Color Spotlight: Daniel Smith Amethyst (Primatek)

Amethyst is one of Daniel Smith’s Primatek colors, which are marketed as being made from real minerals (but almost certainly contain unlisted pigments). Amethyst, in particular, is gray and nonsparkly when crushed, so additional ingredients must be added.

At any rate, it’s a sort of grayish purple with mica-like sparkles.

Thanks to Lynne for the dot to test!

Observations of DS Amethyst

Hue/Granulation: Grayish violet with visible, color-separating, gray granulation and also tiny sparkles.

Tinting strength: Moderate; not as weak as many of the Primatek paints, but also not exactly easy to work up.

Transparency: Transparent

Lifting/Staining: Staining

What Others Say

Many of you guessed that the ‘genuine amethyst’ handles like dioxazine and you are absolutely correct. Dioxazine is the major pigment present here.

@worldpigmentday, April 21, 2021

Amethyst Genuine is a deep neutral purple with heavy granulation and a classy shimmer. As it dries, it reveals undertones of charcoal that create a ton of depth. I love it for rocks and shadows. I often add this to clouds when I need grey.

Sarah Burns, Daniel Smith Watercolors – The Colors I Love and How I Use Them (9 Month Review), 2023

My Overall Review of DS Amethyst

My best guess, based on the work of @worldpigmentday and my own observations, is that this is PV23 mixed with gray rock dust (perhaps genuine amethyst) as well as added mica for sparkle.

I find sparkles irritating because they get in my brushes and get in everything, so marketing claims aside, this is simply not my cup of tea. I suppose it might useful for something naturally sparkly like snow or water, but perhaps in that case another hue of mica sparkle paint would be more useful.