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4 - Red Watercolour Swatches

There are literally hundreds of artist quality watercolours available from many brands. I have tested many of them and created swatches as seen on the right. The square box is painted into a damp wash at the top to show the colour mixed in water, with more pigment added towards the bottom. The rectangle is painted in a juicy wash to show the mass-tone. The small squares at the bottom of the swatch have the pigment number and characteristics - staining, lightfast rating, granulation and transparency. 

For more on Red pigments see the Artiscreation red pigment database page here. See the very comprehensive Handprint Red pigment information here, but note that the tests were done in 2004.
Picture
The size of my swatches

Single Pigment Red Watercolours

Many of the Red watercolours will have be denoted as PR for Pigment Red, then a number. You will also notice many made with PV19 (Pigment Violet 19) which is a lovely pigment that covers a range of paints from a rose pink through reds, crimsons and violets. Avoid any watercolours with PR83 - this is a fugitive Alizarin Crimson pigment that will fade in sunlight so should not be used. See also the earthy red-brown and orange brown watercolours made with PR101 and other red earth pigments in the 'Earths' tab. Magentas made with red pigments are also included here, as are reds made ith oranges pigments.

Unfortunately, I have difficulty capturing the exact hue of reds and oranges in particular so use these swatches as a guide to the behaviour of a pigment rather than the actual colour :-(

NR9

Rose Madder Genuine - A.Gallo; Rose Madder Genuine, Winsor & Newton; Rose Madder Genuine* - Daniel Smith (Discontinued)

PR9

Cadmium Red Hue - Daler Rowney watercolour

Quinacridone Rose, Reds and Crimsons made with PV19

PV19 comes in a 'rose' version and a 'violet' version. I'd love it if the main two colours were called PV19R and PV19V, but they are not. It is also to be seen in crimson versions, such as the Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone and Carmine by Da Vinci and Sennelier. The violet versions are shown in the purple section. This is a great choice for a primary red as it will mix clear purples and oranges. While there are often a number of colours in a range made with this pigment, you should only need one as a rose and perhaps another as a crimson (or use PR264).
Shown here are:
  1. Permanent Rose Quinacridone - American Journey; Pomegranate - American Journey; Quin Red Rose Deep - American Journey; Quinacridone Red - Aquarius; Rose Madder (Permanent Hue) - Art Spectrum; 
  2. Permanent Rose - Art Spectrum; ​Rose Lake Pale - Blockx; Rose Lake - Blockx; Quin Gulaal - Blue Pine Arts; Permanent Rose - Daler Rowney; 
  3. Quinacridone Rose* - Daniel Smith; Quinacridone Red* -  Daniel Smith; ​Permanent Rose (Quinacridone) - Da Vinci; Red Rose Deep (Quinacridone) - Da Vinci; Quinacridone Red - Holbein; 
  4. Primary Red - Magenta - MaimeriBlu;  Quinacridone Rose - M.Graham; Quinacridone Red - QoR;​ Quinacridone Rose Reddish - Rembrandt; Quinacridone Rose - Rembrandt; 
  5. Magenta Lake - Renesans half pan; Rose Madder Lake - Sennelier; Ruby Red - Schmincke; Quinacridone Rose - Stephen Quiller; Rose Madder - Wichitrong; 
  6. Permanent Rose - Winsor & Newton 

Carmine and Crimson reds made with PV19

​Permanent Carmine - A Gallo; Alizarin Crimson (Quinacridone) - Da Vinci; ​Carmine (Quinacridone) - Da Vinci; ​Carmine - Jackson's; ​​Permanent Carmine - Schmincke; ​Carmine - Sennelier; ​

PO20 - Reds made with Cadmium Orange

Cadmium Red Orange - Schmincke; Cadmium Red Light -  Schmincke (old); Cadmium Red Light - Schmincke; Cadmium Red Orange, Blockx; Cadmium Red Orange - QoR 

NR31

Dragon's Blood - A. Gallo 

PO36

Titan Red - White Nights watercolour

PV42

Quinacridone Warm Pink - Aquarius;  Quinacridone Pink* - Daniel Smith watercolour; Magenta - Schmincke 

