Novel colored compounds with a hibonite structure and a method for making the same are disclosed. The compounds may have a formula AAl12−x−yMaxMbyO19 where A is typically an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a rare earth metal, Pb, Bi or any combination thereof, and Ma is Ni, Fe, Cu, Cr, V, Mn, or Co or any combination thereof, and Mb is Ti, Sn, Ge, Si, Zr, Hf, Ga, In, Zn, Mg, Nb, Ta, Sb, Mo, W or Te or any combination thereof. Compounds with varying colors, such as blue, can be made by varying A, Ma and Mb and their relative amounts. Compositions comprising the compounds and methods for making and using the same are also disclosed.