My Top 5 Favorite Watercolors: Reds

Welcome back to my new favorites series, featuring my "Top 5 Favorite..." Through this series we're going to look at my favorite colors in each color family, overall brands, and supplies such as papers and brushes.
Today we are taking a look at my favorite red and magenta pigments. These are not necessarily recommendations for EVERY watercolorist, but rather a way for me to share what I am currently enjoying using the most in my own studio. What do you think of this list? Did I mention your favorite? Be sure to share your favorites in the comments below!
Daniel Smith's Pyrrol Red: amzn.to/2D2I7br
Daniel Smith's Carmine: amzn.to/2tpL1Yg
Daniel Smith's Quinacridone Rose: amzn.to/2D4eKp8
Daniel Smith's Perylene Maroon: amzn.to/2FZ65HA
QoR's Quinacridone Magenta: amzn.to/2G14otp
Arches Watercolor Paper: amzn.to/3QAJvst
Silver Black Velvet Size 8 Round: amzn.to/3QXvBAr
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[@RebekkaHay]

Every time you publish one of these videos your number one choice is immediately sold out at Jackson's Art. You are a bad enabler 😆 💕 😘 But seriously though, this is super helpful.

[@jreynolds6767]

I am not a huge fan of reds on their own, but I love a lot of the mixes you've made with them. Thank you for showing the versatility of these pigments!

[@kaytexfolkart3412]

I’m so glad you are making a swatch card of the colors you’re using for mixing!

[@daphinie_]

I’ve had this macabre piece I’ve been dying to do but have spent the last few months searching for the not too purple and not too washed out pink sort-of red. Your video really gave me the right direction and now I can finally work on my piece. Thank you!!! ❤️😭

[@jaimeanderson9238]

I would pick pyrrol crimson over carmine if I had to choose but I just did the colors for my robax and picked almost the exact same ones down to the DV ali crimson. I also prefer pyrrol red to perylene so that was also in my choices. The carmine by holbein is actually pr83 so the daniel smith one is the way to go. It was one of my first colors. I think your choices are perfect.

[@azzuparis]

Hi Denise, love the mixing with these reds. Some are pretty unusual. Thank you 😀

[@nou257]

i know you've said in your past video that this series isn't intently made to tell people what shades of colors to buy since it is very subjective but i really think this series of yours is helping me a lot to choose which shades to buy since i'm still a beginner watercolorist and i haven't explored as much with different shades of colors! also, if this isn't something you haven't done yet or wouldn't mind doing, i so badly want you to make an art workspace tour! your color swatches are way too organized that im really intrigued about how more organized your workspace is!

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm so glad the videos are helpful! My workspace is a DISASTER but once I clean it up, I'll try to put it on my to do list :) I joked around the other day in my instagram stories when I rearranged because it's a VERY small space and there's not much to it ;)

[@HeyFernance91]

these videos are CRAZY helpful, I'm trying to put together my first "nice" watercolour set at the moment and it's so helpful to see colours from different brands compared, thanks so much for making them!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks so much! If you are enjoying that specific aspect of this series, I also have a Color Spotlight series that's a bit older where I compare a variety of brands of the same colors and talk about how to use them. I'm so glad the content in general is helpful :)

[@bugleaf9603]

i agree!! these videos are so helpful.

[@pbasswil]

I (boringly) love an utterly middle red hue, so PR254 (Pyrrol Red) was the first one I got. But I find, unless you dirty it up a bit with other hues, it kind of just sits there, flat & almost opaque like gouache. Then I got DS Deep Scarlet PR175, which I love (more red than scarlet imho). But it's a bit dull for a primary red. Now I have on order DV Quin Carmine PV19, which is like DV AlizCrimQuin, except less pinky highlights - probably the warmest PV19 I'm aware of. Between those 3, I figure I've got middle red under control. Always great to see your choices, and hear your thinking!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I agree with many of them :)

[@pbasswil]

It's so subjective, isn't it, our reaction and interpretation of colour. But for me it's really fun seeing how other people judge differently, and choose different pigments. Keep the colour spotlights coming. :^)

[@Beckymn1966]

Thank you for doing these Color demonstrations. They are so helpful.

[@HandmadeByLinanne]

Daniel Smith’s Carmine hands down! Gorgeous clean mixes, love it too!