PO63

Vermilion Permanent - Art Spectrum Watercolour

PO64

Saturn Red - Schmincke ​

PO65

Golden Barok Red - Old Holland watercolour. ​

PO73

This orange/red pigment is also found in a number of orange watercolours. Shown here are:
  1. Scarlet Pyrrol M.Graham; Pyrrolo Vermilion Blockx; Scarlet Pyrrol M.Graham; Flame Red - Rosa.  ​

PR83 and PR83:1

This beautiful and traditional crimson red mixes lovely purples and remarkably clear oranges, but is rated IV for watercolour so should be avoided unless work is being photographed or kept in a sketchbook. Shown here:
  1. Alizarin Crimson* - Daniel Smith watercolour; Carmine - Holbein; Rose Madder - Holbein; Alizarin Crimson - Schmincke watercolour; Alizarin Crimson - Winsor & Newton watercolour 

PR106

​Vermilion, Kremer watercolour. PR106

PR108 - Cadmium Red Scarlet, Vermilion and Light (mostly warm reds)

Generally the scarlet/light versions are warm reds, the medium are mid reds and the deep/purple are more maroon reds, but it varies by manufacturer.
  1. ​​Cadmium Scarlet - American Journey; Cadmium Vermilion* - Aquarius; Cadmium Scarlet* - Daniel Smith (discontinued); Cadmium Red Light - Da Vinci; Cadmium Red Light - M. Graham; 
  2. Cadmium Red Orange - Holbein; Cadmium Red Orange - Jackson's Cadmium Red Light - Jackson's; ​Cadmium Red Light* - Maimeri Blu; Cadmium Red - Rembrandt; 
  3. Cadmium Red Pale - Renesans pan; Cadmium Red Light - Sennelier;  Cadmium Red Light - Schmincke; ​​Cadmium Red Light - White Nights; Cadmium Scarlet - Winsor & Newton ​

Cadmium Red Medium made with PR108 

You'll see that most cadmium reds are made with PR108, which has a more scarlet, a mid red and a more maroon red version. The sample of the Blockx 'Cadmium Purple' captures the more maroon colour of the cadmium deep colours best. Jacksons' Cadmium Red Orange captures the orange version best. Reds and oranges are difficult to colour match.
  1.  Cadmium Red Medium - American Journey;  Cadmium Red* - Aquarius Cadmium Red - Blockx; Cadmium Red* - Daniel Smith (discontinued); Cadmium Red Medium -  Rembrandt; 
  2. Cadmium Red Medium* - Rosa;​ Volcano Red* - Schmincke Watercolour. PR108; Cadmium Red - Winsor & Newton 

PR108 - Cadmium Red Deep/Purple

  1. Cadmium Red Deep* - Aquarius; Cadmium Red Deep - Art Spectrum; Cadmium Purple - Blockx  Cadmium Red Deep - Da Vinci;  Cadmium Red Deep - Holbein; 
  2. Cadmium Red Purple - Holbein; Cadmium Red Purple - Jackson's; Cadmium Red Deep - Rembrandt; Cadmium Red Deep - Renesans half pan; Cadmium Red Deep - Schmincke; 
  3. ​Cadmium Red Deep - Winsor & Newton

PR112

  1. Naphthol Red* - Aquarius; Sunset Ibis* - Blue Pine Arts ​Permanent Red - Mission Gold;  Scheveningen Red Light - Old Holland; Napthol Red - M.Graham;
  2. Permanent Red - Holbein (discontinued) 

Quinacridone Magenta and Magenta reds made with PR122 

The two Quinacridone pigments PR122 and PR202 (see further below) make similar magenta colours, but the PR122 will be a cleaner colour for mixing oranges as well as purples. They are very similar, apart from the first by A.Gallo that is more purple. Shown here in alphabetical order by manufacturer:
  1. Quinacridone Magenta - A Gallo; Magenta - Aquarius; Quinacridone Pink - Aquarius; Quinacridone Magenta - Blockx; Quinacridone Magenta - Daler Rowney; 
  2. Quinacridone Lilac* - Daniel Smith; Quinacridone Magenta* (was Rose Violet) - Holbein ; ​Quinacridone Purple - Jackson's; Verzino Violet - MaimeriBlu; ​Magenta - Michael Harding; 
  3. Permanent Magenta - Mission Gold; Magenta (Quinacridone) - Old Holland; Quinacridone Magenta - QoR;  Quinacridone Red Violet, Rembrandt; ​​Magenta Lake - Renesans half pan; 
  4. Magenta Rose* - Rosa; ​Helios Purple - Sennelier; ​Purple Magenta - Schmincke; ​​Quinacridone Magenta - Winsor & Newton      

