Handprint - Red

11/8/2016 handprint : colormaking attributes
red
Key to the Paint Ratings
PIGMENT PIGMENT PAINT
MANUFACTURER CODE Tr St VR Gr Bl Df HA HS Lf
C.I. NAME CHEMICAL NAME MARKETING NAME
NOTE: This page only includes pigments in the orange red, red and deep
red (including carmine and maroon) hue categories. Violet red pigments are
listed on the magenta page.
beta naphthol red blockx red

PR3 Blockx 225 2 3 54 0 3 4 33 -3 3,6
(1873) [discontinued in 2008]
Beta naphthol red PR3 is an impermanent, semiopaque, staining, dark valued,
intense red pigment, offered by more than 40 pigment manufacturers
worldwide and primarily used in printing inks. Unrated by the ASTM, my tests
suggest it has "fair" (III) to "poor" (IV) lightfastness. The paint tested here,
Blockx blockx red, is active wet in wet and blossoms readily; a dense
orange red in masstone, it shifts imperceptibly toward blue in undertone.
lightfastness test sample
AVOID. PR3 is an impermanent and relatively inexpensive pigment that is not
unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
appropriate for professional artwork, as there are several more lightfast red
(bottom)
pigments available. Substitutions: try the far more lightfast pyrrole red
(PR254), pyrrole scarlet (PR255) or M. Graham naphthol red (PR112), not
to mention the many cadmium paints around the same hue angle (33). See
also the section on beta naphthol pigments.
permanent red deep

PR9 naphthol AS red (1920) Lukas 1097 2 3 46 0 3 4 33 -3 1,4
[discontinued in 2005]
Naphthol AS scarlet PR9 is a very fugitive, semiopaque, staining, moderately
dark valued, very intense red pigment, offered by more than 40 pigment
manufacturers worldwide and primarily used in printing inks. The ASTM
(1999) rates its lightfastness in watercolors as "fair" (III), but my 2004 tests
give a "poor" (IV) rating. The CIECAM J,a,b values for naphthol scarlet (PR9)
are: 44, 81, 37, with chroma of 89 (estimated hue purity of 74) and a hue
angle of 25.
Apparently Lukas is the only commercial source for this pigment in
(bottom)
watercolors. A dense orange red in masstone, it shifts toward blue in
undertone.
AVOID. PR9 is a relatively inexpensive pigment that is not appropriate for

professional artwork, as there are several more lightfast alternatives available.
Substitutions: try the far more lightfast pyrrole red (PR254), pyrrole scarlet
(PR255) or M. Graham naphthol red (PR112), not to mention the many
cadmium paints around the same hue angle (33). See also the section on
naphthol pigments.
naphthol AS carmine
PR23 crimson lake Holbein 210 2 3 57 0 2 2 26 -20 3,6
(1911)
Naphthol AS carmine PR23 is an impermanent, semitransparent, lightly
staining, dark valued, moderately dull deep red pigment. Unrated by the
ASTM, industry and my own lightfastness tests give it a "poor" (IV) rating.
Holbein is apparently the only source for the pigment in watercolors.
AVOID. One of the many early naphthol pigments, and with poor
lightfastness compared to some naphthols with a higher color index number
(see for more information the note on naphthol AS pigments), this pigment
has nothing to offer over more modern alternatives, such as pyrrole rubine
(PR264) or benzimidazolone carmine (PR176). See also the section on
naphthol pigments.
beta oxynaphtholic acid

PR48 scarlet lake Holbein 225 2 3 46 0 3 0 38 -13 1,6
scarlet (1902)
BONA red PR48 is a fugitive, semiopaque, staining, moderately dark valued,
intense orange red pigment. Unrated by the ASTM, industry and my own
http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/waterr.html 1/16
lightfastness tests give it a "poor" (IV) rating. Holbein scarlet lake is the
only commercial source I know of; this paint is inert wet in wet, but blossoms
moderately when rewetted. The undertone is noticeably bluer.
AVOID. Since the late 19th century, scarlet lake has been the marketing
name for several fugitive scarlet pigments or convenience mixtures. None lightfastness test sample
of the historical pigments are available today in commercial paints. The label is
nonspecific when applied to modern synthetic organic pigments, as several of unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
these are laked, including PR188, PR255 and PO72, but in general these (bottom)
paints are semiopaque. Substitutions: the closest color match is probably
naphthol scarlet (PR188) or, for even greater intensity that is correspondingly
harder to handle in mixtures, the stunning disazo scarlet (PR242).
1-, 2-
PR83 dihydroxyanthraquinone alizarin crimson Rembrandt 326 4 2 54 0 3 2 20 -5 2,6
lake (1868)
PR83 alizarin crimson M. Graham 010 4 4 55 0 1 4 26 -10 1,6
PR83 alizarin crimson Daniel Smith 001 4 3 61 1 4 1 25 -10 1,6
PR83 alizarin crimson Winsor & Newton 002 4 3 59 0 3 2 26 -13 1,5
PR83 alizarin crimson Utrecht 147 4 3 48 0 2 2 22 -15 1,5
PR83 alizarin crimson Rowney Artists 515 3 3 59 0 1 2 25 -8 1,4
PR83 carmine [hue] Holbein 211 4 2 47 0 3 2 22 -9 1,4
PR83 alizarin violet lake Sennelier 940 4 2 55 1 4 3 337 -2 1,3
Alizarin crimson PR83 is a fugitive, transparent, staining, dark valued,
moderately intense deep red pigment, offered by 5 pigment manufacturers
worldwide. (The color index name "PR83" refers to a lake of the natural
anthraquinone pigment, isolated from the madder root by Robiquet & Colin
1826; many manufacturers used the CI name "PR83:1" for the synthetic
laked pigment invented by the German chemists Graebe and Lieberman in
1868, although this usage is not sanctioned by the Colour Index
International.) The average CIECAM J,a,b values for alizarin crimson (PR83)
angle of 17.
Madder was used as a fabric dye in ancient Egypt and as a pigment in Roman
times, and it is mentioned in some medieval painting treatises (though not as
a pigment used by itself). It became one of the most important natural
organic pigments in European oil easel painting in the 17th and 18th
centuries; Joshua Reynolds and J.M.W. Turner used it throughout their
careers. Winsor & Newton first introduced alizarin crimson in watercolors in
1891. Since then and until recently it has been the 19th century
synthetic organic pigment most widely used by watercolor painters for a violet
red or "cool red" color.
The madder extract contains two distinct dyes (fiery orange purpurin and
bluish red alizarin); the color of alizarin lakes ranges from scarlet through pink
and rose red to bluish red, depending on the proportions of purpurin and
alizarin the formulation and the chemical aluminum, tin, calcium, iron or
chromium that provides the inert substrate for the laking process.
As sold today, the color is consistently a dark, intense crimson when wet, and
undergoes a very large drying shift (lightening and losing saturation) toward
maroon). Applied as a juicy wash, some brands produce a subtle flocculation,
and most brands are fairly active wet in wet (alizarin requires extensive
milling to disperse in a vehicle, so a dispersant is often added to the paint
batch to decrease the milling time). The alizarin crimsons by Winsor & Newton,
M. Graham and Rowney Artists were the most intense of the brands listed
here; Utrecht and Holbein were the dullest. The formulations by Daniel Smith,
Winsor & Newton and Rowney Artists give the darkest values in masstone;
Utrecht and Rembrandt are less concentrated and therefore lighter;
M. Graham is close to average.
The lightfastness of alizarin crimson ranges from very poor to marginal. By

modern standards, the pigment consistently fails to meet the minimum
lightfastness standards expected of professional watercolor paints. The ASTM
(1999) lists it in a table of pigments "not sufficiently lightfast to be used in
paints" and rates its lightfastness in watercolors as "poor" (IV, PR83) or "very
poor" (V, PR83 FE). And no matter who does the lightfastness testing, they
always end up with results that look like this ("before" at right, "after" at left):
alizarin crimson lightfastness samples (2004)

