Benzimidazolone Red (PR175)

Benzimidazolone Red

Benzimidazolone Red is a pigment that belongs to a very extensive group of azo pigments, known as Benzimidazolone pigments, with color tones ranging from lemon yellow to warm yellows, oranges, reds, and even some violets. Common characteristics of these pigments are that they are vibrant, lightfast, resistant to chemical influences, and can withstand high temperatures.

For this reason, the pigment PR175 is often found in paints intended for industrial use, such as plastics, lacquers, and house paints. However, the pigment has also made its way into artist paints. Three major manufacturers offer a red color with PR175: Daniel Smith, which calls the color Deep Scarlet; Old Holland, whose PR175 is named Scheveningen Purple; and Kremer Watercolor, which has named it Purple-Red. There are a few other smaller manufacturers that provide pure PR175 as well.

Benzimidazolone Red is a brownish, intensely deep red color that is highly lightfast, slightly staining, and non-granulating. The color is fairly transparent. It can serve as a substitute for other red-brown colors like Perylene Maroon (PR179) and Quinacridone Maroon (PR206). PR175 is more red than the aforementioned alternatives, so red, in fact, that it can be used as a red color, which is hardly possible with the other two.

Phthalo Green (YS) combined with Benzimidazolone Red creates brownish and muted green colors. With a cooler green, the mixtures become more neutral.
Phthalo Blue (RS) becomes a beautiful violet-black when mixed with Benzimidazolone Red.

The color can be an asset to lower the value of green colors in a landscape. It also works for mixing neutral, slightly violet colors together with a cool blue color. Benzimidazolone Red is therefore primarily a color to mix with other colors. In my opinion, it is too striking to use on its own.

According to the manufacturer Daniel Smith, this color is excellent for creating various textures. For example, it is described as having good properties for creating fine patterns with salt. For that reason, I applied salt to the vignette image just to see how well the technique works with this color. Whether the salt was a success or a failure, I leave for the reader to judge.

When painted liberally, the color creates pigment accumulations that, when dry, become almost black-brown. This can be seen, for example, in the color swatch showing the difference between wet and dry paint below. This effect contributes to the color’s ability to create different textures, such as with salt.

I also tested other ways to create texture with this color. For comparison, I used Pyrrol Red. The first image was made by laying fabric onto the newly painted surface, which is then allowed to dry. The second was painted with the same colors, and a small piece of plastic wrap was pressed onto the wet paint. When it dried, a pattern had formed.

The fabric leaves a distinct pattern in Benzimidazolone Red, whereas in Pyrrol Red, it is barely noticeable.
Plastic wrap causes the pigment in Benzimidazolone Red to accumulate in dark patches. For Pyrrol Red, the effect is less noticeable. The color shines in these accumulations.

One of Benzimidazolone Red’s characteristics is that it forms brownish-black spots where a lot of pigment has accumulated. This means the color can be used, with the help of various techniques, to create different patterns that other colors have a harder time achieving.

Intense brown-red and transparent
The color is staining
Needs persuasion to bloom
Decent wet in wet
A insignificant hard edge and slightly mottled
The left is freshly painted and the right is dry. Abundant painted paint accumulates and appears as black-brown spots.

Color index name: PR175
Lightfastness: Very good
Transparency: Semi-transparent
Staining: Yes
Granulates: No

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