British artist Stuart Semple has unveiled YOLO, a vibrant blue-green paint inspired by the elusive colour ‘Olo’, seen only under laser stimulation in lab settings. This unique acrylic paint offers artists a new visual experience, blending scientific discovery with creative innovation.
British multidisciplinary artist Stuart Semple has introduced a new paint named YOLO, which embodies a vibrant blue-green shade inspired by a previously unseeable colour documented by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. This uniquely saturated colour, dubbed “Olo,” is exceptional in that it has been observed by very few individuals, owing to its creation in strictly controlled experimental settings employing lasers to stimulate a specific type of cone cell in the human retina.
Semple, who is renowned for his earlier projects such as The World’s Blackest Black and The Pinkest Pink, has transformed this elusive hue into a high-frequency acrylic paint intended for artists globally. He described YOLO in an interview with Trend Hunter, saying: “Whilst YOLO isn’t exactly the same as firing a laser into your eyeball, the experience of the colour is as close as you’ll ever get with a paint. This mix’s specific blend of high-frequency pigments and brighteners is designed to stimulate specific wavelengths of visual experience.”
The development of YOLO aligns with several contemporary trend themes in colour and visual experience, including the use of high-frequency pigmentation, which pushes the perceived boundaries of the visible colour spectrum, and the synthesis of colours that were previously attainable only in experimental or laboratory contexts. Additionally, advancements in the scientific understanding of human colour perception continue to influence and expand the creative possibilities for artists and designers alike.
From an industry standpoint, these innovations have notable implications. The art supplies sector stands to benefit from pigment technologies that offer new levels of vibrancy and uniqueness. Optical research plays a crucial role in evolving colour technologies, enabling products that possess experiential qualities beyond the limits of natural colour perception. Furthermore, the design and fashion industries are presented with opportunities to integrate such advanced colour technologies to produce items with aesthetic dimensions that were previously unattainable.
Stuart Semple’s YOLO paint thus represents a fusion of scientific exploration and artistic innovation, offering a tangible way for artists to access a novel visual experience that was once beyond reach.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://news.artnet.com/art-world/olo-new-color-yolo-stuart-semple-2635547 – This article corroborates Stuart Semple’s creation of YOLO paint as a physical emulation of the ‘Olo’ color discovered in experimental settings using lasers and retinal stimulation, and highlights Semple’s aim to democratize unique colors for artists, including the pricing strategy for artists versus collectors.
- https://culturehustle.com/products/yolo-newly-discovered-colouriest-colour – The product page for YOLO paint confirms that the paint’s formula uses a specific blend of high-frequency pigments and optical brighteners designed to stimulate particular wavelengths of visual experience, aligning with Semple’s description of the paint’s composition and color properties.
- https://www.dezeen.com/2025/04/24/stuart-semple-yolo-paint-newly-discovered-colour/ – Dezeen’s coverage verifies that YOLO is intended as the closest possible physical emulation of the newly discovered ‘Olo’ color and documents Semple’s artistic process and motivation behind creating the vibrant blue-green paint.
- https://www.iflscience.com/artist-creates-a-paint-inspired-by-the-new-color-olo-called-yolo-78942 – This article details the scientific background of ‘Olo’ as a newly described color perceived through laser-stimulated retinal cells at the University of California, Berkeley, and explains how Semple formulated YOLO paint to mimic the intensely saturated greenish-blue characteristics by using fluorescent optical brighteners.
- https://www.instagram.com/stuartsemple/reel/DI3JwIiI_9S/ – Stuart Semple’s Instagram reel promotes YOLO paint, highlighting the artist’s intention to make the ‘Olo’ inspired color accessible to artists worldwide, reinforcing the notion of democratizing unique color experiences.
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250424123456.htm – A scientific news release from April 2025 details the discovery of the new color ‘Olo’ by researchers at University of California, Berkeley, describing the experimental conditions involving lasers stimulating specific retinal cone cells, confirming the scientific foundation behind Semple’s YOLO paint inspiration.
- https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiWEFVX3lxTE9FOHpUNGtRenRBT1ZTdWZVb0psNERrZDdZMkxzNUFZVjhHcnJ4ejlaR2dYalFIY1dhSW1Vc2pTUGtfSDdMbDZ6andmaGFjQ1RJN09IQ29wdHrSAV5BVV95cUxNOXUtZTRQWkwzOWRJZk9FUlFIVXVSRkVJTi1IQTBFWjZGakFGdGVpTDkwdVc5UnhmUWo1eFVDY25abmg5MXRUb3BzZjEzMnRFc1I0Y0JOakFWOVpQQmNB?oc=5&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
No outdated references found. Mentions recent scientific collaboration with UC Berkeley, but no independent verification of press release freshness could be conducted without direct access to the source URL. The narrative describes current industry implications, suggesting contemporary relevance.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
Direct quote from Stuart Semple via Trend Hunter interview has not been independently verified through earliest source tracking. No contradictory claims found, but lack of direct URL confirmation limits verification.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
Narrative mentions Trend Hunter interview but originates from a Google News-linked source of uncertain origin. Semple’s established reputation in art-tech collaborations adds credibility.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
Claims align with Semple’s history of pigment innovations (e.g., Blackest Black). Collaboration with UC Berkeley researchers on colour perception adds plausibility, though specific technical details of the laser process remain unverified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative demonstrates consistency with Stuart Semple’s documented work and contemporary trends. While direct verification of quotes and UC Berkeley collaboration details is limited, the absence of contradictions and alignment with known industry developments supports its credibility.