after just 300 hours of sunlight exposure, the tints in all samples have
completely faded: (left to right) Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith,
Holbein, M.Graham, Rembrandt, Rowney Artists, Sennelier
Many paint companies still offer alizarin crimson, especially those paint
companies with an entrenched and backward looking customer base; and
some published watercolor tutorials continue to advocate it, simply because
a dwindling number of "old master" (age 50 and above) workshop and bistro
gallery artists continue to use it. These folks claim to believe that alizarin is
"lightfast enough" for professional quality work, or that lightfastness
concerns about it are mere "nit picking and hairsplitting". A few forward
looking watercolor brands (Da Vinci, Kremer, Maimeri, Robert Doak) do not
use it in any paint, and the majority of up and coming watercolor painters
have concluded it is unacceptably impermanent and should be replaced by a
modern synthetic organic alternative. (See "Substitutions" below.)
What do the paint companies say? Daniel Smith makes over 130 watercolors,
rated for lightfastness in four categories; only two paints fall in the lowest
("fugitive") category: alizarin crimson and rose madder. Schmincke makes
105 watercolors, rated for lightfastness in five categories; only one paint gets
the lowest rating: alizarin crimson. Winsor & Newton makes 96 watercolors,
rated for lightfastness in three categories; only two paints are in the lowest
category: rose madder and alizarin crimson. The previous Grumbacher line
offered 55 watercolors, rated for lightfastness in four categories; only three
paints were rated in the lowest category all made with alizarin crimson. As
you see, paint manufacturers unanimously affirm that PR83 stands almost
unchallenged as the least permanent pigment available in watercolors today.
The sunstruck behavior of the paint is deceiving. Both the tint and masstone
color seem robust for about 4 weeks (~225 hours) of summer sunlight
exposure, then the tint begins to fade rapidly over two weeks until the color is
completely gone (see examples above). The masstone begins to lighten and
lose saturation about a week after that, but it too becomes drastically
degraded within another month. Those first four or five weeks may mislead
some artists to the opinion that the published lightfastness results are
inaccurate and that the pigment is "lightfast enough"; but this assumes that
the painters who still use alizarin have actually tested it.
AVOID. Alizarin crimson has been tested hundreds of times since the late
19th century (when it was the preferred violet red pigment of amateur painter
Queen Victoria of England), and there is simply no credible argument in its
favor. I even recommend using a swatch of alizarin crimson as a homemade
exposure control in lightfastness test because it fades so reliably. The
argument made by some painters that no problems appear in paintings left
around the studio for a year or two, or that a painter has "gotten no
complaints" from buyers, is idiotic and self deluding. These painters merely
reveal that they can't be bothered to test their palette choices. If they did,
they would see for themselves the damage they inflict on their own work, on
the good faith of their collectors, and on market confidence in the investment
quality of watercolor paintings.
Substitutions: Modern chemistry has innovated several relatively lightfast

replacements for traditional but fugitive crimson pigments. To understand
these choices, you should approach the choice of substitutions as replacing the
single alizarin crimson paint with either one, or two, lightfast alternatives.
If you want to make a one for one substitution, then there are five pigment
substitutions for alizarin crimson currently offered in commercial watercolor
paints: (1) benzimida carmine (PR176), (2) quinacridone pyrrolidone (PR
N/A), (3) pyrrole rubine (PR264), (4) anthraquinone red (PR177, a chemical
cousin of alizarin), and (5) a few relatively dark and reddish varieties of
quinacridone violet (PV19). (These paints are typically offered under
marketing names such as alizarin crimson hue, azo alizarin, quinacridone
alizarin, permanent alizarin crimson, etc.) All these paints are semitransparent
and don't lose intensity or shift to brown when they dry, making them
satisfactory color alternatives for alizarin crimson. However they all have
marginal lightfastness (6,7 in my tests), which is still far better than the
average lightfastness of alizarin crimson (1,5).
I think the affection many painters feel for alizarin crimson actually has to do
with its dullness rather than its intensity, as alizarin can mix glowing, flexible
flesh tones, dusky violets and silky near blacks; these painters often feel the
quinacridones are too strident and bluish. For them a two paint substitution
may be more desirable. I highly recommend perylene maroon (PR179) as
the best substitute for alizarin crimson. It is exceptionally lightfast for a red or
carmine pigment, and provides some of the "blue red" reflectance
necessary to produce dull violet mixtures with violet blue or blue paints. I am
continually delighted by what I can do with it in portrait, botanical and
landscape color mixtures. However a brighter violet red color will sometimes be
wanted, and for that purpose I recommend choosing as a second paint either
quinacridone magenta (PR122) or quinacridone rose (PV19). These two
paints can also serve as single paint substitutions for alizarin crimson, to
optimize mixtures with both warm (yellow, orange) and cool (blue) paints; or
they can be muted as desired with perylene maroon.
vermilion [genuine]
PR106 mercuric sulfide (c.800) Blockx 320 0 4 43 1 4 1 35 +1 3,3
Genuine vermilion PR106 is a fugitive, very opaque, heavily staining,
moderately dark valued, intense orange red pigment. The ASTM (1999)
rates its lightfastness as "fair" (III), but in my own tests, which allowed for the
heat of direct sunlight, I saw its muted scarlet fade to a horrid scabby brown
after just two weeks of sunlight exposure (BWS 4), earning it a "poor" (IV)
rating. Mercuric sulfide is also poisonous. In addition to these dubious virtues,
it is extremely expensive ($31 for a 15ml. tube in 2004). lightfastness test sample

