Old Masters' Red Oil Pigments: Historic vs. Modern & Safe Replacements

A Guide to Red Oil Paint Pigments: Pigments of the Old Masters and Safe Modern Substitutes. The world of red oil paints can sometimes be complex. In this technical tutorial, I bring clarity to the confusion and offer a clear comparison between the historical red pigments used by the masters of the Renaissance and the Dutch Golden Age and the best and most durable synthetic alternatives available to oil painters today. I analyze the crucial difference between opaque pigments (e.g., ochre, vermilion) and transparent lacquer dyes (e.g., madder, alizarin) and demonstrate their practical properties in oil. Finally, I present a color chart with 12 +1 modern reds and evaluate their opacity, color strength, full tone, and mixing with white for contemporary use. 📩 Waitlist for my upcoming Video Course: I am currently preparing a comprehensive video course that will cover the technique of grisaille and glazing in great detail—bringing the heritage of the Old Masters into the present day without toxic thinners and lead paints. It will take a few more months to complete. I have set up an email list that you can join, and I will notify you when it is ready. Since YouTube doesn't always notify subscribers, I will also send a short note when I upload a new video. No spam, no junk mail, promised. Join the list here: https://oilpainting.eo.page/kb4sj 0:44 Technical Foundation 1:20 Historical pigments of the Old Masters 1:30 Red Lead 1:47 Red Ochre 2:14 Vermilion 2:55 Madder Red and Carmine Red lakes 3:19 Moder pigment technology 3:38 Alizarin 4:12 Cadmium Red 4:33 Historical Red Ochres 4:52 Industrial Pigments 5:08 Practical demonstration (12 +1 paints) 10:04 Mixing with white 12:22 Conclusion Paints used in this video: EARTH COLORS Old Holland Red Ochre - PR102 Old Holland Persian red - PR101 VERMILLION Maimeri Vermillion PR188 (Naphthol Scarlet) Old Holland Scarlet Lake - PR209 (Quinacridone Red), PR168 (Anthraquinone Scarlet) Old Holland Scheveningen Red Light - PR112 (Naphthol Red) Maimeri Puro Cadmium Red Light - PR108 MADDER Schmincke Madder Light - PR207 (Quinacridone Scarlet) Schmincke Madder Ruby - PR264 (Pyrrole Red Deep) Old Holland Madder Deep - PR83 (Old Holland Alizarin Lake - PR177, PV19, PBr23) for comparison CARMINE Blockx Rose Lake - PV19 (Quinacridone Violet) Old Holland Magenta - PR122 (Quinacridone Magenta) Old Holland Cadmium Red Deep (PR108) for comparison