[@alejandromorales9516]

Thank you! I love all of these! I'm thinking of getting a quin magenta at some point. Check out Daniel Smith Transparent Pyrrol Orange (PO71) at some point. It's technically an orange pigment, but it's really a gorgeous warm red. Also, Sennelier's French Vermillion (PR242). It's not far off from the Pyrrol Red, but there's something really magical about that pigment.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you! TPO will be in the orange video :) I agree that it leans more red, but I'm not a huge collector of oranges so I saved it for that one ;)

[@enduringbird]

I prefer the way you explained the mixing in the yellow video. I'm really enjoying these videos. Choosing colors is so difficult so it's nice to see what they can do in comparison to each other like this.

[@thehomegrownartist214]

Another great video. I like seeing what other artists like to use. I've tried carmine by Daniel Smith, it's a beautiful color!

[@kaytexfolkart3412]

Red is my favorite color... still searching for my perfect intense cool red!!! So appreciate your video! Do love Quin magenta for flesh too!

[@InLiquidColor]

Have you tried the Carmine before? It's dreamy (in my humble opinion :)).

[@spongebobtanu]

Great info as always! Thanks much!

[@katherinesimonds622]

Merry Christmas Denise! And a big YES to the swatch card!

[@InLiquidColor]

Merry Christmas Katherine!

[@MalamikArt]

I love these. I come to these vids to study :) I agree on these quin magenta and rose, I use them all the time! So glad pyrrol red by daniel smith made the list - my fav. I'm shocked about the aliz crimson!

[@rebeccapage4411]

♡♡♡DV Alizarin, but now I want to try Carmine!

[@myincredibleartgarden1493]

There are *SO* many REDS! And I love them all so I could never choose a favorite. I love the purpleish and pinkish ones. I love the darker bricky ones and of course the pyrrols and napthols and scarlets. I feel like I would never be able to use them properly or appreciate them as much as they all deserve. SK from IG

[@heathercatlady546]

I've been considering DS carmine after seeing the vibrancy on the dot sampler. I'm sure I'll get it eventually considering the severity of my "whole set syndrome". 😅 Thanks for another informative video.

[@nicolle2126]

I've always avoided the cooler pinks since I'm not a very big fan of them individually but those gorgeous mixes are making me reconsider :) Thanks for making these vids!

[@StephenMarkTurner]

PR254 might not be cheap, but PG7 is, and in combo you can mix a great line of muted reds and greens and pretty true greys with them. Especially with some practice. I do like my muted red green mix (Perylene maroon, green), but I admit I am wondering a bit if I need them.

[@fufufuaru]

perylene maroon is one of my favorite reds, and I always have it even in my smaller palette with perylene green. LOVE the purples, browns, and black it makes. btw, I love the color of your nails haha

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you! I figured, if you hit 10k subscribers, you treat yourself to a manicure :D

[@aparitionblu3830]

I'm loving these favorites videos they do a great job of showing how useful some of the seemingly less useful colors are when mixed with certain other colors. I did prefer the way you showed the mixing colors in this one btw.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks so much!

[@shallremainnameless1998]

Your favourites are all so pretty. I liked the Carmine you chose as number one. My own choice includes Sennelier Rose Dore Madder Lake, White Nights Madder Lake Red Light and Maimeri Blu Primary Red Magenta with an honorable mention going to Daler Rowney Aquafine Alizarin Crimson. The latter is not the most lightfast though I just love the hue. I haven't tried all the brands that you have though - that would be paint heaven!

[@InLiquidColor]

Sometimes it's a litter overwhelming! I actually haven't tried ANY of the ones you listed! Thanks for sharing :)

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

Happy Holidays Denise! ❄️🎄☃️🎉❤️👍🏾 Thanks for the Red vid! Surprisingly while Red is my favorite color, none of these nor their combos jumped out at me, as those of the blues did. IDK?!?!!

[@InLiquidColor]

I was surprised too! Like I mentioned, I use these, but none of them really shouted out to me (except for the Carmine). What's your favorite red?

[@Jennifer-wr9si]

is the Carmine a good sub for Perm Aliz Crimson? I have the M Graham P Aliz Crimson (PR 264) and love it but the honey in the paint just dries stringy on my palette.

[@renmuffett]

I love DS Carmine. Bruce McAvoy recommended it as a good Alizarin Crimson replacement which induced me to buy it in the 1st place back in 2010. He said, quote.... Benzimidazolone carmine PR176 is a lightfast, semitransparent, highly staining, dark valued, intense deep red pigment, currently offered by 4 pigment manufacturers worldwide. Unrated by the ASTM, manufacturer and my lightfastness tests give a rating of "very good" (II) or better.