My sample of Blockx vermilion was relatively inert wet in wet, blossomed very
(bottom)
readily, and yielded a subtle flocculation when dry. For reference, The CIECAM
J,a,b values for this genuine vermilion (PR106) were: 47, 71, 38, with
chroma of 80 (estimated hue purity of 66) and a hue angle of 28.
AVOID. I bought this paint to observe its color characteristics, as many 19th
century painters, including Winslow Homer and Paul Signac, used it. It is
completely unsuitable today for professional artwork. Substitutions: There
are many reliable modern pigments to choose from. The closest color match to
the historical pigment was provided by Winsor & Newton vermilion hue (a
cadmium hue mixture, now discontinued, listed below under PR108). The
best color and opacity match is a cadmium scarlet or cadmium red light, or
naphthol scarlet (PR188). Many paints named "vermilion," such as the
Holbein [cadmium] vermilion, are much too orange. See also the section on
mercuric pigments.
cadmium sulfoselenide
PR108 cadmium scarlet Winsor & Newton 084 2 3 43 0 3 3 40 -3 8,8
(1892; 1910)
PR108 cadmium red Winsor & Newton 082 1 3 50 0 3 2 34 -2 8,8
PR108 cadmium red deep Winsor & Newton 083 2 4 50 1 4 2 31 -2 8,8
cadmium sulfoselenide + vermilion hue
PR108+PY53 Winsor & Newton 232 2 4 41 1 4 3 34 0 8,8
nickel titanate yellow [discontinued in 2005]
PR108 cadmium red light M. Graham 050 1 4 48 1 3 1 32 0 8,8
PR108 cadmium red M. Graham 040 0 4 53 1 2 3 26 0 8,8
PR108 cadmium red pale Rowney Artists 506 0 4 45 1 3 1 34 0 8,8
PR108 cadmium red Rowney Artists 501 0 4 49 1 3 1 31 0 8,8
PR108 cadmium red deep Rowney Artists 502 0 4 59 1 3 1 25 0 8,8
PR108 cadmium scarlet DaVinci 213 1 4 39 0 3 2 39 0 8,8
PR108 cadmium red medium DaVinci 211 1 4 43 1 3 2 37 -4 8,8
PR108 cadmium red deep DaVinci 210 1 4 51 1 2 1 29 -3 8,8
cadmium red scarlet
PR108:1 cadmium lithopone Daniel Smith 006 0 4 42 0 1 1 37 -1 8,8
cadmium red
PR108:1 Daniel Smith 082 1 4 49 1 2 2 31 0 8,8
cadmium red deep
PR108:1 Daniel Smith 083 0 4 56 1 2 3 26 +1 8,8
vermilion [cadmium
PR108 Holbein 218 1 2 41 0 3 1 38 -4 8,8
scarlet]
PR108 cadmium red light Holbein 214 0 2 47 1 3 1 35 -1 8,8
PR108 cadmium red deep Holbein 215 0 3 51 1 2 1 32 -3 8,8
PR108 cadmium purple Holbein 217 0 3 53 1 2 0 30 0 8,8
PR108 cadmium scarlet Lukas 217 0 3 42 1 0 0 39 -3 8,8
PR108+PO20 cadmium sulfoselenide cadmium red light Rembrandt 303 1 4 45 1 3 1 37 +2 8,8
PR108 cadmium red medium Rembrandt 314 1 4 48 1 3 1 33 0 8,8
PR108 cadmium red deep Rembrandt 306 1 4 50 1 3 1 30 -2 8,8
PR108 cadmium red light MaimeriBlu 226 1 4 44 1 1 2 37 -1 8,8
PR108 cadmium red deep MaimeriBlu 232 0 3 54 1 2 1 27 -1 8,8
PR108 cadmium red light Utrecht 143 2 3 43 0 1 2 36 +3 8,8
PR108 cadmium red Utrecht 144 2 3 48 0 0 1 31 +3 8,8
PR108 cadmium red deep Utrecht 144 2 3 59 0 0 1 25 +4 8,8
PR108 cadmium red Blockx 323 0 4 52 1 3 1 29 -2 8,8
PR108 cadmium purple Blockx 325 1 4 54 1 1 0 24 0 8,8
TOP 40 PIGMENT Cadmium red PR108 is a very lightfast, opaque,
staining, moderately dark valued, very intense red orange and orange red
to dark valued, intense red and deep red pigment. Genuine cadmium
sulfoselenide is available from 10 registered pigment manufacturers
worldwide; only 2 manufacturers offer the cadmium coprecipitated with
barium sulfate (cadmium lithopone). The ASTM requires cadmium lithopone to
be labeled "PR108:1" if it contains 15% or more of barium sulfate, as Daniel
Smith has done. In watercolors PR108 undergoes a small to moderately large
drying shift, depending on hue: all colors hold their lightness well (even
darkening slightly); the scarlet shades lose about 15% saturation, while the
deep shades lose as much as 30% saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b
values for the hues of cadmium reds listed here are: (1) cadmium scarlet: 46,
80, 43, chroma 91 (estimated hue purity 75), hue angle 28; (2) cadmium
red: 41, 78, 36, chroma 86 (estimated hue purity 71), hue angle 24; (3)
cadmium red deep: 36, 73, 28, chroma 78 (estimated hue purity 66), hue
angle 21.
Although it has always been one of the most expensive artists' pigments since
it was discovered and commercially introduced shortly after 1910 (the yellow
hue was introduced in the mid 19th century), a continuous decline in the
relative cost of the pigment has made cadmium red one of the most
commonly used watercolor paints.
Cadmium hues can be very precisely adjusted by the proportion of cadmium

sulfoselenide in the pigment mixture; a middle red hue is composed roughly of
3 parts cadmium sulfide and 2 parts cadmium sulfoselenide, This allows paint
manufacturers to adjust by mixture (and particle size) the placement and
spacing of hues in the cadmium reds they offer. (This cadmium color key
suggests the variations.) All commercial watercolors bracket the hue range
with at least two cadmium red colors, and a few brands offer three or four
cadmium reds. The marketing labels are usually: (1) cadmium red light (or
scarlet), with a hue angle between 35 to 40, (2) cadmium red medium (or
middle), with a hue angle between 30 to 35, and (3) cadmium red deep (or
purple), with a hue angle below 30. (Most artists would place the boundary
between "scarlet" and "orange" at a hue angle between 40 and 45.) Note that
the span of cadmium red hues (from about hue angle 25 to 40 across all
brands) is roughly one third that of the cadmium yellows (from about 60 to
100): most of the color variation of these red paints is due to changes in
lightness and chroma, not in hue. The scarlet cadmiums are the lightest
valued and most intense (average lightness 53, average chroma 82), while
the deep cadmiums are darkest and dullest (average lightness 43, average
chroma 66). As darker watercolors tend to have a larger apparent drying
shift, the scarlet cadmiums shift little in chroma or lightness as they dry,
while the deep cadmiums will darken and dull to a surprising degree.
The ASTM (1999) rates the lightfastness of PR108 in watercolors as

"excellent" (I), and most independent tests agree. In my 2004 lightfastness
tests, which allowed for normal variations in humidity and heat from outdoor
sunlight exposure, I also found "excellent" (I) lightfastness in all hues and
brands, which contrasts with the apparently random darkening that can affect
cadmium yellow [cadmium zinc sulfide] paints. However, cadmium paints
can darken or lose saturation if exposed to heat, moisture, lead compounds, or
if residual free sulfur has not been washed from the pigment after
manufacture (you may smell the sulfur when you work with cheap paints), so
it may be prudent to do your own lightfastness tests on the brands of paint
you use.
High quality, pure cadmium sulfoselenide is completely permanent, covers

very well, is easy to handle, moderately active wet in wet, and blossoms
readily if wetted while still moist (although it is relatively resistant to water
discoloration once it has dried). It appears deceptively opaque when applied
wet to the paper, but dries to a much more transparent appearance. The
finished color has an irreplaceable, powdery luster in masstone, and a glowing,
fleshy and transparent color in tints. The Holbein cadmiums are very saturated
(except for the purple hue) and closely spaced along the spectrum. However,
Winsor & Newton cadmium reds are just as saturated, staining,
semitransparent, with a slight blossom wet in wet, and a nice sheen in thin
washes. As a group the Winsor & Newton color locations are shifted toward
orange (warmer) in comparison to the paints from other manufacturers.
Daniel Smith cadmiums are slightly less intense, semiopaque to opaque, and
tend to bronze when applied full strength. Within the three common hue
categories, starting with a orange red, Winsor & Newton cadmium scarlet
is the farthest orange of any orange red, a distinctive and very useful color,
especially for figure and portrait painting. For a middle red, the
Winsor & Newton cadmium red is a beautiful example, again slightly
warmer than other brands. I find that the Winsor & Newton cadmium red
deep is too similar to their medium red shade. For a good example of deep red,
which I find especially useful in landscape painting, the M. Graham cadmium
red is a great choice: semiopaque, staining, with a hue and value equivalent
to MaimeriBlu or Daniel Smith red deep, but with higher saturation. (Note that
M. Graham and MaimeriBlu do not offer a middle cadmium red: MaimeriBlu's
"light" is a scarlet hue; M. Graham's "light" is a middle hue.) The Utrecht
cadmiums are among the lightest, most transparent and softly textured, but
are also less saturated than the Winsor & Newton or Holbein, and the vehicle
tends to bronze when applied full strength. Blockx cadmiums are thick,
semiopaque to opaque, bronze heavily at full strength, and are noticeably
duller and darker than other brands. Typically the less expensive brands of
cadmium (DaVinci, Lukas, Rowney Artists) have a lighter color and a
somewhat whitish tone due to added brighteners.
Cadmium red is one of the most commonly and enthusiastically used red
pigments. If a strong red is important to your palette, it's worth the expense
to experiment with a middle or scarlet cadmium red to see if it works for you;
if it does, sample the "deep" paints to find the range of hues you prefer.
Cadmium tends to appear dull when mixed with dark, strongly tinting
synthetic organic paints such dioxazine violet, phthalo green or phthalo blue,
which some artists dislike. I enjoy the moody dark mixtures that result, but
note: always test dark cadmium mixtures by painting out a sample (fine
cadmium particles floats over the mixture when stirred, then sink to the
bottom, making the color hard to judge), and always apply cadmium mixtures
confidently, without any fussing or reworking, otherwise mud will result.
Cadmiums are quick to dissolve and deeply charge a wet brush; I go through
much less water if I pinch the tuft in a paper towel before rinsing it. Finally,
cadmium sulfoselenide may be toxic if inhaled (for example, by spraying the
paint) or swallowed; cadmium lithopone is less dangerous, though as a matter
of record toxic effects from cadmium almost never occur. This means the
major drawback to cadmium is price, and if that is a consideration then
M. Graham, MaimeriBlu or Rembrandt are probably the best value overall for
color appearance and lightfastness; Winsor & Newton and Daniel Smith,
though more expensive, are very reliable paints. The Holbein cadmiums are
beautiful but now among the most expensive; currency exchange rates may
lower the price at certain times. See also the section on cadmium pigments.
naphthol AS-D red

