Red has been available to artists since prehistory in the form of red earth, but throughout art history the colour red has often been characterised by pigments with poor lightfastness and high toxicity. The poisonous Vermillion was made using mercury sulphide, and it was the predominant red pigment used by European artists from the Renaisance to the 20th Century. Alongside Vermillion were dye-based lake pigments like Carmine, Rose Madder and, more recently, Alizarin Crimson, which are prone to fading. The faces in early Renaissance paintings sometimes have a distinctly green hue, due to the use of a thin layer of a fugitive red which has faded to reveal the highly lightfast green earth underpainting. The 19th and 20th Century saw the development of the Cadmium, Azo, Pyrrole, Quinacridone, and Benzimidazolone pigment groups, and today the red pigment family is one of the largest.
Here is a guide to the red pigments used in artist paints today according to the Pigment Colour Index, identified by the prefix PR or NR. Find out more about the Colour Index and why it is useful to artists in this post.
Each swatch is an example of an artist paint that uses that particular pigment, and the actual colour may vary. You can click on each swatch to go to the paint that is pictured.
NR 9 – Natural Rose Madder
Colour Description: Ranges from a muted red to a bright floral rose
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
Genuine Rose Madder is a laked dye, extracted from the root of the madder plant. It was first used to dye fabrics over 3000 years ago and it was one of the first dyes to be made into a pigment. As the popularity of oil painting spread during the Renaissance, its transparency made it ideal for glazing techniques. It is a very fugitive pigment, and isn’t recommended for permanent artist work. Rose Madder was largely replaced by Alizarin Crimson (PR 83) in the 19th Century, and you can read more about that here.
PR 5 – Naphthol Red
Colour Description: Blue-red
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque
The Naphthol red pigments PR 5, PR 9, PR 112, PR 170 and PR 188 are a large group of synthetic organic red pigments. They were originally produced as dyes, but were laked to make pigments for artist paints, printing inks, cosmetics, and plastics at the beginning of the 20th Century. PR 5 can serve as a mid-toned, primary red in a palette, however, there are contradictory lightfastness test results with some questioning its suitability as an artist pigment. Naphthol Red PR 112 is more reliably lightfast.
PR 9 – Naphthol Red
Colour Description: Orange-red
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent
More orange-leaning than Naphthol Red PR 5. Like PR 5, there are some concerns around lightfastness. Try Quinacridone Red (PR 209) or the more orange variety of Pyrrole Red (PR 255) for a more reliable alternative.
PR 81 – Rhodamine Lake
Colour Description: Bright pink
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
PR 81 (sometimes categorised as PR 81:1) is a fluorescent lake pigment that is extremely bright, but unfortunately it has very poor lightfastness. It is generally only found in combination with Quinacridone Magenta (PR 122) in Opera Rose paints, which is popular with botanical watercolourists. If using this pigment we recommend using a UV protective varnish and keeping the artwork away from direct sunlight. There are no lightfast pigments that can match the fluorescence of PR 81, as fluorescent colours fade by their very nature.
PR 83 – Genuine Alizarin Crimson
Colour Description: Rich blue-red
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
Alizarin crimson is a synthetic lake pigment that was developed as a replacement for Genuine Rose Madder (NR 9). It is a deep, cool red with a high tinting strength and, despite concerns about its lightfastness, many artists find the colour indispensable. With Viridian (PG 18) or Phthalo Green (PG 7) Alizarin Crimson makes a deep-valued chromatic black. PR 83 is more muted and natural-looking than most of the modern Quinacridone pigments which now dominate the blue-red pigment market, but for those who are concerned about its lightfastness there are many Alizarin Crimson hue paints that are often offered alongside the genuine pigment in many paint ranges.
PR 88 – Thioindigo Violet
Colour Description: Red-violet
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent
Only available in a handful of ranges, PR 88 is a very violet shade of red with good lightfastness.
PR 101 – Synthetic Red Iron Oxide
Colour Description: Covers a vast range of colours, from deep brown-ish purple, to earthy red
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent to opaque
Synthetic iron oxide pigments, also known as Mars pigments, were first created in the 18th Century, but they began to gain popularity as alternatives to natural earth pigments in the early 20th Century. PR 101 is chemically identical to Natural Red Iron Oxide (PR 102), but tends to be more transparent and more vibrant in colour than Natural Red Iron Oxide, which can contain naturally occurring impurities. In watercolour, PR 101 is usually non-granulating.
