The Quinacridone Pigments

The Versatile Beauty of Quinacridone Pigments

First introduced in 1958 for automobile colourants and artists' paints, Quinacridone pigments offer a stunning range of colours. While their raw solutions appear yellow to orange, the final hue depends on how they are processed. This versatility allows for a broad spectrum of shades, including:

• Golden Yellow (PO49)
• Reddish Orange (PO48)
• Middle Red (PR209)
• Coral (PR207)
• Red/Rose (PV19)
• Rose (PV42)
• Magenta (PR122, PR202)
• Maroon (PR206)
• Deep Reddish Violet (PV19)

Why Quinacridone Rose Watercolours Vary

Not all Quinacridone Rose Watercolours are the same. The exact shade can vary based on how the pigment is processed by the manufacturer, as well as the unique binders and formulations used by different paint brands.

The Advantages of Quinacridone Pigments

Despite these variations, all Quinacridone pigments share key characteristics that make them a favourite among artists:

• Exceptional Transparency – Ideal for layering and glazing
• Brilliant Vibrancy – Offering intense, luminous colour
• Outstanding Permanence – Replacing fugitive natural organic pigments like Rose Madder

With their striking hues and reliable performance, Quinacridone pigments are an essential addition to any artist’s palette.

Quinacridone Rose on our triple roll mill

Our current range as of (01/04/2021) at Jackman’s is: Quinacridone Rose (PV19), Permanent Rose (PV19), Quinacridone Magenta (PR122) & Quinacridone Red Violet (PV19)

The Science

Bruce from Handprint puts this the best:

The structure of beta quinacridone PV19 is characteristic: two pairs of oxygen and nitrogen atoms set in five (hence the "quin," for five) interlinked rings of carbon. Chemical variations arise from groups of atoms hung symmetrically from both sides of the molecule, which act both as auxochromes to modify the color and as complementary chemical bonds that link the quinacridone molecules into chemically more stable crystal chains. (The diagram shows the nitrogen/hydrogen and oxygen components of PV19 in these auxochrome locations.) For example, substitution of these auxochromes by methyl (CH3) gives PR122 and by chlorine (Cl) gives PR202. Interestingly, a solution of quinacridone molecules typically is a pale yellow to orange color: the pigment color is actually determined by the particle size, the crystal modification, variations in the auxochromes, or by crystallizing together different quinicridone molecules, including quinacridone quinone or even other pigments (a proprietary pigment by Ciba-Geigy, PR N/A, is a mixed crystallized form of beta quinacridone with a diketo-pyrrolo pyrrole). Much of the color variation arises from differences in the way the quinacridone molecules combine into crystals, which can be altered through grinding with salts or heating in solvents.