PR112 naphthol red M. Graham 120 4 4 50 1 2 2 34 -10 7,8
(1911)
PR112 permanent red Holbein 021 1 4 51 0 3 3 36 -14 6,7
Naphthol AS-D red PR112 is a lightfast, transparent, heavily staining,
moderately dark valued, very intense orange red pigment, offered by over 30
pigment manufacturers worldwide for use in inks, plastics and cosmetics. The
coloristics (lightness, hue and saturation) are almost indistinguishable from
the impermanent beta naphthol scarlet (PR3) and are very close to the
slightly yellower naphthol scarlet AS (PR188). The ASTM (1999) rates its
lightfastness in watercolors as only "fair" (III, "may be satisfactory when used
full strength or with extra protection from exposure to light"), but my 2004
tests give it a "very good" (II) rating, although there was a noticeable
difference between the two brands tested here. In watercolors PR112
undergoes a very small drying shift, darkening slightly and losing saturation
by about 10%. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for naphthol AS red (PR112) lightfastness test samples
are: 43, 81, 42, with chroma of 91 (estimated hue purity of 75) and a hue unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
angle of 27. (right) M. Graham, Holbein
M. Graham naphthol red is gorgeous, high quality red paint: transparent,

bright, moderately active wet in wet and somewhat responsive to rewetting,
and throwing off a delicate texture of tiny pigment flakes in juicy washes. The
Holbein paint is opaque, slightly more active wet in wet, and less lightfast.
CAUTION. This is one of several pigments where manufacturer and ASTM

lightfastness tests disagree, possibly because the pigments tested were from
different chemical suppliers. Many artists avoid all naphthol pigments as
possibly too impermanent, and clearly the watercolor paint brand matters
when the pigment is available from so many different pigment manufacturers
worldwide. I suggest in these doubtful cases that you conduct your own
lightfastness tests. My main objection is that these brilliant red paints are
less flexible in mixtures than the perylenes or quinacridones, but when used
unmixed, the rich hues are absolutely striking many shades of lipstick attest
to that! See also the section on naphthol pigments.
PR149 perylene scarlet (1957) perylene scarlet Daniel Smith 044 2 3 54 1 3 1 30 -5 6,6
Perylene scarlet PR149 is a marginally lightfast, semiopaque, staining, dark
valued, intense red pigment, offered by four pigment manufacturers
worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, my 2004 lightfastness tests give it a "very
good" (II) rating; masstone and tint darken and dull after two months'
exposure to sunlight. The hue name is misleading: the color is actually a lovely
middle red, between a cadmium red and a cadmium deep red. PR149
undergoes a moderately large drying shift, lightening by 15% and losing up
to 25% saturation. The CIECAM J,a,b values for perylene scarlet (PR149) are: unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
35, 68, 29, with chroma of 74 (estimated hue purity of 62) and a hue angle of (bottom)
23.
Apparently Daniel Smith perylene scarlet is the only commercial source.

This paint is inert wet in wet, but blossoms readily when rewetted, and shows
a lovely subtle flocculation in wash applications. It undergoes a strong color
change as it dries, lightening in value and shifting from a lustrous deep red to
a brownish red.
CAUTION. This is an evocative and lovely pigment, very flexible in mixtures,

and one of my favorites when I began painting. I no longer use it because I
don't really trust its lightfastness, but it is not a reckless choice. Daniel Smith
gives the pigment a "very good" (II) rating, the same rating they give to
naphthol red (PR170) or hansa yellow light (PY3), which some painters use
without worry. I suggest you conduct your own lightfastness test. See also
the section on perylene pigments.
anthraquinone scarlet
PR168 permanent red light MaimeriBlu 251 3 3 41 0 2 3 38 -7 7,7
(1913)
PR168 old holland bright red Old Holland 151 3 1 42 0 3 0 37 -6 7,6
Anthraqinone scarlet PR168 is a lightfast, semitransparent, staining,
moderately dark valued, very intense orange red pigment, twin to
anthraquinone red (PR177); only three manufacturers offer it worldwide.
Unrated by the ASTM, my own and other independent tests assign it "very
good" (II) lightfastness, with a slight tendency to darken in masstone. Rather
light valued for a red pigment, it has a soft geranium color, blossoms easily, lightfastness test sample
but thins out to a dull tint. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for
anthraquinone scarlet (PR168) are: 44, 79, 39, with chroma of 88 (estimated
(bottom) Old Holland
hue purity of 73) and a hue angle of 26.
Of the two paints tested, the MaimeriBlu permanent red light is significantly
more saturated (and more lightfast), and has a soft, slightly clumping texture
not uncommon in less expensive laked pigments. Recently added to
Maimeri's paint line, and a relatively old laked pigment, PR168 has a unique
light scarlet hue that seems useful for botanical or portrait palettes, but is less
effective as a general purpose red paint.
naphthol AS carbamide
PR170 permanent red Daniel Smith 075 2 4 53 0 3 1 31 -8 6,7
F3RK (1911)
naphthol AS carbamide
PR170 carmine [hue] Rowney Artists 509 2 4 48 0 3 4 25 -12 5,7
F5RK (1963)
PR170 permanent red deep Daniel Smith 093 2 4 56 0 3 4 30 -15 4,6
PR170 dark red [crimson] Schmincke 345 2 3 52 0 1 2 24 -10 3,5
paint introduced after my last pigment
PR170 naphthol red (mid-tone) DaVinci 257
tests
Naphthol red AS PR170 is a marginally lightfast to impermanent,
semiopaque, heavily staining, dark valued, very intense red to deep red
pigment, offered by close to 40 pigment manufacturers worldwide. Often used
in plastics and cosmetics, naphthol reds as a group vary widely in lightfastness.
For this reason alone, some artists avoid them entirely. The ASTM (1999)
gives PR170 a "very good" (II) lightfastness rating, and while most
manufacturer or independent tests agree, my 2004 tests rated the pigment
somewhat lower, and found the lightfastness depends on paint brand, pigment
hue (the deeper reds seem less lightfast) and pigment density. (Note that
PR170 actually refers to a family of several dozen monoazo pigments, denoted
by the alphanumeric codes added to the color index name by some
manufacturers.) In watercolors PR170 undergoes a small drying shift, losing
less than 20% of its saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for naphthol
AS red (PR170) are: 38, 81, 30, with chroma of 86 (estimated hue purity of
73) and a hue angle of 20. All the paints tested here shifted strongly toward
blue in undertone.
Daniel Smith permanent red is the warmest, lightest and most lightfast
paint tested here; it is also the least active wet in wet, the most susceptible to
blossoming, and tends to bronze when applied full strength. Daniel Smith
permanent red deep is less lightfast, with a slightly darker and bluer color. The
Schmincke paint was the least lightfast in my tests.
naphthol red lightfastness samples (2004)

after 800+ hours of sunlight exposure: (left to right) Rowney Artists,
Schmincke,
Daniel Smith permanent red, Daniel Smith permanent red deep
AVOID. As mentioned above (PR112), the naphthol pigments are available