[@adriannamarszal]

Thanks for the video! I you were to recommend one set of 24/36 (I’ve found both brands online in the same price) - would it be Rembrandt or Schmincke? 😊

[@MatheusFerreira-mu6lu]

i LOVE to paint animals, it is such a wonderful experience, but my style of painting is more like very unnatural colors ( example, i painted a whale using bright pink and gold LOL ) what colors would you recommend to me?

[@mjpete27]

I do not know if this has been mentioned before but you could re-name your series to Top 6 Colors. There is NO Reason you have to pick 5 who decided that 5 was a number you should limit your list to? Denise another wonderful video and you might consider doing a part deux! of this series as your tastes change and you gain more experience since this is from 2017! AND I blame you for my empty wallet and my new addiction to DaVinci paints!

[@Solaera]

I have Schmincke permanent carmine on my palette and I love it. Schmincke gave it their second highest lightfastness rating of 4 stars out of 5, very good lightfastness.

[@kaylaanderson5349]

Perylene maroon is my next red, no question!

[@nicolle2126]

Also idk if this is possible, but would it be okay if you had the colors you're going to swatch as a thumbnail in the corner? Just so we're able to see how they mix and refer to them in real time (just a suggestion though!)

[@InLiquidColor]

Unfortunately there's' only so much room on the screen :( If I added a thumbnail, it would be really hard to see both it and the active swatches at the same time, especially for mobile viewers.

[@arestocat]

I don't care about the selection of reds in general. However, an ideal palette of mine always has quinacridone rose in. I can't live without it! In a palette where I'm free of adding more colors, I will certainly choose something warmer, especially if I'm also able to have Pthalo Green in my palette. Even if it's not in my interest of watercolor paints, this video definitely opened up my mind to begin exploring more with reds. Great video as always, Denise!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks Thally! I'm a big fan of that one myself! I've opened my mind up a lot since I started painting and it's a joy what all is out there waiting for us :)

[@EveBolt]

I'm not a fan of phthalo green unmixed in paintings, but it makes some really nice colors mixed with all those reds! I don't think I have a favorite red, but I quite enjoy Rose Madder from Holbein. Not lightfast but very pretty :)

[@InLiquidColor]

I HAVE to may myself paint with phthalo green and phthalo turquoise more. I LOVE those colors and I never use them!

[@ramengirll]

Can you please make a video on pastel watercolour shades? Like light colours? It would be great! Thanks for the video. Loving it!

[@InLiquidColor]

Do you mean like the lavender and wisteria colors? I don't have those on hand unfortunate. Thanks so much!

[@Drumaier]

Pr264 anyone? I have the van gogh madder lake deep and is a nice replacement for alizarin crimson. I think m graham permanent alizarin is made of this pigment. My 3 most used and different enough reds are Pyrrol scarlet, quinacridone rose, and pr264.

[@nauci]

After buying the Daniel Smith essentials set, I've been browsing around their site to come up with my list of top 20 that I really want on my palette. Every time I settle on 2-3 of a color group that I REALLY want, I watch one of your videos, and we have the exact same top picks. It's beginning to be suspicious! (This time, I fell in love with Carmine, Pyrrol Red instead of scarlet that came with the essentials, and Quin Magenta instead of Rose!)

[@B1ackDahlia767]

I love reds, & I have too many. My favorite bright red is the Sennelier Red.😊

[@surabhichavan9673]

No no, I like the mixing version, gives an idea how they interact

[@cherrycordiaI]

This is my fav of the top fives so far. Are you going do to on one violets? I own pyroll red but I haven't done much with it since it's pretty, y'know, bright. I tend to lean towards cooler, bloodier reds (hense my adoration for perylene maroon) but those mixes just might change my mind. Especially that beautiful sunset-y orange.

[@InLiquidColor]

I agree I like my cooler reds more :) I will have a video on each of the secondary colors plus browns, then I'll move into other things like papers, brushes, and overall brands.

[@jordansinclair3118]

I love magenta! Especially the one that comes in Qors High chroma set!

[@InLiquidColor]

It's soooo dreamy :)

[@ritagjefle3995]

I’m looking to replace my alizarin Crimson with one that is lightfast. I’m assuming the DV has a good lightfast rating? Personally, I prefer when you show the colors you are going to mix at the first of your video. Thanks so much for these videos. They have been an immense help to me.

