Cadmium Red Light
Pigment HistoryPR108—Synthetic - cadmium selenide/sulphide, introduced c.1910. Cadmium red came too late for the Old Masters but defined modern colour - from Matisse’s reds to Hockney’s, its opacity and brilliance transformed the 20th-century palette. The benchmark modern red - bright, opaque and permanent, though it requires care because of its cadmium content.
Cadmium Red Light is a single-pigment Michael Harding watercolour made with PR108.
It is semi-opaque, excellent lightfastness, granulating, medium staining power, tinting strength 3.
- Code
- W406
- Series
- Series 4
- Pigment Index
- PR108
- Contents
- 15ml tube
- Lightfastness
- Excellent
- Transparency
- Semi-Opaque
- Tint Power
- 3
- Granulation
- YES
- Staining Power
- Medium
Measured colour data
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Tint · Tone · Shade · Glaze
Preview how Cadmium Red Light behaves when mixed, toned, shaded and glazed. Each swatch is computed from the masstone using a perceptual subtractive model - an approximation for guidance, not a formulation guarantee.
Cadmium Red Light straight from the tube.
A thin wash over white.
Mixed with Titanium White.
Mixed with a mid neutral grey.
Darkened with a chromatic black.
A thin transparent film over white.
Popular combinations
Open Cadmium Red Light in the Virtual Mixing Studio to preview how it combines with these partners before you reach for the palette.
Open Cadmium Red Light in Mixing StudioWhat pigment is used in Cadmium Red Light?
Cadmium Red Light is made with PR108.
Is Cadmium Red Light a single-pigment colour?
Yes. Cadmium Red Light uses a single pigment (PR108), so its behaviour stays consistent and predictable on the palette.
Is Cadmium Red Light transparent or opaque?
Cadmium Red Light is semi-opaque.
Is Cadmium Red Light lightfast?
Cadmium Red Light has excellent lightfastness.
Does Cadmium Red Light granulate?
In watercolour, Cadmium Red Light is granulating.
Does Cadmium Red Light stain the paper?
Cadmium Red Light has medium staining power.
Is Cadmium Red Light vegan?
No. Michael Harding watercolours contain a small amount of honey, so the finished paint is not vegan.
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Colour Disclaimer: Colours shown on screen or in print may vary from the actual product. For the most accurate representation of colour, texture and finish, we recommend viewing a physical sample or swatch in person before making your final selection.