from many pigment manufacturers for many different end uses. This increases
the variability in the lightfastness of pigments available to paint
manufacturers, which means each paint brand's budget and paint testing
practices determine whether their naphthol paints are reliable or not. So it is
prudent for the artist to test naphthol paints periodically to ensure that the
quality standards do not change over time. I prefer to use something more
reliable, such as pyrrole red (PR254) or perylene maroon (PR179). Although
both the red and red deep are impressively rich colors by themselves, I don't
much like the mixtures they make with most other paints. For
nonrepresentational or colorist painting styles, the naphthol reds have more to
offer. See also the section on naphthol pigments.
benzimidazolone carmine
PR176 carmine [hue] Daniel Smith 094 3 4 58 0 3 0 27 -15 6,7
HF3C (1960)
PR176+PR101 permanent crimson Art Spectrum W17 2 3 59 0 1 0 26 -12 7,8
Benzimidazolone carmine PR176 is a lightfast, semitransparent, highly
staining, dark valued, intense deep red pigment, currently offered by 4
pigment manufacturers worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, manufacturer and
my lightfastness tests give a rating of "very good" (II) or better. PR176
undergoes a moderately large drying shift, lightening by 10% and losing
23% of its saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for benzimidazolone
carmine (PR176) are: 32, 66, 24, with chroma of 70 (estimated hue purity of lightfastness test sample
61) and a hue angle of 20. unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
(bottom) Daniel Smith
Daniel Smith carmine is the only source of the pure pigment in watercolors;
the paint is a lovely color, slightly darker valued than alizarin crimson but very
similar in hue, strongly tinting, and inert wet in wet. The paint shows a large
total drying shift (substantially losing saturation, and shifting toward blue).
The Art Spectrum paint is slightly more intense, more opaque, and less
staining, due to the added red iron oxide.
CAUTION. This is an interesting, dark "carmine" color, but its lightfastness is

marginal. Interestingly, pigments with a comparable color, such as
quinacridone pyrrolidone (PR N/A) or pyrrole rubine (PR264), are not any
more permanent. It can be satisfactorily imitated by a mixture of cadmium red
deep (PR108) tinted with quinacridone magenta (PR122). It is also one of
my recommended substitutes for alizarin crimson. See also the section on
benzimidazolone pigments.
anthraquinone red
PR177 anthraquinoid red Daniel Smith 016 4 4 58 0 4 2 24 -10 7,7
(1913)
PR177 permanent red deep MaimeriBlu 253 4 3 56 0 2 3 22 -9 6,7
PR177 burgundy wine red Old Holland 166 4 3 55 0 2 2 24 -11 3,6
Anthraquinone red PR177 is a marginally lightfast, transparent, staining, dark
valued, intense deep red pigment, offered by only 3 registered pigment
manufacturers worldwide. The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in
watercolors as "fair" (III, "may be satisfactory when used full strength or with
extra protection from exposure to light"); my 2004 tests assigned it a variable
lightfastness (from lightfast to impermanent) depending on brand. In
watercolors, PR177 undergoes a moderately large drying shift, lightening and
losing more than 20% saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for
anthraquinone red (PR177) are: 33, 76, 24, with chroma of 80 (estimated
One of many crimson lake pigments, it's the paint formerly recommended by lightfastness test samples
Daniel Smith as a lightfast substitute for alizarin crimson. To my eye, PR177 is
unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
a little too blue and too saturated, and insufficiently lightfast, for that purpose.
(right) Daniel Smith, Maimeri, Old
MaimeriBlu permanent red deep is the most intense pigment, slightly Holland
lighter, less staining and more reactive in water than the Daniel Smith paint,
which appears slightly more lightfast. The Old Holland paint is the least
lightfast and has a duller color.
CAUTION. An interesting pigment, but easily replaced by other pigments with

higher and less variable lightfastness. Either perylene maroon (PR179) or
benzimidazolone carmine (PR176) make a better color and mixing match to
alizarin crimson, and both are more permanent. See also the section on
anthraquinone pigments.
PR178 perylene red (1957) perylene red Daniel Smith 029 2 4 55 0 4 3 28 -6 7,8
scheveningen red
PR178 Old Holland 169 1 2 51 0 3 2 29 -5 6,7
medium
Perylene red PR178 is a lightfast, semiopaque, highly staining, dark valued,
intense deep red pigment; three manufacturers offer it worldwide. Unrated
by the ASTM, my 2004 tests assign it "excellent" (I) lightfastness. In
watercolors PR178 undergoes a moderately large drying shift, lightening
slightly and losing more than 20% saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b
values for perylene red (PR178) are: 35, 73, 28, with chroma of 79 (estimated lightfastness test sample
Daniel Smith perylene red is a gorgeous rich red color; strongly staining, it (bottom) Old Holland
is highly active wet in wet and blossoms readily when rewetted. (I've assigned
Old Holland scheveningen red medium here based on colorimetrics and
lightfastness: the manufacturer literature labels it PR188, which is apparently
incorrect.)
PR178 provides a more lightfast, slightly darker and less saturated alternative
to the naphthol reds, though pyrrole red (PR254) is probably a better choice
to match the brilliant naphthol color. See also the section on perylene
pigments.
PR179 perylene maroon (1957) perylene maroon Winsor & Newton 227 4 4 59 0 3 0 27 +1 8,8
PR179 perylene maroon Daniel Smith 002 3 4 64 0 3 2 27 -1 7,8
PR179 perylene maroon Rowney Artists 421 4 4 59 0 3 0 27 +2 7,8
PR179 perylene red Rowney Artists 529 4 4 66 0 3 0 22 -5 8,8
PR179 perylene maroon DaVinci 266
tests
PR179 maroon perylene M. Graham 113
tests
TOP 40 PIGMENT Perylene maroon PR179 is a lightfast, transparent,
highly staining, very dark valued, moderately intense deep red pigment; five
manufacturers offer it worldwide. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for
perylene maroon (PR179) are: 29, 60, 21, with chroma of 63 (estimated hue
purity of 55) and a hue angle of 20.
The ASTM (1999) and manufacturers rate its lightfastness in watercolors as

"excellent" (I); my 2004 tests also make it "excellent" with a very slight loss
of color in tints, in some brands, after 800+ hours of outdoor sunlight
exposure.
perylene maroon lightfastness samples (2004)

after 800+ hours of sunlight exposure: (left to right) Winsor & Newton,
Daniel Smith, Rowney Artists perylene maroon, Rowney Artists perylene
red
In watercolors PR179 (like its less permanent sibling, perylene scarlet PR149)
undergoes a very large drying shift, lightening by 17% and losing 30%
saturation. The four paints tested were receptive to blossoming when
rewetted, but varied in how active they were wet in wet.
Daniel Smith perylene maroon is a dark, evocative pigment, slightly darker

and much less saturated than the Winsor & Newton, which gives it a distinct
brownish cast that is excellent for landscapes, portraits and botanical
illustrations. The Winsor & Newton is distinctly a dull, dark middle red, similar
to perylene scarlet (PR149), and like perylene scarlet worth exploring for
landscape, botanical or portrait work. The Rowney Artists perylene maroon is
the same pigment, slightly less concentrated. The Rowney perylene red is a
darker version of the same pigment, which shifts the hue noticeably toward
violet. (Schmincke also offers a single pigment perylene maroon watercolor in
the "red" shade, under the marketing label Horadam aquarell deep red.)
For those who are still using alizarin crimson (PR83), I recommend you try
perylene maroon as a replacement. It has a dark, warm, dull color without the
bluish overtones common to all red and crimson quinacridone pigments.
(Replacing alizarin crimson requires you to rethink the mixtures you used to
make with it: the flesh tones, dull greens and dark mixtures possible with
alizarin crimson are nicely handled by perylene maroon; the intense orange
and violet mixtures you couldn't quite mix with it are much better with a
quinacridone rose PV19 or quinacridone magenta PR122.) Its mixing
complements include phthalo green BS (PG7), which produces a pure jet
black darker than most carbon pigment paints, and perylene maroon stains
tenaciously, again like alizarin crimson. See also the section on perylene
pigments.
naphthol AS BON
PR188 scarlet lake Winsor & Newton 044 3 3 45 0 3 2 39 -7 7,7
arylamide (1911)
PR188 organic vermilion Daniel Smith 042 2 4 45 0 2 1 38 -7 6,7
PR188 permanent red DaVinci 265 3 3 39 1 3 2 36 -4 6,7
naphthol AS BON
bright red
PR188+PY65 arylamide + arylide Winsor & Newton 042 3 4 39 0 1 0 42 +5 6,6
yellow RN
Naphthol AS scarlet PR188 is a lightfast, semitransparent, moderately
staining, moderately dark valued, very intense orange red pigment, available
from five pigment manufacturers worldwide. The ASTM (1999) rates its
lightfastness in watercolors as "very good" (II), although my 2004 tests place
it somewhat higher. (In particular, its lightfastness is certainly higher and
more consistent than the brands of PR170 I have tested.) Like other
naphthol pigments, PR188 undergoes a small drying shift, holding lightness
and losing about 15% saturation. It's a beautiful, deep scarlet verging on a
light red, the same hue as most cadmium scarlet watercolors (PR188 is an
excellent cadmium alternative if price or toxicity is a concern). The average
CIECAM J,a,b values for naphthol scarlet (PR188) are: 48, 81, 45, with
chroma of 92 (estimated hue purity of 77) and a hue angle of 29. lightfastness test samples
unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours

