, if looking at a paint(ing) "live", I'm often able to determine the pigment(s). However, on these shots sometimes the paint looks violet (blue that tends towards red), sometimes cyan/turquoise (blue that tends towards green). Could people who have seen the building, help me here?
Any chance to find out via old documents whether the pigment here is Phtalocyanide, Prussian blue, Ultramarine, or even Cobalt blue? Or a mixture of these?
Long story short, human beings were obsessed with acquiring blue paint and fabric dye during the whole history. Blue still is the favorite color of around 40% of all people, around the world.
In my opinion, the color of this building was intended to match or symbolize "sky blue".
This would also match the general Co$ "sky blue / laser blue" promotion color, but I don't know whether that color scheme was implemented before or after the paint for this building was chosen. Or probably HelluvaHoax is right, and for Hubs it was merely a reference to the blue of the ocean (and the citie's name).
In any case, look at a front shot of the building, with its dominant "wings", and it almost seems to merge with the blue sky (given that the sky is not clouded, or darkening). It is an eerie feeling. I suppose this was intentional, even if Hubs hasn't imagined (or experienced) standing in front of the wings and looking up. Especially for a believer, it makes the building appear more powerful, more meaningful. It is a sinister effect.
Look at the often used front shot provided to news outlets for articles about "Going Clear". As the color hues ("H" of "HSL") of building and sky match each other so exactly in that shot, and more than in any other photo I could find, I suppose it was shooped. Otherwise this would be a great coincidence, not only depending on the time of day and the weather but also on the specifics of the camera used, etc. This would be another clever move of the film makers, as it makes the building appear even more eerie and "dominant" (amplifying just what the original intention of Hubbard probably was with that color choice).
I don't know about other countries, but here pastel blue - "sky blue" or "baby blue" - is, together with other pastel colors, a relatively normal color to paint one's house. (Although the city has to be asked for approval to "fit the style of the street/city" ("Ortsbild"), so you can't paint your house, small or large, just in any crazy color.)
Although in the case of the "Big Blue", the blue seems to be darker than usually when a building is painted in any version of what is commonly known as a happy "sky blue" or "baby blue".
And to be honest, I'd paint a house of mine just that color, or even darker (if the city lets me).
If they would let me, I'd probably smear the walls with low-binder Ultramarine paint until they glow, even if it doesn't keep long, hehe. It's not long ago that I found out the trick to apply Ultramarine that way (even without the help of Mr. I'm-A-Smartass Klein), and I'm definitely going to do that in my next apartment to parts of the walls! After studying all these shots of the "Big Blue", I'm still insecure which pigment was used in that case because the differences between cameras and screens and the possibility of some postprocessing (contrast adaption etc) make it impossible to be certain of what it really looks, whereas, if looking at a paint(ing) "live", I'm often able to determine the pigment(s). However, on these shots sometimes the paint looks violet (blue that tends towards red), sometimes cyan/turquoise (blue that tends towards green). Could people who have seen the building, help me here?
Any chance to find out via old documents whether the pigment here is Phtalocyanide, Prussian blue, Ultramarine, or even Cobalt blue? Or a mixture of these?
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Boson Wog Stark
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I was going to post my new, improved Big Blue Blues GIF, with sign falling down, but the GIF is too large to post here.
Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't save the images but about a year ago when the subject of Big Blue came on Tony's blog, I experimented with coloring photos of Big Blue in various colors. The original color, a yellowish brick probably looks better than blue, but it is pretty ugly too. However, green is a lot more hideous than blue.
The blue matching the sky gives it an imposing, endless look, but it reminds me of a state hospital, even though it was just a regular hospital when it was built.
I think of it as kind of a like a big, blue angel of death with wings extended enclosing SCIENTOLOGY. The size of the sign, combined with the architecture and color, give it an outdated and overblown presence which is fitting of Scientology.
Here's a quick version of Big Green:
Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't save the images but about a year ago when the subject of Big Blue came on Tony's blog, I experimented with coloring photos of Big Blue in various colors. The original color, a yellowish brick probably looks better than blue, but it is pretty ugly too. However, green is a lot more hideous than blue.
The blue matching the sky gives it an imposing, endless look, but it reminds me of a state hospital, even though it was just a regular hospital when it was built.
I think of it as kind of a like a big, blue angel of death with wings extended enclosing SCIENTOLOGY. The size of the sign, combined with the architecture and color, give it an outdated and overblown presence which is fitting of Scientology.
Here's a quick version of Big Green:
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HelluvaHoax!
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Green seems quite appropriate!
Reminds me of something. . .
"We're off to see the Wizard
"The wonderful Wizard of Cauz"
I was going to post my new, improved Big Blue Blues GIF, with sign falling down, but the GIF is too large to post here.
Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't save the images but about a year ago when the subject of Big Blue came on Tony's blog, I experimented with coloring photos of Big Blue in various colors. The original color, a yellowish brick probably looks better than blue, but it is pretty ugly too. However, green is a lot more hideous than blue.
The blue matching the sky gives it an imposing, endless look, but it reminds me of a state hospital, even though it was just a regular hospital when it was built.
I think of it as kind of a like a big, blue angel of death with wings extended enclosing SCIENTOLOGY. The size of the sign, combined with the architecture and color, give it an outdated and overblown presence which is fitting of Scientology.
Here's a quick version of Big Green:
Green seems quite appropriate!
Reminds me of something. . .
"We're off to see the Wizard
"The wonderful Wizard of Cauz"
F.Bullbait
Oh, a wise guy,eh?
I never saw Cedars turned blue (just as well). Probably LRH thought a blue monolith would turn on some incident that would compell the rubes to fork over their savings.