Thanks to Lynne, I’m finally trying genuine Alizarin Crimson! It only took 5 years. This pigment is highly spoken of and featured in many books and lessons, especially older ones, or ones by older teachers. I’ve avoided this pigment because of its reputation for poor lightfastness; instead, I’ve tried many Alizarin Crimson replacements, some of which are swatched at the bottom. Does it live up to the hype??
Pigment Stats for PR83
Composition: Synthetic alizarin (1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone) on a base of alumina trihydrate.
Note the “anthraquinone” in the synthetic alizarin description: this is part of the anthraquinone family, along with Anthraquinone Red (PR177), Anthraquinone Yellow (PY147), and Indanthrone Blue (PB60).
History: According to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts,
A synthetic form of alizarin (1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone) was first made in 1868 by Carl Graebe and Carl Lieberman, from anthracene, a coal tar product. Prior to that time, alizarin was obtained from the root of the madder plant, Rubia tinctorum L.
MFA.org
Bruce MacEvoy picks up the story,
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.
Handprint.com
Lightfastness: LFIV (fugitive) according to ASTM. Again from Bruce MacEvoy:
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.
Handprint.com
Toxicity: Nontoxic
Observations of DS Alizarin Crimson
Hue: True red, deepening to crimson in masstone, pinky in dilute
Transparency: Very transparent
Tinting strength: Strong
Staining: Very staining
Comparison to Other Colors
“Permanent Alizarin Crimson” hues
This is such a beloved yet flawed color that many dupes have been made. In an earlier post, I looked at Alizarin Crimson Alternatives.
What Others Say
It’s a cool, intense red and very useful for tempering down Payne’s grey for clouds – a combination I probably use more than any other.
Ron Ranson, On Skies (1996)
A strong, deep red that can give a warm blush to any mix.
Richard Bolton, Handbook of Watercolour Landscape Tips & Techniques (2009)
Unique & beautiful hue, which is why many artists still use this fugitive pigment today.
ArtIsCreation.com
Conclusion
I mean, it’s nice! I have no doubt it was an amazing and life-changing pigment a few decades to centuries ago when few other strong, transparent reds were available. Leaning pink in dilute, it also serves as a primary approximation in a world before good pink or magenta pigments.
But we do have pink and magenta pigments now, lightfast ones even. Both my knowledge of color theory and my personal aesthetic sense lead me to choose pink over red for limited palettes.
If you love the deep crimson hue of this pigment, there are plenty of alternatives as well. I don’t actually love most of the “Permanent Alizarin Crimson” mixes, some of which also have fairly impermanent ingredients. I think the closest match is Da Vinci’s Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone (PV19), and Holbein’s Permanent Alizarin (PV19, PBr25) isn’t bad either. Though personally my favorite crimson is Holbein’s Pyrrol Rubin (PR264), which is not quite as transparent and not quite the same hue but works better on my palette because it is more different from the pinks I definitely have.
So, my opinion is basically unchanged: the lack of lightfastness is not a worthwhile tradeoff given how many similar colors are available. Besides, I prefer PINK!!!
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