Winsor & Newton scarlet lake is slightly more saturated, lighter valued,
(right) Winsor & Newton, Daniel
more transparent and more active wet in wet than the other paints tested Smith, DaVinci
here. (The term scarlet lake is a traditional label, applied over the past two
centuries to several different scarlet pigments or convenience mixtures that
are no longer available in commercial paints.) The Daniel Smith brand is also
excellent at all dilutions.
CAUTION. This is a lovely scarlet pigment that is more reliable than other
naphthol reds. However, there are many saturated scarlet pigments available
with better lightfastness, such as pyrazoloquinazolone scarlet (PR251) or
pyrrole scarlet (PR255). I like the more lightfast cadmium scarlet (PR108) or
pyrrole orange (PO73) for this hue, as I like to use the diluted color as a
healthy pink portrait tone, and the naphthol tints are just too prone to fade.
See also the section on naphthol pigments.
PR209 quinacridone red (1958) quinacridone red M. Graham 155 4 3 43 0 3 2 29 -11 7,8
PR209 quinacridone red Winsor & Newton 230 3 4 47 0 3 1 31 -14 7,8
PR209 tiziano red MaimeriBlu 261 4 3 41 0 2 3 31 -13 7,8
PR209 quinacridone coral Daniel Smith 092 3 3 41 0 4 2 31 -12 7,8
PR209 quinacridone red Utrecht 002 3 2 42 0 1 0 21 -17 7,8
PR209 quinacridone red Rowney Artists 528 3 3 48 0 4 2 30 -14 7,7
PR209 cherry red Holbein 224 3 3 48 0 3 2 30 -17 7,7
PR209 quinacridone red DaVinci 2713
tests
TOP 40 PIGMENT Quinacridone red PR209 is a lightfast, transparent,
staining, moderately dark valued, very intense red pigment; only four
manufacturers offer it worldwide. The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in
watercolors as "very good" (II); my 2004 tests assigned all brands an
"excellent" (I) rating. Like the rose quinacridones, PR209 shows a small
drying shift, losing only 12% saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values
for quinacridone red (PR209) are: 46, 80, 32, with chroma of 86 (estimated
The hue angles reported here are deceiving: although coloristically PR209 is a
middle red, equivalent to a cadmium red medium or pyrrole red, those reds are
typically darker valued, duller in tints and incapable of mixing a bright purple
color with blue paints because they are "spectrum" reds that contain no
short wavelength reflectance (view the reflectance curve by clicking on the
spectrum icon). In contrast, the touch of "violet" reflectance in PR209 gives it
unusual versatility: it slightly mutes the red chroma, making the color less
strident than a pyrrole red; the paint shows a bluish cast in undertone, which
is very useful for portrait work, and it makes bright, flexible mixtures across
both the orange and purple spans of the color wheel, which the pyrroles and
cadmiums cannot do.
One of the most popular quinacridones among watercolor paint

manufacturers, the paint's hue and saturation are very consistent across
brands, though paints do vary in activity wet in wet and readiness to blossom
when rewetted. To my eye, the M. Graham quinacridone red has the edge
in transparency, saturation, depth of color, and strength of color in tints; it is
also somewhat more active wet in wet. Rowney Artists is a very similar
formulation. Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton are slightly lighter valued.
Utrecht's paint is distinctively much bluer than other brands, less concentrated
but very saturated. As explained, PR209 is a very useful red. I forgot to
mention the lovely coral color of the undertone that harmonizes well with
synthetic organic yellows and greens for landscape or botanical work. Creates
beautiful mixtures for almost any purpose. See also the section on
quinacridone pigments.
disazo condensation red

PR214 scheveningen red deep Old Holland 024 2 3 57 0 3 3 30 -11 6,7
(1951)
Disazo red PR214 is a lightfast, semiopaque, staining, dark valued, intense red
pigment; six manufacturers offer it worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, my own
lightfastness tests give it a marginally "very good" (II) rating. The CIECAM
J,a,b values for scheveningen red deep (PR214) are: 33, 68, 29, with chroma
of 74 (estimated hue purity of 63) and a hue angle of 23.
Old Holland is apparently the only commercial watercolor source. The paint lightfastness test sample
diffuses and blossoms readily, retains its brilliance in tints, but bronzes slightly
when applied full strength. A very interesting pigment in a less frequently
(bottom)
used part of the color spectrum. It has the coloristics of a good cadmium red
deep, but is more slightly more transparent. Worth investigating. See also the
section on disazo condensation pigments.
pyranthrone red deep

PR216 brown madder [hue] Holbein 023 4 2 50 1 2 1 28 +1 2,5
(1901)
Pyranthrone red deep PR216 is a fugitive, transparent, moderately staining,
semiopaque, dark valued, intense deep red pigment; only one manufacturer
offers it worldwide. The ASTM (1999) rates its lightfastness in watercolors as
"excellent" (I), though my 2004 tests showed a gross loss of masstone color
and complete fading in tints after about 30 days of sunlight exposure (BWS 5)
and a total color loss at BWS 6 making it "poor" (IV). The CIECAM J,a,b values
for pyranthrone red deep (PR216) are: 39, 68, 30, with chroma of 74 lightfastness test sample
(estimated hue purity of 62) and a hue angle of 23. unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours
(bottom)
Holbein brown madder is the only commercial source; the paint is fairly inert
wet in wet and backruns only slightly when rewetted.
AVOID. My tests clearly indicate this is not a reliable pigment. The high rating
given by the ASTM may be a typo, a testing error or results based on pigment
from a commercial source not currently used by Holbein. Substitutions: The
color is close to the far more lightfast benzimida carmine (PR176) or perylene
maroon (PR179), both of which are darker valued, more intense and more
transparent paints. Either one is a much better choice for a deep red pigment.
disazo condensation
PR242 french vermilion [hue] Sennelier 675 3 4 45 2 0 4 40 -8 8,8
scarlet (1960)
Disazo scarlet PR242 is a very lightfast, semitransparent, heavily staining,
moderately dark valued, very intense orange red pigment; seven
manufacturers offer it worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, my 2004 lightfastness
tests give it an "excellent" (I) rating, though I did find a slight loss in
saturation and hue shift toward blue near the end of the test. It may be the
most intense red orange pigment available in watercolors, and retains its high
chroma without any hue shift in tints; it has a just perceptible, fine
granulation when diffused in wet applications. The CIECAM J,a,b values for
disazo condensation scarlet (PR242) are: 44, 82, 49, with chroma of 96
(estimated hue purity of 76) and a hue angle of 31.
Sennelier french vermilion is the only commercial source. The paint does
not blossom when rewetted, but is very active wet in wet. A beautiful,
intense scarlet pigment, slightly redder and darker than naphthol scarlet
(PR188), and apparently very reliable. Like most intense red pigments it has
limited mixing potential, and seems worth more as a pure color than as a
mixing partner with other paints. See also the section on disazo
condensation pigments.
pyrazoloquinazolone permanent red