[@InLiquidColor]

Yes, DaVinci's is really great!

[@chaco_kid]

I like the Alizarin crimson. I have also recently been working with DS Rose madder & liking that. I’ve been surprised lately to see how many people use DS coral as a red & it seems to make nice organges.

[@kaichidraws7787]

I'm still not that use to Perylene Maroon- its the newest tube I have. PR176 is really beautiful I have Mijello version - both in my mini travel pallet and my big one. I mostly have Mijellos their distributor is nearby and always runs a sale. If I happen to go there , ill see if I can pick up an extra tube of Permanent Rose.

[@InLiquidColor]

Ooo nice! I think I have the mijello version from a dot card a viewer made as well. They do their red really well!

[@parthsavyasachi9348]

Here in Germany I have not seen danial Smith colors. But positive side is that holbein makes excellent colors and I can use them.

[@bevroberts8440]

Your subject today was especially relevant to me just now. I've been looking for a deep, bloody sort of red and thought I had found it when I ordered D.S. Napthamide maroon, but color swatching it I found it was not quite what I wanted. Do you have any suggestions on color/paint brand for a deep, bloody red...think of GOT's dragons. At least one of them seems to have a very deep, yet fiery color of skin underlying his dark, nearly black spiny scales. If you are too busy to get back to me on this, I will totally understand, lol. Busy time of year, so Merry Christmas and a happy healthy New Year to you and thanks for sharing your painting knowledge!

[@InLiquidColor]

Hey Bev, I'm not sure I can help with the GoT reference as I don't watch that series but the deepest, "bloodiest" reds I can think of are MGraham's Perylene Maroon (much more red than the Napthamide), Daniel Smith's Carmine (though a bit cool), and W&N's Alizarin Crimson (though that is fugitive). I hope that helps! Merry Christmas to you as well :)

[@bevroberts8440]

Thanks so much, I may try M. Graham's Perylene Maroon :D)

[@maryalgar8779]

I feel the same as J Reynolds. I do have Daniel Smith's Perylene Maroon and very much like it.

[@TheSgyro]

Oh yeah! that's really surprising 😐 both those guys were cool n yet made good purples n oranges!! Waat!!

[@SMazu-cl4uu]

I m thinking brown madder is more versatile than perylene marroon actually. Personal taste cause i m painting with very clean pigment. Then it really depends of manufacturer, i just give a try to Schmincke watercolor earths tone.

[@Tennishead21]

Another interesting video, Denise. :) I didn't think you would pick Carmine from Daniel Smith as your favourite; these were harder to predict than the blues or the yellows. It was interesting with the reds that you selected mainly cool reds. I was thinking about my favourite reds also and I must say, I do not have such strong feelings on reds as I do with yellows or blues. Nevertheless, my favourites are as follows: 1. Permanent Rose - Winsor and Newton/Ruby Red - Schmincke: PV19: Both are beautiful cool reds and mix wonderful violet colours with Prussian Blue. 2. Perelyne Maroon - M Graham PR179: Beautiful for mixing shadow tones. 3. Pyrol Red - Daniel Smith: PR254: The most powerful red I have ever seen. Daniel Smith reds are really incredible. 4. Quinacridone Red - Schmincke: PR207: 5. Cadmium Red - Winsor and Newton: PR108: I know you have an aversion to Cadmium colours but this is really useful when I need a more opaque colour. I don't like Daniel Smith's decision to not use cadmium pigments so it is W&N for the cadmium pigments. Wishing you a very merry Christmas, Denise. Thanks for all you do for the watercolour community and I look forward to more videos in the new year. :)

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you as always Conor! Carmine has always been there on my palette so it's funny I don't mention it more. I guess I really just don't use red very often! Thanks for sharing your favorites as well. Merry Christmas to you as well! Have a wonderful holiday.

[@Tennishead21]

I think sometimes the colours we use most often are the colours we speak of the least. A new, shiny and exotic colour may be great but it is often colours like Carmine or Ultramarine that are the backbone of our palettes. This is why I put Permanent Rose as my number one colour. It is not necessarily my favourite or the most exciting colour but it is infinitely useful and I would not be without it. Alas, I forgot to say that PV19 (Permanent Rose/Quin Rose) and Perelyne Maroon (PR179) mix to create a more lightfast version of the original Aliziran Crimson (PR83), if you have not tried that already. :)

[@InLiquidColor]

Ooo, I'll give that a try! Sounds like it would be pretty perfect :)

[@RajashreeGhoshdiya]

Sennelier has beautiful color called 'rose madder lake' (PV19) whose hue is very similar to the Daniel Smith's Quin Rose. I would recommend it, cause Sennelier's is quite cheaper.

