Often called Vermilion (although it is not the traditional/historical Vermilion pigment), PR188 is a smooth, transparent, brilliant red-orange shade.
Pigment Stats for PR188
Pigment Description: Naphthol Red
Lightfastness: Very Good in most ranges, however Bruce MacEvoy and Kim Crick (my usual go-tos on lightfastness) have some reservations (see What Others Say below).
Toxicity: Nontoxic.
Cost: Daniel Smith’s Organic Vermilion is series 2, so neither its most expensive nor least expensive. It is cheaper than its nearest competitor, Pyrrol Scarlet, which is series 3.
Observations of WN Scarlet Lake
Hue: Bright orange-red to pale coral/light red. A happy “strawberry soda” color.
Gradient: Slight cauliflowering.
Opacity: 100% transparent.
Glazing: Bold orange-red glaze that looks similar to Pyrrol Scarlet.
Color Mixes: Bold, vibrant oranges and reds! Mixes browns rather than purples with blue (because it is so orange-toned).
Comparison to Other Colors
Pyrrol Scarlet (PR255)
Similar hue to the semi-opaque red-orange Pyrrol Scarlet (PR255), but transparent.
A very, very similar hue to Pyrrol Scarlet, straight down the line. Scarlet Lake is maybe a touch more coral in dilute, compared to the peachy tones of Pyrrol Scarlet.
In handling they are very different, however. The main difference is in the opacity. PR188 is totally transparent, while Pyrrol Scarlet is semi-opaque. I found that the opaque quality of PS could, at times, make it “pop” more on the page, especially when used in foregrounds or for small details. The opacity also means that PS lends itself better to subjects that should have heft and gravity, such as rocks. Scarlet Lake has a light, effervescent quality. It’s better in sunset skies.
Quinacridone Coral (PR209)
More orange-toned than Quin Coral, less pinky. Both are totally transparent, and suitable for sunset skies. Quin Coral makes better purples.
Comparison to Other Brands
Schmincke Horadam – Vermilion Light
I struggled to get a deep masstone from this one, maybe because I at the time I was testing Schmincke I tended to overdilute everything.
Da Vinci – Permanent Red
A bright, rather light version of this pigment that mixes nicely. I like how this one somehow targets warm blues and cool blues differently, making muted purples with warm blues, but nicely muting Phthalo Blue and Green.
Misc Mixes
This page from my color sketchbook compares various scarlets (and Perylene Violet for some reason). The two PR188s are on the bottom row, first and last of the row: WN Scarlet Lake and DV Permanent Red.
Commercial Mixes Based on This Pigment
Da Vinci – Vermilion Hue
Vermilion Hue by Da Vinci builds on the PR188 red-orange shade by adding an orange, PO62 Perinone Orange, to create a color that falls more in between red and orange.
I found this color to resemble Pyrrol Orange (PO73), but a bit duller/more muted. Because of the opaque Perinone Orange, it’s semi-opaque (like Pyrrol Orange), so it doesn’t retain PR188’s transparency. Overall I would probably go for Pyrrol Orange over this, since I tend to prefer to put brighter colors on the palette (they can be muted in practice – whereas muted colors cannot be brightened).
Lightfastness
I did a lightfastness test on the Da Vinci Permanent Red.
After exposing the left swatch to light for ~6 months, I’m not capturing much difference between the swatches! In real life, the window swatch is maybe infinitesimally cooler-toned (less orangey), but it’s nearly undetectable. The camera doesn’t seem to pick up the difference. I’d give this an Excellent grade from my test.
What Others Say
It’s a beautiful, deep scarlet verging on a light red, the same hue as most cadmium scarlet watercolors (PR188 is an excellent cadmium alternative if price or toxicity is a concern)…
CAUTION. This is a lovely scarlet pigment that is more reliable than other naphthol reds. However, there are many saturated scarlet pigments available with better lightfastness, such as pyrazoloquinazolone scarlet (PR251) or pyrrole scarlet (PR255). I like the more lightfast cadmium scarlet (PR108) or pyrrole orange (PO73) for this hue, as I like to use the diluted color as a healthy pink portrait tone, and the naphthol tints are just too prone to fade.
Bruce MacEvoy, handprint.com
I generally AVOID PR242 (and to a lesser extent PR188) due to decreased lightfastness in tints.
Kim Crick, Top Lightfast Watercolor Pigments
PR188 is a Naphthol pigment, but it has a better ASTM lightfast rating than other Napthols. It’s a beautifully warm red that’s semi-transparent and mixes well. When I first tried it, I didn’t like how PR188 tended to blossom uncontrollably… Despite its quirky nature, the beauty of this color eventually won me over and I highly recommend it for a transparent, warm red.
Tonya @ Scratchmade Journal, Red Watercolor Comparison
My Overall Review of PR188
I like the hue and transparency of this scarlet. It mixes gorgeously with warm yellow.
Given the other colors in my palette, however, I often find this one difficult to work in, because it’s not quite as good for any purpose as some other colors:
- A strong, bold, pop scarlet? Pyrrol Scarlet (PR255) is a bit more reliable since it is more opaque so feels “weightier”, and it’s not as prone to drying shift and random blossoms.
- A bubbly pinky-orange shade for sunsets, that makes muted purples with blue? Quin Coral (PR209) has that covered, better.
- A scarlet that mutes blues? Prone to purple, especially in the WN brand, this one doesn’t work quite as reliably for that purpose as some other colors (e.g. Pyrrol Scarlet, Deep Scarlet, Quin Burnt Scarlet, Perylene Maroon, Venetian Red).
The main flaw with PR188 is the unpredictable way that is dries. It can look absolutely gorgeously bold and smooth when wet, then you turn your back, and it has dried streaky, full of cauliflowers, and/or wayyy too light.
With that said, I do really enjoy its transparent effervescence and warm, rosy mixes. It ability to mix bold oranges and shadowy mauves makes it a cornerstone of what I call my ‘summer triad’ of scarlet, Nickel Azo Yellow, and Phthalo Turquoise.
On my palette? Currently on my Summer Palette but not my main.
Favorite version: I enjoyed all the versions I tried.
Alternatives: Generally Pyrrol Scarlet or Quin Coral, depending on use case. See also What’s the difference between Pyrrol Scarlet (PR255), Scarlet Lake (PR188), and Quin Coral (PR209)?