PR251 Schmincke 361 2 3 50 0 1 1 36 0 8,8
scarlet (1960) (discontinued in 2002)
Pyrazoloquinazolone scarlet PR251 is a very lightfast, semiopaque, staining,
moderately dark valued, very intense orange red pigment; 3 manufacturers
offer it worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, manufacturer and my own
lightfastness tests give it an "excellent" (I) rating. The average CIECAM J,a,b
values for pyrazoloquinazolone scarlet (PR251) are: 43, 80, 41, with chroma
of 90 (estimated hue purity of 73) and a hue angle of 27.
Schmincke permanent red was the only commercial watercolor source, now
replaced by a benzimidazolone/disazo condensation mixture. The paint was
resistant to blossoming and inert wet in wet. This is a very fine scarlet
pigment with superior lightfastness and I regret that it has been discontinued.
Nevertheless, it is easily replaced by pyrrole scarlet (PR255) or cadmium
scarlet (PR108).
diketo-pyrrolo pyrrole red

PR254 winsor red Winsor & Newton 056 2 4 49 0 4 1 32 -9 8,8
(1983)
PR254 pyrrol red Daniel Smith 005 1 4 54 1 3 4 32 -7 8,8
PR254 permanent red deep Rembrandt 371 1 4 49 1 3 4 32 -8 8,8
PR254 sandal red MaimeriBlu 263 2 3 49 0 3 4 32 -9 6,7
PR254 pyrrol red M. Graham 154
tests
PR254+PO73 permanent red Rowney Artists 371 1 4 51 1 3 4 38 -3 4,6
TOP 40 PIGMENT Pyrrole red PR254 is a very lightfast, semiopaque,
highly staining, dark valued, very intense red pigment; only three
manufacturers offer it worldwide. Unrated (!) by the ASTM, industry and my
own tests assign it an "excellent" (I) lightfastness. In watercolors PR254
shows a small drying shift, holding its lightness but losing 15% saturation.
The average CIECAM J,a,b values for pyrrole red (PR254) are: 38, 85, 38,
with chroma of 94 (estimated hue purity of 78) and a hue angle of 24. Most
brands show a strong shift toward blue in the undertone, which creates a
rather dull, bruised color in tints and a dulling of diluted color mixtures.
PR254 is becoming increasingly popular with paint manufacturers as the

primary replacement for less lightfast middle red pigments, such as the
naphthol reds, and the more polluting cadmium pigments. The pigment is very
consistent in hue, saturation and texture across manufacturers; it blossoms
readily and in most brands is extremely active wet in wet. I like Winsor &
Newton winsor red for the depth and clarity of color, and because it is
relatively less opaque and is uniquely inert wet in wet. The Daniel Smith pyrrol
red is noticeably darker valued, more opaque, and less saturated in tints. The
Rowney Artists permanent red lost much of its orange tone after five weeks of
sunlight exposure. The Maimeri paint is surprisingly and unacceptably less
lightfast. A widely offered middle red that can is close to a scarlet hue
(Schmincke sells it under the label "orange red"). It is a plausible substitute for
cadmium red paints in masstone, but lacks cadmium's radiance in tints; it is a
good mixing partner with synthetic organic yellows, but these mixtures seem
less attractive to me than the equivalent mixture of cadmium red and yellow.
Substitutions. A very good color match, with better transparency, can be
mixed from quinacridone rose (PV19) and naphthol scarlet (PR188). See also
the section on pyrrole pigments.
PR255 diketo-pyrrolo pyrrole pyrrol scarlet Daniel Smith 084 3 4 47 0 4 1 34 -2 8,8

scarlet (1983)
PR255 vermilion hue Rowney Artists 588 3 4 46 0 3 1 34 -3 8,8
PR255 permanent red medium Rembrandt 377 1 4 52 1 3 4 34 -9 8,8
PR255 vermilion [hue] Schmincke 365 3 4 45 0 3 1 36 -3 8,8
Pyrrole scarlet PR255 is a very lightfast, semitransparent, heavily staining,
moderately dark valued, very intense orange red pigment, manufactured
solely by Ciba Specialty Chemicals (SZ). The ASTM (1999) rates its
lightfastness in watercolors as "excellent" (I), and industry and my own tests
agree. In watercolors PR255 shows a small drying shift, holding its lightness
but losing about 15% saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for pyrrole
scarlet (PR255) are: 44, 81, 41, with chroma of 91 (estimated hue purity of
74) and a hue angle of 27. As you can discover from the hue angle
measurements, there is almost no difference in hue between the scarlet and
red pyrrole pigments.
The three brands tested here blossomed very readily and were inert wet in
wet; the color loses some saturation in tints. This pigment is very consistent
across manufacturers; the brands tested here were almost indistinguishable.
This is a lovely middle red pigment, close in hue to many cadmium middle
reds. Because it is more lightfast, painters may find it a better choice for a
bright red paint than naphthol red AS-D (PR112). See also the section on
pyrrole pigments.

PR259 ultramarine pink M. Graham 192
tests
This paint was introduced after my last round of paint color measurements
and lightfastness testing, and the pigment has not been tested by the ASTM.
The color appearance is a light valued, dull red violet, warmer than ultramarine
violet (red shade). The paint would work very well in palettes emphasizing
"earth" colors such as raw sienna and venetian red.
isoindoline scarlet
PR260 vermilion [hue] extra Old Holland 148 2 2 48 0 4 0 32 +5 8,8
(1964)
Isoindoline scarlet PR260 is a very lightfast, semiopaque, moderately staining,
moderately dark valued, very intense red pigment, manufactured by CPMA
(USA). Unrated by the ASTM, my 2004 lightfastness tests give it an
"excellent" (I) rating. The CIECAM J,a,b values for isoindoline scarlet (PR260)
angle of 24.
Old Holland vermilion extra is the only commercial source. The paint is inert
wet in wet but blossoms very readily when rewetted. Another very red
scarlet, slightly bluer than pyrrole scarlet (PR255) and at the hue boundary
between scarlet and middle red. The paint contains no "blue" reflectance, and
so mixes well with other warm colors and with greens. See also the section on
isoindolinone pigments.
diketo-pyrrolo pyrrole
PR264 pyrrol crimson Daniel Smith 127 3 4 58 0 3 2 27 -9 6,7
rubine (1986)
PR264 winsor red deep Winsor & Newton 725
tests
permanent alizarin paint introduced after my last pigment
PR264 M. Graham 129
crimson tests
PR264+PV19 rubine + quinacridone carmine [hue] Rembrandt 318 2 2 61 0 3 3 22 +5 6,7
violet
permanent madder
PR264+PV19 rubine + quinacridone Rembrandt 325 3 3 45 0 3 2 24 +10 6,7
purple
rose
permanent madder
PR264+PR101 rubine + synthetic red Rembrandt 324 2 4 49 0 2 2 29 +5 6,6
brown
iron oxide
Pyrrole rubine PR264 is a lightfast, semitransparent, staining, dark valued,
intense deep red pigment, currently manufactured exclusively by Ciba
Specialty Chemicals under the name Irgazin Ruby. Unrated by the ASTM, my
own lightfastness tests give it a "very good" (II) rating in mixtures with other
pigments and as a pure pigment. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for pyrrole
carmine (PR264) are: 32, 69, 25, with chroma of 73 (estimated hue purity of
64) and a hue angle of 20.
Daniel Smith pyrrol crimson was the first commercial source for the pure
pigment in watercolor paints. (Rembrandt used it earlier, but only in
convenience mixtures.) I have not tested Winsor & Newton winsor red deep
for lightfastness. The pure pigment hue is identical to benzimidazolone
carmine (PR176) or a "red" shade of quinacridone rose (PV19) and is slightly lightfastness test samples
warmer than alizarin crimson, but has a much deeper, richer masstone color
when dry. In tints the hue shifts toward violet, closely resembling unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours
quinacridone rose. The Rembrandt carmine is close to perylene maroon (right) Daniel Smith, Winsor &
(PR179) in color and value, the permanent madder purple resembles Newton
Winsor & Newton purple madder, now discontinued (see under PR122). All
these paints show a moderate drying shift (lose saturation).
CAUTION. An attractive pigment, with a beautiful deep red color. However, as