PR123

Perylene Vermilion - Aquarius Watercolour. New 2023

PR144

Azo Red* - Aquarius; Transparent Red Deep - Schmincke watercolour

PR149

Perylene Scarlet* - Daniel Smith watercolour. Perylene Scarlet - Aquarius Watercolour. New 2023

PR166

Scarlet Red - Aquarius 

PR168

  1. Medici Red - A Gallo; Anthraquinone Scarlet* - Aquarius; Anthraquinoid Scarlet* - Daniel Smith; Permanent Red Light* - Maimeri Blu; Permanent Red Light - Mission Gold Watercolour; 
  2. Bright Red - Old Holland watercolour

​PR 170 and PR170:1

  1. Permanent Red* - Aquarius PR170; Permanent Red* - Daniel Smith PR170 F3rk-70; Permanent Red Deep* - Daniel Smith PR170 F5RK-A;  Napthol Red - Da Vinci PR170; Scarlet Lake - Michael Harding. PR170;
  2. Naphtol Red Bluish - Rembrandt PR170; ​Carmine* - RosaPR170:1; Dark Red - Schmincke Watercolour PR170 (Discontinued); Carmine - White Nights PR170:1 

PR171

Napthalmide Maroon - Daniel Smith 

​PR 175

Deep Scarlet* - Daniel Smith 

PR176

PR176 is a gorgeous crimson - very like the genuine but fugitive alizarin crimson PR83. It will mix purples and oranges.
Permanent Alizarin Crimson - Aquarius; Carmine* - Daniel Smith 

Reds made with PR177 - crimson reds

Anthraquinone Red - Aquarius; Anthraquinoid Red* - Daniel Smith watercolour; Permanent Red Deep - MaimerBlu; Permanent Alizarin Crimson - QoR; Geranium Lake - Renesans half pan;

​PR 178

The first swatch is a very close match to the actual colour of this bright crimson pigment.​
Perylene Red - Aquarius; Perylene Red* - Daniel Smith; Perylene Red Deep - Rembrandt Watercolour; Perylene Dark Red, Schmincke 

PR179

  1. Perylene Maroon* - Aquarius; Perylene Red Deep - Aquarius. New 2023; Perylene Red - Daler Rowney watercolour; Perylene Maroon* - Daniel Smith; Perylene Maroon - Holbein; 
  2. Perylene Maroon - Winsor & Newton 

PR187

Permanent Madder Lake - Rembrandt; Madder Red Light - White Nights; Sanguine - Winsor & Newton (Discontinued)

Reds made with PR188

  1. Red Hot Mamma - American Journey; Poppy - American Journey; Scarlet lake* - Aquarius; Organic Vermilion* - Daniel Smith; Permanent Red - Da Vinci; 
  2. Scarlet Lacquer - Sennelier  Vermilion Light - Schmincke; Scarlet Lake - Winsor & Newton 

PR202

Similar to the magenta created with PR122, but not as bright or clean mixing. Shown here in alphabetical order my manufacturer:
  1. Quinacridone Fuchsia - American Journey;  Quinacridone Fuchsia* - Aquarius; Quinacridone Fuchsia* - Daniel Smith; Quinacridone Magenta* - Daniel Smith; Quinacridone Fuchsia - Da Vinci; 
  2. Crimson Lake - Mission Gold; ​Quinacridone Red Violet - Rembrandt; Quinacridone Magenta - Schmincke Watercolour
This pigment is also used in Magenta Quinacridone - MaimeriBlu 

Reds (and red browns) made with PR206

The rather lovely Permanent alizarin crimson by W&N is a real surprise from this normally burnt scarlet pigment. This is another Quinaqcridone pigment that will run out, so stock up if you love any particular version of it.