PR 102 – Natural Red Iron Oxide
Colour Description: Covers a vast range of colours, from deep brown-ish purple, to earthy red
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent to opaque
Natural Red Ochre pigments have been used since prehistory. They are derived from earths that contain high amounts of hematite, a blood-red mineral. PR 102 is usually more opaque than Synthetic Red Iron Oxide (PR 101). Read more about earth pigments and their synthetic alternatives here.
PR 106 – Genuine Vermillion
Colour Description: Orange-red with earthy undertones
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque
Vermillion was originally made by grinding cinnabar, a natural mineral containing mercury sulphide, and it was first produced synthetically in the 8th Century. It remained a mainstay in the artist palette until it was replaced by Cadmium Red in the 20th Century. It is very rarely found in artist paints now, partly due to its toxicity, but also because it has a tendency to darken over time. PR 106 is more earthy and muted than the paints labelled as ‘Vermillion’ today, which are generally much more vibrant.
PR 108 – Cadmium Red
Colour Description: Bright orange red to deep maroon
Transparency/Opacity: Opaque
PR 108 can cover a wide range of red shades, and the name of the colour gives an indication of its exact shade. Cadmium Red Light, for example, will lean more towards orange (this shade can replace Genuine Vermillion PR 106), while Cadmium Red Deep is a more maroon shade. Cadmium is a poisonous metal, but the Cadmium used in artist paints cannot be absorbed by the body so the risk to the artist is low. However, special care should be taken to avoid inhaling dry Cadmium pigment.
PR 112 – Naphthol Red
Colour Description: Bright orange-red to primary red
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
PR112 is more lightfast than PR9, another member of the Naphthol pigment family. It makes lively floral pinks when mixed with white.
PR 122 – Quinacridone Magenta
Colour Description: Vibrant blue-red that almost falls into purple
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
The first Quinacridone compound was discovered in 1896, but its suitability as a pigment wasn’t recognised until 1955. A commercially viable industrial process for synthesising Quinacridone pigment was developed, and in 1958 it was introduced to the market. Like other Quinacridone pigments, Quinacridone Magenta is strongly tinting and highly lightfast, and it can be found in most artist paint ranges. It is a very versatile mixing colour, though it is best mixed with other strong colours that can match PR 122’s tinting strength. Try mixing it with Phthalo Green (PG 7) to make black, which can then be mixed in tints with white to make a range of atmospheric blue-greys. Find out more about Quinacridone pigments here.
PR 144 – Azo Red
Colour Description: Primary red
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent
A mid-toned shade of red that doesn’t lean much towards blue or orange. Mix it with any yellow pigment to make bright orange.
PR 149 – Perylene Red
Colour Description: Dark violet-red
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque to transparent
First developed as a dye before being laked into an artist pigment in the beginning of the 20th Century. Perylene Red is very deep and earthy, and it has excellent lightfastness. Try mixing it with Phthalo Green (PG 7) or Phthalo Green Yellow Shade (PG 36) to make a range of landscape greens. It is also a useful colour to have in a portrait painting palette.
PR 168 – Anthraquinone Scarlet
Colour Description: Orange-red
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
PR 168 was discontinued in 2020, but has been reinstated as of May 2021. It is a particularly peachy shade of red that almost falls into orange, and it makes delicate orange tints when mixed with white.
PR 170 – Naphthol Red
Colour Description: Ranges from orange-red to blue-red
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque to semi-transparent
PR 170 covers a wide range of shades, and the name of the paint usually gives away what kind of shade you can expect. Naphthol Red Light indicates an orange-red, while Naphthol Red Deep is usually a more violet shade. Its lightfastness varies between pigment manufacturers.
PR 171 – Benzimidazolone Maroon
Colour Description: Earthy brown-violet
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent
Benzimidazolone Maroon is so earthy that it can play the role of an earth pigment in a palette. It has similar qualities to Perylene Maroon PR 179.
PR 176 – Benzimidazolone Crimson
Colour Description: Blue-red
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
Benzimidazolone Crimson is often used as a lightfast alternative to Alizarin Crimson (PR 83) or Carmine, another historical lake pigment made from cochineal insects.
PR 177 – Anthraquinone Red
Colour Description: Bright blue-red
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
An more vibrant and lightfast alternative to Alizarin Crimson (PR 83). Try mixing it with a red-biased blue like Ultramarine Blue (PB 29) to make lively violets.
