VIOLET Art Supply Pigment Database Watercolor Acrylic Ink Pencil Color Chart Swatch

         

Artist reference guide to Violet pigments in art supplies. Pigment ingredients classified as violet can have a wide color range from red, pink, purple to brown. Color chart swatch cards of common pigments in watercolor, gouache, acrylic paint, inks and pencils. Includes lightfast ratings from the brand (+ fugitive notes if I have conflicting test results). Each image shows the pigment number code (chemical color index), brand, manufacturer color name, how the color appears in masstone (full strength) or diluted (with water),opacity, lifting (erasing with a damp brush), layering (2nd coat after first has dried) and how well it the color could hold a smooth gradient in wet.

PV3 M Methyl Violet: Also called Blue Violet or Spectrum Violet. Fugitive, LFIV. Slightly toxic, being harmful enough to living cells and organisms that it has been used medically as a disinfectant and fungicide. Darkens over time, sometimes desaturating instead of fading in lightfast tests.

PV3 Mixtures:

PV14 Cobalt Violet: Also noted as "genuine", can be both deep or light versions. A very expensive pigment, fairly rare, with minor toxicity. Granulating. Lightfast, LFI, BUT be aware there are environmental reasons that this pigment may fade. This is a lovely pink-purple with heavy granulation that is unique compared to any other pigment, making it valuable in florals and the creation of color separating mixtures. Unfortunately it is not stable in high heat/sunny/humid environments like Florida. It is unclear if this change was due to heat, humidity, chemical or PH changes. Most artists may never experience a problem with this pigment, but be aware that if you sell art that may be hung inside beach front property where daily sunrise/sunset light beams are hotter than northern states the artwork may fade.

 

 

PV14 Mixtures:

PV15 Ultramarine Violet: Some brands also offer it as Ultra "Red" which is a muted, dusty pink-purple similar to Ultra Pink PR259. Ultramarine Violet is granulating and lightfast (LFI, BW8). This pigment varies in color from a deep blue, purple to pale pink depending on how it was manufactured (heat a trace elements can change it's final hue dramatically). Overall uncommon, rarely found in student grade paints and the hue is different from each of the handful of manufacturers that carry it. Rembrandt makes a lovely version that has minor color separation with a hint of blue in salt reaction and back runs as well as pink tinges when very diluted. While notably granulating, in practice my Winsor and Newton Ultramarine Violet was even more eager to be textural in wet washes. W&N's is a deeper purple than Rembrandt's, but with a more uniform color. I appreciate both versions for being so clearly different than Ultramarine Blues (PB29).

W&N's U.V. when used heavily in a very wet wash produces incredible texture, shown here as a gradient to Cobalt Violet PV14. If you have seen my video about W&N, I have since updated the swatch card to better reflect wet washes using more pigment. It is easier to achieve a deep masstone using this color fresh from the tube compared to a dry pan.