Reds made with PR207

Quinacridone Warm Scarlet - Aquarius Watercolour. New 2023; Pyrrole Red Light - QoR 

Reds made with PR209

I have not been able to match the exact colour for this pigment - it makes a lovely true coral colour, but these tend to look too pink. See the Aquarius, Daniel Smith and Holbein swatches for the closest idea of this coral colour.
  1. ​​Coral Red (Quin) - American Journey; Cherry Quinacridone Red* - Aquarius; Quinacridone Red - Blockx; Quinacridone Coral* - Daniel Smith; Quinacridone Red - Da vinci; 
  2. Quinacridone Scarlet/Cherry Red* - Holbein; ​Quinacridone Red Orange - Sennelier; Quinacridone Red - MaimeriBlu; Quinacridone Red - M.Graham; ​Quinacridone Red - Winsor & Newton  

PR214

Aquarius Red* - Aquarius; Scheveningen Red Medium - Old Holland

Reds made with PR221

Carmine (Hue) - Aquarius.

Pinks made with PR233

This gently granulating dusty pink pigment is known as Potter's Pink or Pink Colour.
  1. ​Potter's Pink* - A Gallo; PR233; Potter's Pink* - Aquarius; Potter's Pink* - Daniel Smith; Potter's Pink* - Dirty Blue; Potter's Pink - Michael Harding ​
  2. Potter's Pink - Schmincke; Potter's Pink - Winsor & Newton 

PR242

This bright warm red is difficult to capture.
French Vermilion - Sennelier; Geranium Red, Schmincke; French Vermilion - Jackson's.

​PR251

Spectrum Red - Art Spectrum;  Vermilion Extra - Old Holland 

PR254

Picture
PR254
This fabulous pillar box red is a wonderful choice if you want a bright mid red. This colour is actually fairly consistent across the brands, and as best seen left. (These swatches will be re-scanned to better show the colour.)
  1. Scarlet Red - A Gallo; Joe's Red - American Journey; Pyrrole Red - Aquarius; Blockx Red - Blockx; Pyrrol Red - Daniel Smith watercolour; 
  2. Da Vinci Red - Da Vinci watercolour; Pyrrole Red - Holbein; Red (Pyrrole) - Jackson's; Sandal Red - Maimeri Blu; Pyrrol Red - M.Graham;
  3. Pyrrole Red - Michael Harding; Permanent Red Deep - Mission Gold; Permanent Red Deep - Rembrandt; ​Sennelier Red - Sennelier; Scarlet Red - Schmincke Watercolour; 
  4. Permanent Red - Wichitrong; ​Winsor Red - Winsor & Newton 

Reds made with PR255 - warm reds

Picture
PR255
PR255 is a definite orange-red, and my favourite pigment for a warm red option. I'll be re-scanning these swatches to better show the true colour - seen left. The swatches* by A.Gallo, Aquarius, Daniel Smith and Dirty Blue give the best depiction of this pigment. 
  1. Vermilion* - A Gallo; ​Pyrrole Scarlet* - Aquarius; Pyrrolo Red - Blockx; Pyrrol Scarlet* - Daniel Smith; Pyrrol Scarlet* - Dirty Blue; *
  2. Pyrrole Red - Maimeri Blu; Rose Dore Madder Lake - Sennelier; Vermilion - Schmincke; Vermilion - Schmincke; Richeson Pyrrole Red Light - Stephen Quiller 

PR259

All these swatches are as accurate as I can make them.
Ultramarine Pink - A. Gallo; Ultramarine Pink - Aquarius; Ultramarine Pink - Dirty Blue; Ultramarine Pink - M.Graham 

PR264

This is my favourite of the crimson reds - transparent, lightfast and rich in colour. Shown here are
  1. Ruby - A Gallo; Pyrrole Rubine* - Aquarius; Crimson Lake - Blockx; Pyrrol Crimson* -  Daniel Smith; Pyrrole Rubine - Holbein 
  2. Permanent Alizarin Crimson - M.Graham; ​Ruby Red Deep - Schmincke; Carmine - Rembrandt; Winsor Red Deep - Winsor & Newton 

PR272

Raspberry Red - ​Aquarius Watercolour. New 2023

PR287

Mayan Red - Daniel Smith (slightly more coral than it looks here); Bordeaux - Schmincke 

PR290

This is the only example I know of for this intriguing ginger pigment. 
Ginger Red - Aquarius

More (unknown) single pigment reds and Daniel Smith Primateks

  1. Quinacriodone Scarlet - Aquarius PR N/A; Quinacridone Rose, Aquarius. PR N/A​; Quinacridone Magenta Intense - Aquarius PR N/A Rhodonite Genuine Daniel Smith; Garnet Genuine* - Daniel Smith. 
  2. Red Fuchsite Genuine* - Daniel Smith; ​Cote D'Azure Violet* - Daniel Smith (Discontinued).​Bright Red, Jackson's Pigment N/A; ​Acra Crimson - Permanent pigments PV19?; Permanent Carmine Winsor & Newton watercolour. Pigment number not given.