PR 179 – Perylene Maroon
Colour Description: Dull violet-brown
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque to semi-transparent
Another earthy red, Perylene Maroon becomes more purple when it’s mixed in tints with white. It is an excellent addition to a landscape palette, and it makes natural-looking greys when mixed with Indanthrene Blue (PB 60)
PR 188 – Naphthol Scarlet
Colour Description: Orange-red
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-opaque to semi-transparent
PR 188 has the best lightfastness of all the Naphthol pigments according to many tests. It makes subtle pinks when mixed with white.
PR 202 – Quinacridone Magenta
Colour Description: Vibrant and deep pink that almost falls into purple
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
An alternative to PR 122. While they are very similar, PR 202 is a little more blue and slightly less vibrant. Try mixing it with Phthalo Green (PG 7) to make black, which can then be mixed in tints with white to make a range of atmospheric blue-greys. Find out more about Quinacridone pigments here.
PR 206 – Quinacridone Maroon
Colour Description: Earthy, red-brown
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
Quinacridone Maroon can make a lightfast alternative to Genuine Brown Madder. PR206 is quite useful in portrait painting, providing a muted red base that can be used to build flesh tones. Find out more about Quinacridone pigments here.
PR 207 – Quinacridone Scarlet
Colour Description: Bright coral red, strong undertones of orange
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
PR 207 is an exceptionally bright and lightfast pigment. Mix it with Yellow Ochre (PY 42) to make fiery oranges. Find out more about Quinacridone pigments here.
PR 209 – Quinacridone Red
Colour Description: Bright coral red, strong undertones of orange
Transparency/Opacity: Transparent
Very similar to PR 207, PR 209 makes a range of interesting greens when mixed with Viridian (PG 18) or Phthalo Green (PG 7). Find out more about Quinacridone pigments here.
PR 233 – Potter’s Pink
Colour Description: Dull, earthy rose
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent
Named for its use in ceramic glazes, Potter’s Pink is a very popular pigment in watercolour ranges. Its properties are unique – soft, muted, highly granulating, and low in tinting strength. Try mixing it with Cerulean Blue (PB 35 or PB 36) to make some soft greys. If using it as a watercolour, we recommend using it straight from the tube rather than from a pan, as it is easier to get a higher pigment load and get the most from this subtle colour.
PR 254 – Pyrrole Red
Colour Description: Bright, primary red
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to opaque
The word Pyrrole derives from the Greek pyrrhos, meaning ‘fiery’, and the Pyrrole family of pigments are a modern group of red and orange colours that live up to their name. PR 254 is the most mid-toned variety of Pyrrole red. It makes an excellent alternative to Cadmium Red, but is more transparent so better for glazing.
PR 255 – Pyrrole Red Light
Colour Description: Bright, orange-red
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to opaque
PR 255 is the more orange variety of Pyrrole Red and can replace Cadmium Red Light. Mix with a warm yellow like Hansa Yellow Deep (PY 65) to make luminous golden orange.
PR264 – Pyrrole Red Deep
Colour Description: Deep red with blue undertones
Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent to semi-opaque
The darkest and most blue variety of Pyrrole red. Adding a touch of Ultramarine Blue brings you to a colour very similar to Genuine Alizarin Crimson (PR 83)
This post is part of an ongoing series about the Pigment Colour Index.
- White Pigments (Codes beginning PW)
- Yellow Pigments (codes beginning PY)
- Orange Pigments (Codes beginning PO)
- Violet Pigments (Codes beginning PV)
- Blue Pigments (Codes beginning PB)
- Green Pigments (Codes beginning PG)
- Brown Pigments (Code beginning PBr or NBr)
- Black Pigments (Code beginning PBk)
You can also read our Pigment Stories series to find out about the history behind some widely used pigments.
Hi Evie, such fabulous information, thank
you! I especially loved learning about
lightfast pigments and natural pigments.
Such a wonderful blog.
Great information! Quality colors will
provide quality textures. It is important to
make sure that you are using best quality
color combinations. Thanks a lot! Keep up
the good work!
Thank you for your feedback. Glad you enjoyed the article.
In personal lightfastness tests I found
genuine Rose Madder (Winsor & Newton’s)
‘not too bad’ in lightfastness. Better at
least than Alizarin crimson, (and W&N
rates it as such) which seems to dull, and
even darken, before fading. However,
mostly also not required, as my
Quinacridone red PV19 seems a very close
facsimile to rose madder, and has tested
as almost completely permanent. The
Rose madder is a fraction more
transparent, so I just use the Quinacridone
more thinly instead.
Très intéressant et utile !
Merci !
Glad it was helpful. Thanks for reading!