Perylene Red
PR149
Alternate Names
Anthraquinone Red
Perylene Scarlet
Perylene Red BL
Pigment Description
With a name like Perylene Red or Anthraquinone Red, PR149 shares a name with several other paints, so the pigment code is helpful for identification. It is a transparent crimson. Unfortunately PR149 is not recommended for archival work due to moderate lightfastness (on the Blue Wool Scale its readings might be a six out of eight).
Rose Madder Pale (an imitation hue) made with PR149, by Blockx
Monona Rossol notes that PR149 has an anthraquione-like structure (potential for being a carcinogen) and mentions the risk for inhaling the dust. Please refer to her [work (https://artscraftstheatersafety.org/datasheets.html) for more.
Blockx Rose Madder Pale (an imitation hue), PR149
Resources
PR149 pigment data from David G. Myers, The Color of Art Pigment Database, Artiscreation.com,
Spurgeon, Tad. Living Craft: A Painter's Process. Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, PA: Zoetrope, 2018. Newer version available here: https://www.thomaskitts.com/page/36804/tad-spurgeons-living-craft,
Information about PR149 from Bruce MacEvoy, Handprint Guide to Watercolors, General information about this class of pigments from Handprint,
Rossol, Monona. The Artist's Complete Health and Safety Guide. New York, NY : Allworth Press, 2001. The book is rather dated, updated information is available from her website.
Stats
Lightfastness
Varies. Good but not Excellent
Not lightfast enough for our liking, some list as ASTM II, may only be somewhat lightfast in tints (BWS 6). The NPIRI from the 80s reported only indoor lightfastness tests, wherein it faded slightly in tints. Reports varied a bit whether the masstone faded in indoor tests.
Transparency
Semi-Transparent, Transparent
Toxicity
Previously thought to be in the category of Low Concern, new research suggests this may be carcinogenic.
Probably carcinogenic. Its structure is similar to other anthraquinones that have been listed as probably carcinogenic (see Monona Rossol's research available upon request here for more information.Treat all pigments and paints with studio safety protocols.
Chemical Name
anthraquinone, perylene
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