all the tested paints are near the bottom end of acceptable lightfastness, if you
use them I recommend you put them through your own lightfastness test.
Cadmium red deep or perylene maroon are suitable substitutes. See also the
section on pyrrole pigments.
quinacridone pyrrolidone
PR N/A permanent carmine Winsor & Newton 226 3 4 57 0 3 2 25 -16 6,7
(1993)
permanent alizarin
PR N/A Holbein 209 3 3 58 1 2 2 23 -14 6,7
crimson
madder red [hue] dark
PR N/A Schmincke 354 3 3 58 1 2 1 22 -13 6,7
quinacridone pyrrolidone permanent alizarin
PR N/A+PR206 Winsor & Newton 225 4 3 55 0 2 1 21 -7 6,6
+ quinacridone maroon crimson
Quinacridone pyrrolidone PR N/A [I just call it quinacridone carmine] is a
lightfast, transparent, staining, dark valued, intense deep red pigment,
offered by only one pigment manufacturer worldwide (Ciba-Geigy). Unrated by
the ASTM, manufacturer and my own 2004 tests assign it "very good" (II)
lightfastness, with a tendency to lose lightness in tints after about 500+ hours
of direct sunlight exposure (roughly halfway between BWS 6 and 7), and to
lose chroma in masstone only in BWS 7. In watercolors, this pigment
undergoes a small drying shift, holding its lightness but losing about 15%
saturation. The average CIECAM J,a,b values for quinacridone carmine
(PRN/A) are: 33, 74, 26, with chroma of 79 (estimated hue purity of 68) and
a hue angle of 19.
lightfastness test samples
It is not assigned a color index name, according to the Society of Dyers and
Colorists, because it is a proprietary, crystallized compound of two separate
(bottom) Holbein, Winsor & Newton
pigments (based on the dark color, my guess is these are a dark shade of
quinacridone PV42 and the diketo-pyrrolo pyrrole PR254). With an average
CIELAB hue angle of about 24, this pigment is very close to the psychological
unique red (along with alizarin crimson PR83, pyrrole rubine PR264 and
anthraquinone red PR177), as explained in the color vision section on the
four unique hues. (It's an excellent choice for color point 4 of the color
wheel, but some artists may prefer a slightly warmer hue closer to
quinacridone red, PR209, at hue angle 30.)
This pigment is very consistent across the three paint manufacturers that
offer it because it comes from a single pigment manufacturing source.
Winsor & Newton permanent carmine and Schmincke red madder dark
are the pure pigment; the Winsor & Newton permanent alizarin crimson is a
convenience mixture with quinacridone maroon, although you can see from
the hue angle and value range for each paint that the permanent carmine,
not the permanent alizarin crimson, is actually a closer color match to
Winsor & Newton's alizarin crimson (hue angle 26, value range 59). The
Schmincke paint is slightly darker but just as saturated in masstone, handles
very nicely, yet seems slightly grayer in tints.
CAUTION. This is a very useful pigment in place of cadmium red or

quinacridone red, especially for portraits and botanical paintings. It mixes
superb neutrals (near black and silvery grays) with phthalocyanine green BS
(PG7). However its lightfastness is at the lower end of the acceptable range,
and for really reliable tints you may want to substitute in its place the paint
pair of perylene maroon (PR179) for near black or dull warm mixtures, and
quinacridone magenta (PR122) for intense red and orange mixtures. If you
do use this pigment and want a close match to natural alizarin, mix PR179
with a touch of pyrrole orange (PO73) to simulate the fiery purpurin
undertone. See also the section on quinacridone pigments.
red paints made with pigments in a different color index category
PV29 perylene violet (1936) perylene violet Winsor & Newton 470 3 3 70 1 2 3 30 -21 .,.
Perylene violet PV29 is a lightfast, semitransparent, heavily staining, dark
valued, dull deep red pigment. (The masstone color measures as scarlet, but
in tints the hue shifts strongly toward red violet.) Unrated by the ASTM and by
me, the performance of other deep red perylenes suggests this pigment has
"very good" (II) lightfastness. Winsor & Newton perylene violet is
currently the only source of this pigment in watercolors. The masstone color is
a very dark and intense scarlet, which shifts toward a dull red violet in tints.
The paint makes an interesting shadow accent color for portraits and figures,
but used lightly: it has a purplish brown color when dried that looks dull in
heavy concentrations. It has a significant drying shift, losing lightness and
chroma by about 30%. For most painting situations I would prefer the more
versatile perylene maroon (PR179). Both paints mix very dark, warm near
neutrals with perylene black (PBk31). See also the section on perylene
pigments.
KEY TO THE PAINT RATINGS. Summarized as numbers: Tr = Transparency: 0 (very opaque) to 4 (transparent) - St = Staining: 0
(nonstaining) to 4 (heavily staining) - VR = Value Range: the value of the masstone color subtracted from the value of white paper, in
steps of a 100 step value scale - Gr = Granulation: 0 (liquid texture) to 4 (granular) - Bl = Blossom: 0 (no blossom) to 4 (strong
blossom) - Df = Diffusion: 0 (inert) to 4 (very active diffusion) - HA = Hue Angle in degrees of the CIELAB a*b* plane - HS = Hue
Shift as the undertone hue angle minus the masstone hue angle, in degrees of the CIELAB a*b* plane - Lf = Lightfastness: 1 (very
fugitive) to 8 (very lightfast) for paint in tint,full strength - Mentioned in pigment notes: Chroma: For the masstone paint on white
watercolor paper. - Drying Shift: Change in masstone color appearance from a glistening wet to completely dry paint swatch, in units of
lightness, chroma and hue angle in CIELAB. For more information see What the Ratings Mean.
Last revised 07.I.2015 2015 Bruce MacEvoy

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Handprint - Red

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11/8/2016 handprint : colormaking attributes

beta naphthol red blockx red

permanent red deep

AVOID. PR9 is a relatively inexpensive pigment that is not appropriate for

beta oxynaphtholic acid

The lightfastness of alizarin crimson ranges from very poor to marginal. By

alizarin crimson lightfastness samples (2004)

Substitutions: Modern chemistry has innovated several relatively lightfast

unexposed (top); exposed 800+ hours

Cadmium hues can be very precisely adjusted by the proportion of cadmium

The ASTM (1999) rates the lightfastness of PR108 in watercolors as

High quality, pure cadmium sulfoselenide is completely permanent, covers

naphthol AS-D red

M. Graham naphthol red is gorgeous, high quality red paint: transparent,

CAUTION. This is one of several pigments where manufacturer and ASTM

Apparently Daniel Smith perylene scarlet is the only commercial source.

CAUTION. This is an evocative and lovely pigment, very flexible in mixtures,

naphthol red lightfastness samples (2004)

AVOID. As mentioned above (PR112), the naphthol pigments are available

CAUTION. This is an interesting, dark "carmine" color, but its lightfastness is

CAUTION. An interesting pigment, but easily replaced by other pigments with

The ASTM (1999) and manufacturers rate its lightfastness in watercolors as

perylene maroon lightfastness samples (2004)

Daniel Smith perylene maroon is a dark, evocative pigment, slightly darker

unexposed (left); exposed 800+ hours

One of the most popular quinacridones among watercolor paint

disazo condensation red

pyranthrone red deep

pyrazoloquinazolone permanent red

diketo-pyrrolo pyrrole red

PR254 is becoming increasingly popular with paint manufacturers as the

PR255 diketo-pyrrolo pyrrole pyrrol scarlet Daniel Smith 084 3 4 47 0 4 1 34 -2 8,8

paint introduced after my last pigment

CAUTION. An attractive pigment, with a beautiful deep red color. However, as

CAUTION. This is a very useful pigment in place of cadmium red or

red paints made with pigments in a different color index category

Last revised 07.I.2015 2015 Bruce MacEvoy

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