Valiant Balm Brick

Latin valēns, strong — present-participle of valēre, sharing root with English value and valor. As a color modifier, valiant implies a saturated-and-courageous-and-firm quality, the deep-rich color of Crusader-and-Knight-Templar military-religious-order vestment. Sits at the bold-and-chivalrous end of the grid, parallel to gallant and heroic in usage.

Latin balsamum, aromatic-resin-and-soothing-oil. As a color modifier, balm implies an aromatic-resin-and-soothing-oil-and-lemon-balm quality, the visual register of apothecary-balm-and-lemon-balm hand-aromatic-resin-and-soothing-oil-and-lemon-balm apothecary-balm-and-lemon-balm-and-Tudor-still-room balm-and-aromatic-resin-and-soothing-oil surfaces under apothecary-balm-and-lemon-balm-and-Tudor-still-room Tudor-still-room-and-monastic-physic-garden apothecary-and-still-room-light. Sits at the modifier-and-flavor end of the grid, parallel to bergamot and hyssop in usage.

Fired clay, mineral red. The color refers to common building brick — iron-rich earthenware kilned to the specific dusky red-orange of a Victorian terrace, a Roman aqueduct, an adobe wall in New Mexico. Less saturated than ruby, warmer than burgundy, with a chalky cast that reads as architectural rather than decorative.