Compared to middle reds, crimsons are darker, and sometimes have pink undertones (“cooler” or more violet bias, not “warm” or orangey).
Color List
- Pyrrol Crimson (PR264)
- Cadmium Red Deep (PR108)
- Alizarin Crimson (PR83) – fugitive; see Alizarin Crimson Alternatives ⭐
- Carmine (PR176)
My thoughts
Necessary slot? No. It’s hard for me to admit this because I like crimson, but most crimsons are so similar to magenta or rose that their use cases overlap, and I think magenta or rose is more useful and flexible. Many legacy or old-fashioned palettes will recommend Alizarin Crimson as the primary red/pink, but I have found that I tend to prefer to replace this with Quin Rose (PV19).
Favorites: I really like the Alizarin Crimson alternatives, though admittedly I don’t find them that useful if I have a PV19 rose in my palette (which I almost always do). If you use PR122 for your magenta, you may find these more distinct.
PR264 (called Pyrrol Crimson in DS or Pyrrol Rubin in Holbein – I prefer the latter) is probably the most useful to me because it is more distinct from PV19 rose. In a palette it does the job of created muted violet mixes or muting blues. Nominees from the middle red or maroon categories could also do these jobs (notably Perylene Red and Perylene Maroon).
Mix your own: Most commercial Alizarin Crimson alternative mixes use the formula: Rose + Maroon.
See Also
- Mix Your Own Alizarin Crimson Hue
- What’s the difference between Pyrrol Crimson and Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone?
- What’s the difference between Pyrrole Rubin (PR264) and Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone (PV19)?
- Da Vinci PV19 Comparison: Is Alizarin Crimson Quinacridone Reduplicative With Red Rose Deep?
Similar Slots
- Middle Red
- Magenta, Pink, or Rose
- Maroon
- Earth Red
- Back to all Color Slots