Quinacridone Crimson Pigment

Description

Quinacridone Crimson (PR202) is a handmade single pigment quinacridone crimson red. It produces a deep, transparent crimson with a warm, slightly violet leaning undertone and a richly saturated masstone. Compared to traditional crimson lakes and alizarin style reds, this pigment is cleaner and higher in chroma while still reading as rich, classical, and atmospheric rather than garish.

In use, Quinacridone Crimson gives a luminous, transparent red ideal for florals, sunsets, warm shadows, textiles, glazes over earth reds, and nuanced work in portrait and figure painting. It has strong tinting strength with a transparent to semi-transparent character, making it excellent for glazing, layered washes, and optical mixing. It mixes beautifully with yellows for glowing scarlets and warm oranges, with blues for deep wine reds, violets, and near neutrals, and with earth colors to create sophisticated, rosy browns and shadow tones that stay clear rather than muddy.

This quinacridone pigment is highly chromatic, chemically stable, and compatible with a wide range of binders and mediums. In artist's colors it offers a modern, high performance alternative to traditional crimson and rose pigments, serving both as a primary mixing red on contemporary palettes and as a dramatic glazing color for rich, layered work.

History

The quinacridone family of pigments was developed in the mid-20th century as part of advances in organic chemistry aimed at producing colorants with exceptional clarity, chroma, and permanence. These pigments were first used in automotive and industrial coatings, where their resistance to light, weather, and chemicals quickly set them apart from earlier organic reds and violets.

Quinacridone Crimson (PR202) occupies a warm, deep position in the quinacridone spectrum, bridging the gap between magenta and traditional crimson reds. Its combination of transparency, high chroma, and good stability made it attractive to artists and paintmakers looking for modern replacements for less lightfast carmines and alizarins. Over time it has appeared in a variety of professional watercolor, oil, and acrylic lines under names such as "Quinacridone Crimson," "Quinacridone Red," or "Crimson Lake (quinacridone)," and is valued by painters who want a glowing, transparent crimson that can handle glazing, mixing, and long term display.

Pigment Information

Pigment Type: Synthetic (Organic) quinacridone pigment
Source: Organic synthesis of dichloroquinacridone
Origin: United States (1950s)
Suitable Mediums: Watercolor, Oil, Tempera, Acrylic, Lime / Fresco, Ceramic and cement applications
Lightfastness: Excellent
Opacity: Transparent to semi-transparent
Other Names: Quinacridone Crimson, Quinacridone Red (PR202), Crimson Lake (quinacridone)
Color Index Code: PR202

Health and Safety

• For art use only. Not for cosmetic, food or children's use.
• Keep out of reach of children and pets. Do not eat, drink or smoke while working.
• Avoid creating or breathing dust. Work in a ventilated area and wear a NIOSH approved dust respirator (P100 or better) when handling dry pigment.
• Wear gloves and eye protection. Wash hands and work surfaces after use, and never rinse pigment into drains.
• Do not spray apply, sand or burn.
• If swallowed or if you feel unwell, contact a poison control center (U.S. 1-800-222-1222) or a doctor.
• Safety Data Sheet available on request.