Carmine is a single-pigment red, PR170, which Holbein lists as a Monoazo Pigment. The Munsell notation of 4.0R 4.0/13.0 tells you most of what you need to know: a value of 4.0 sits on the deep side, a chroma of 13.0 is very high, and a hue of 4.0R sits at the cool end of red, leaning towards rose rather than orange. So expect a rich, slightly blue-shifted red that stays clean instead of drifting towards brick. Holbein rates it two stars for lightfastness.

Carmine earns its keep in illustration and flat-design work, where a red has to still read as red at small scale without shouting. Single-pigment reds mix far more predictably than convenience blends, so this is the one to reach for when you want a controlled violet with Ultramarine Blue rather than the muddy near-grey a blended red can hand you. It suits florals, textiles, packaging mock-ups and anything with a deep berry note. With Titanium White it walks through a long range of cool pinks, and a little Yellow Ochre pulls it towards warm brick without killing the saturation.

What Makes This Colour Special

Pigment, lightfastness and series as published by Holbein. Holbein does not publish an opacity rating for individual colours; the range as a whole is described by Holbein as opaque.

Acrylic Gouache, Not Traditional Gouache

Acrylic gouache is pigment carried in an acrylic emulsion, made to behave like gouache on the surface and like acrylic underneath. Holbein Acrylic Gouache dries to a matte opaque finish and is water resistant once dry, so it does not reactivate with water the way traditional gouache does. For a deep red like Carmine that combination is ideal: you get flat, even colour with no sheen to catch the light, and you can work over it as many times as the piece needs. The full colour list, all 100-plus tubes, sits on the Holbein Acrylic Gouache page.

Why Holbein Acrylic Gouache Is in Serious Studios

• Genuinely opaque. Holbein describes the range simply as an opaque acrylic paint. It covers, including over darker colour, which is the whole point of reaching for gouache rather than watercolour.
• Velvety matte, no sheen. Holbein describes the colour as opaque, intense, smooth and velvety. It dries flat, which is why it photographs and scans without glare.
• Water resistant once dry, so you can layer. Holbein’s own wording, and the reason the range exists. A dry layer will take another one over the top without lifting.
• The colour you mix is the colour you get. Holbein states it does not shift in colour tone from wet to dried colour. Anyone who has watched a perfect grey dry into a different grey will appreciate that.
• Built to use straight from the tube. Holbein says it is specifically designed to be used directly from the tube and will dry to even, uniform paint layers.
• Works on more than paper. Holbein lists paper, canvas, cloth, stone, wood, leather, plexiglass and concrete, with excellent adhesion, and full compatibility with all acrylic mediums.

Getting the Most Out of This Tube

Straight from the tube is the default. This is what Holbein designed it for, and it is where you get those even, flat, uniform layers. Add a little water to loosen it, but go easy: very diluted washes can dry streaky across a large flat area, so build coverage in thin even coats rather than flooding it on.

Watch the palette, not the clock. Holbein gives an open time of roughly 10 to 30 minutes and notes the drying time is much like ordinary watercolour. The practical consequence is that paint left sitting on the palette will go off and will not come back, so squeeze out small amounts as you need them.

It plays well with acrylic mediums. Holbein states the range is compatible with all acrylic mediums, so you can change the body or extend the working time if you want to. Soft synthetic brushes suit it, since they hold enough paint to lay a flat area without dragging.

Questions About Holbein Carmine