[@InLiquidColor]

I think it depends on the country :) Here Sennelier is not even at my local art store, and I have to buy it online ;)

[@tiffanyzimmerman5520]

What paper are you using?

[@Dan.B.Artist]

Interesting list especially as most of the reds are cool red, one being a violet. I'm not a big red person so I don't use many.

[@InLiquidColor]

Yes, I do prefer cool reds. I'd definitely pin the magenta as magenta rather than violet. I will have another video for purples and violets :)

[@AliceInaBulletJournal]

I have used winsor Newton carime

[@jennw6809]

I recently bought my first DaVinci and I did get the Alizarin Quin, and it is unique, but I was a little surprised that it seems weak in tinting strength for a quin, and for some reason it's just a little disappointing looking in person. Maybe my expectations were too high. After hearing you rave I will have to try it more and see if I can appreciate its charms.

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm sorry that it fell short for you! I actually appreciate it because its a more gentle hue than other reds and magentas. I find it easier to use in paintings of wildlife, but of course that changes with subject and personal preference!

[@jennw6809]

@@InLiquidColor That makes a lot of sense!

[@grayblosser6630]

I don't really feel strongly about reds. I go for mixing rather than stand alone colors. I'd say Quin Rose is probably my most used red as it is with many people. Also your nails looked so nice in this video!

[@InLiquidColor]

It's funny - so many people seem not to feel strongly about them, while others like blues and yellows are so polarizing. It's so fascinating! Thanks so much about the nails :D I'm going to try to make that a semi-regular thing.

[@grayblosser6630]

In Liquid Color I'll have to keep a watch out for your changing nails then! I'm so bad about mine, I hate feeling nails on my skin so if I forget to trim them, I'll absentmindedly chew them. 😭

[@InLiquidColor]

I was a nail biter until I was in my 20s. When I had my wisdom teeth out, I physically couldn't bite them for a month and after that worked REALLY hard to keep myself from going back. I still slip occasionally, but I try to admire them when they look pretty to convince myself not to bit them ;) Manicure are not something I like the idea of paying for BUT when they come with a hand massage, it's worth the $18 :)

[@wd5739]

I'm new to watercoloring and I'm having a hard time trying to find a TRUE red. I have like 5 but they're either actually pink or orange 😑😑. Anyone have any suggestions?

[@parthsavyasachi9348]

I understand what you mean. Even in the video all the 5 reds were red-shades of pink :-D Anyway I feel the color close to what you want is Winsor Newton Red deep , this is what i ended up using when i needed true red recently. Another color that i felt was red was Crimson lake by Holbein. Actually by mixing the two colors i mentioned you will get very interesting mixes of reds. Also Rose madder by Holbein i have that is lovely but as it says its more of Rose than the true red you wish.

[@katnilsson]

I’m trying to find the perfect Christmas red without success. Anyone have great ideas? It can be from tubes or mixed, my only wish is that it is the traditional deep red color that you can see in Disney movies.

[@TheSgyro]

I have a rose madder lake from sennelier as my cool red.. And it's pv19 but looks more like the magenta u showed😐

[@InLiquidColor]

PV19 can range a LOT in color from a red to a magenta color.

[@KitarraChaosWeaver]

The swatch card in the beginning is much better.

[@quizguru9563]

We're totally certain I have trivia questions about this topic.

[@laisabel4765]

What brand is your Quinacridone Magenta?

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

nice formt :-)

[@axismage91]

[@fidrewe99]

I don't get why people keep spreading misinformation about color. Red, blue and yellow are NOT good primary colors for any kind of color mixing. Magenta is NOT red and cyan is NOT blue. The distinction between magentas and reds is even more fundamental than the distinction between red and orange, because red and magenta behave fundamentally different in color mixing. Color theory is really not that hard. Sorry, you're only meaning it well and a lot of this video is helpful, but I feel this needed to be said.

[@InLiquidColor]

Maybe you'd prefer this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2SQiaGYZbZ7fsk

[@FuriedHearts]

I don’t know why adding quin rose to this list would be controversial since any pink/magenta counts as a primary “red” in most palettes. I do wish you would’ve done a Top 5 Magenta/Pinks video separate from the reds for this reason 🥺