Cool Reds
The cool reds are those that lean to the purple side, rather than the yellow side. In a split primary palette is it useful to have one of each type of red to create clean colours. Mixed together, the warm red and cool red will create a lovely pure red that is neither orange nor purple biased. Cool reds include Alizarin Crimson*, Permanent Alizarin Crimson Hue, Spectrum Crimson, Anthraquinoid Red, Permanent Carmine, Permanent Rose, Quinacridone Rose and many others. Cool reds will mix with blues to create clean purples, with yellows to create mid to neutral oranges and with green to create greys. (See more on the Quinacridone Tab.)
*Do not buy Alizarin Crimson, PR83, as this is a fugitive pigment, rated IV on the ASTM scale and you should only use ASTM I or II for watercolour paints. It is, unfortunately, a very common colour in many artists' palette.
Another option for a cool red is to actually use a magenta. Mixed with a warm red, a magenta will create a range of bright reds and crimsons, but the magenta will also make wonderful bright purples. I use a warm red (Pyrrole Scarlet or Transparent Pyrrole Orange, Daniel Smith), a cool red (Pyrrol Crimson, Daniel Smith) and a Quinacridone Rose (PV19) in my regular palette but have a Purple Magenta PR122 by Schmincke in my drawer for really bright purples.The Scarlet and Crimson or rose mix to create a range of lovely reds and crimsons. To see more on cool reds the a limited palette see my blog entry here. To see more on a huge range of warm, cool, mid and rose reds see my Blog entry here.
*Do not buy Alizarin Crimson, PR83, as this is a fugitive pigment, rated IV on the ASTM scale and you should only use ASTM I or II for watercolour paints. It is, unfortunately, a very common colour in many artists' palette.
Another option for a cool red is to actually use a magenta. Mixed with a warm red, a magenta will create a range of bright reds and crimsons, but the magenta will also make wonderful bright purples. I use a warm red (Pyrrole Scarlet or Transparent Pyrrole Orange, Daniel Smith), a cool red (Pyrrol Crimson, Daniel Smith) and a Quinacridone Rose (PV19) in my regular palette but have a Purple Magenta PR122 by Schmincke in my drawer for really bright purples.The Scarlet and Crimson or rose mix to create a range of lovely reds and crimsons. To see more on cool reds the a limited palette see my blog entry here. To see more on a huge range of warm, cool, mid and rose reds see my Blog entry here.
Pyrrol Crimson
Pyrrol Crimson. Daniel Smith watercolour.
Pyrrol Crimson is a more permanent crimson red to replace fugitive Alizarine Crimson.
I have explored many options from many manufacturers for this colour, including the lovely Daniel Smith Permanent Alizarin Crimson but this is a mix of three pigments and I prefer single pigment colours where possible. Other options include Da Vinci Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone (PV19), Daniel Smith Carmine, Daniel Smith Anthraquinoid Red (PR177), Winsor & Newton Alizarin Hue, W&N Permanent Carmine as well as many deep reds made with the pigment PR179 (Perylene Maroon). I love the colour of Anthraquinoid Red, but am not convinced it is totally light fast.
My favourite crimson for limited palettes is Daniel Smith Carmine - a glorious crimson that washes out to a pink and mixes beautifully. It is not as deep as the Anthraquinoid Red, but mixed with a touch or Perylene Maroon or shadowed with a touch of Phthalo Green it works very well.
I have explored many options from many manufacturers for this colour, including the lovely Daniel Smith Permanent Alizarin Crimson but this is a mix of three pigments and I prefer single pigment colours where possible. Other options include Da Vinci Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone (PV19), Daniel Smith Carmine, Daniel Smith Anthraquinoid Red (PR177), Winsor & Newton Alizarin Hue, W&N Permanent Carmine as well as many deep reds made with the pigment PR179 (Perylene Maroon). I love the colour of Anthraquinoid Red, but am not convinced it is totally light fast.
My favourite crimson for limited palettes is Daniel Smith Carmine - a glorious crimson that washes out to a pink and mixes beautifully. It is not as deep as the Anthraquinoid Red, but mixed with a touch or Perylene Maroon or shadowed with a touch of Phthalo Green it works very well.
Pure purples - Anthraquinoid Red + Ultramarine
Anthraquinoid Red (left) mixed with Ultramarine (right).
The combination of a cool red mixed with a warm blue creates clear purples. For more vibrant purples, see the Quinacridones Tab.
Neutral oranges - Anthraquinoid Red + Cadmium Yellow Light
Anthraquinoid Red (left) mixed with Cadmium Yellow Light (right).
The oranges created with this combination are very natural, as they are somewhat neutralised.
Neutrals and black - Anthaquinoid Red + Phthalo Green
Anthraquinoid Red (left) mixed with Phthalo Green (right).
The combination of a cool red - a crimson - and a cool green will neutralise each other to form greys. If they are as intense as Permanent Alizarin Crimson /Anthraquinoid Red and Phthalo Green, you can create gorgeous black as well. Other useful colours are lovely eggplant purples and deep prussian greens. These mixes will be smooth to paint with since neither is a granulating colour. If you want granulation, use Viridian (PG 18) instead of Phthalo green (PG 7), though keep in mind it is less intense, and some brands of watercolour blend it with PG 7 anyway.
Neutrals and browns - Anthaquinoid Red + Undersea Green
Anthraquinoid Red (left) mixed with Undersea Green (right).
Anthraquinoid Red mixed with Undersea Green, a neutral yellow green, in this case a mixture of Ultramarine and Quinacridone Gold, gives a range of neutralised colours. Due to the yellow in Undersea Green, browns are produced rather than greys.
Crimson Red with Sap Green
Anthraquinoid Red (left) mixed with Sap Green (right)
Anthraquinoid Red mixed with Sap Green, a yellow green, in this case a mixture of Phthalo Green and Quinacridone Gold. Even more yellow in Sap Green make the browns more intense.
Rose Red - Quinacridone Rose
Quinacridone Rose, also called Permanent Rose, is made with PV19 and is a wonderful choice as a cool red. It mixes oranges nicely too so can be the single red in a more limited palette. I actually like to have two cool reds - the crimson for mixing blacks as well as being a useful colour straight from the palette, and a rose red for mixing clean purples.
Quinacridone Magenta, made with PR122, is another popular option as a primary red but it isn't as lightfast as PV19. The Daniel Smith Qinacridone Magenta PR202 is better lightfast rated and more powerful though not quite as clean-mixing as PR122. You can see these in the Quinacridones section.
Quinacridone Magenta, made with PR122, is another popular option as a primary red but it isn't as lightfast as PV19. The Daniel Smith Qinacridone Magenta PR202 is better lightfast rated and more powerful though not quite as clean-mixing as PR122. You can see these in the Quinacridones section.