Mixed Pigment Reds

May be made from more than one red pigment, but all mixes of some sort. (I'll sort these further eventually and re-scan for better colour accuracy)

Mixed pigment orange-reds (warm reds)

  1. Permanent Red - Daler Rowney PO73 + PR254; Cadmium Red Scarlet Hue* - Daniel Smith PY53 + PR254 + PY83; Cadmium Red Medium Hue* - Daniel Smith PY53 + PR254; Scarlet Lake - Holbein PO73 + PR254 + PV19​; Rose Doré - Michael Harding. PY97 + PV19; Vermilion - Rembrandt PR255 + PY154; 
  2. Cadmium Red Light - Rosa PR108 + PO20; ​Bright Red* - Rosa PO73 + PR254.

Mixed Pigment Rose Madder Hues

  1. Rose Madder (Quinacridone) - American Journey PR188 + PV19; ​​Rose Madder Permanent - Daniel Smith R209 + PV19 + PR202; Madder Rose* - Rosa PV19 + PV254; Rose Madder - Schmincke PR83:1 + PR48:4; 

Mixed pigment rose reds and pinks

  1. Pietra Rosa, A Gallo. PR233, PV16, PV15; Taylor's Flamingo Pink (Quin) - American Journey PV19 + PW6;  ​Jane's Earth Rose - Custom mix using Daniel Smith PR233 + PR101​; ​​Shell Pink* - Holbein PO73 + PW6; ​​Brilliant Pink* - Holbein PW6 + PR209; 
  2. Rose - Rembrandt PR122 + PW6; ​​Tundra Pink* - Schmincke PB29 + PR233; ​Galazy Pink* - Schmincke PV16 + PBr33; Brilliant Pink - ShinHan PWC PW6 + PR209​; 

Mixed pigment crimson reds

  1. Alizarin Crimson Hue - A Gallo Pr177 + PR144 + PV19; Ornamental Red - American Journey PR88, PV19 (Discontinued); Crimson Lake - Holbein PR177 + PR122 + PV19; Permanent Alizarin Crimson - Holbein  PV19 + PBr25; Alizarin Crimson - Jackson's PR209 + PY83 + PR179; 
  2. Madder Red* - Rosa PR177 + PR264; Alizarin Crimson - Sennelier PR209 + PY83 + PR179.

Opera Rose reds

I don't tend to use this extremely bright rose colour but many love it so I'll gradually add to this gallery. It is difficult to capture the vibrancy of a Fluoro colour. These are all like the Da Vinci and Holbein swatches - super bright, but they will fade.
  1. Rich Opera - American Journey. PR122; Opera Pink*- Daniel Smith. PR122 + Fluro dye; Opus (Vivid Pink) - Da Vinci. PR122 Red dyed Polymer; Opera* - Holbein PR122 + PY10; Bright Rose* - Holbein PV11:1 + AB83
  2. ​Opera Rose - Jackson's watercolour. FLUO PR81:1; Opera Rose* - Rosa PR122 fluorescent; Brilliant Opera Rose - Schmincke. PR122; Opera Rose - Sennelier. PR81:1; Opera Rose - Winsor & Newton. PR122 + fluro dye
These swatches are painted and added as a guide. The intention is show the characteristics of each colour when painted. The colour reproduction is not perfect but hopefully will still be helpful used in conjunction with the manufacturer's website.  Thank you to those of you, from Canada, Sweden, Australia and the USA, who have helped me with this section by sharing your favourite colours. If you notice errors please let me know so I can correct them. If you have artist quality watercolour that are not shown here and want to help me build up this resource, also please let me know :-)
This pages was last edited October 2023. Rescanning these swatches and adding more brands...
Jane Blundell - Artist