Light Red can be an excellent addition to your watercolor painting palette.
Years ago, I’d tried a few. Well, quite alot actually! And gave up in disgust.
The ones I’d chosen were too muddy. Too dull. They did not mix and blend well with the other colors on my palette either.
Causing a great deal of mayhem in my paintings. Ever happen to you?
Watercolor, Better Paints
But of course I have done more research, more experimenting and more …purchasing.
Trying to find a Better Light Red.
A Light Red that isn’t dulled.
But vibrant. Rich and earthy. One that would be able to mix, to a degree, with some other colors, ie Staining paints.
A Light Red that is lovely in full strength, and even better diluted down into subtle delicate blushes of color.
Light Red Brands
The 3 watercolor Light Red brands, that I’ve found best fit the criteria:
- Winsor and Newton Light Red pr101
- Blockx Light Red (mine was in a large porcelain pan) pr101
- Holbein Light Red pr101 pbr25
All 3 have enough good assets and qualities to override the nature of the paint, it is an Opaque.
Opaque watercolor paints are notorious for mud
and for not being good social mixers with other paints.
Uses for Light Red…
Light Red is versatile.
Great for landscapes, trees, shrubs, bark, roads, sand, animals, rocks.
Additionally, it can be used for skies. Mixed wet in wet, with another color tapped into it perhaps.
The sky from Dawn Falls, is a great example in my mind for why Light Red would be perfect to use in the sky.
Art Work Demo Samples
These samples done just prior to the last Master Color class, came out of my course workbook.
They give you a bit of an idea of a couple of the things you can do with a good, Light Red.
debi riley 
An interesting colour study. Red is not a colour I use a huge amount at the moment but I’m realising I have to start using it more and I’ve started experimenting a little too. Lovely watercolour work as usuall Debi!
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thank you Evelyn…. it is an interesting color. A fairly recent addition in the past few years. Light red, brick red, english red, etc… have never been on my favored list either!
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I thought I should tell you Debi that out of all the art blogs that I’ve looked at (and I look at a lot!), particularly those relating to watercolour painting, yours is the most informative, practical and inspirational that I’ve come across. I’ve learnt far more from your blog about watercolour painting than any other… !
So thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience – it’s invaluable to me! I’m going to spend a good few hours sometime soon trawling through lots of your older posts from before I subscribed and try to absorb as much as I can…
THANK YOU!
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oh my goodness… that means alot coming from you Evelyn! I’m really happy that you find good things, here. 🙂 Glad that some of the older posts will get a look at; some of them are quite useful. thanks again!
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“light red, indigo, raw umber” – now there’s a beautiful combo and proves the wisdom of the rule of threes 🙂
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thanks Andrew, I’d like to explore this triad further. My ‘too fast’ demos weren’t quite sufficient to bring out all I think they’re capable of. Class focus is Landscape, but my own -you know, is more Abstract. Will have to integrate a bit.
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So beautiful… I have once read an article of an artist who painted using wine…. Have you ever tried it, dear Debi?… I am asking you because your post reminded me of that technique 😉 beautiful artwork!… Have a great week … sending love & best wishes 😀
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dear Aquileana, thank you! I’ve used tea, coffee, mulberry juice, turmeric, saffron…. but I haven’t wasted my good wine LOL 🙂
I love this approach, its about letting go and being free; and keeping a sense of unity/Harmony and spaciousness to the image. a beautiful connectedness. What we all need these days. cheers, and peace, debi
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