Wine Red is a single-pigment colour, PR184, listed by Holbein as a Monoazo Pigment, and it is one of the quieter reds here. Munsell reads 4.0R 3.0/8.0. The value of 3.0 is the lowest in this group, so it is properly dark, and a chroma of 8.0 is moderate rather than punchy. The 4.0R hue keeps it on the cool side of red. The result is a deep, slightly dusty claret. Two stars for lightfastness.

Every palette needs a red that behaves like a dark, and this is it. Wine Red gives depth to florals, drapery, upholstery and interiors without the plastic edge a bright red gets when you try to darken it. It is a sensible alternative to reaching straight for black in a warm scheme, since shadows mixed from it stay chromatic. Portrait illustrators use it under skin for the deepest folds. Add Yellow Ochre for a soft terracotta, or a touch of Ultramarine Blue for a plum so dark it reads as near-black while still looking like a colour.

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

This is a Japanese-made paint built for illustrators, designers and animators who need colour to lie down flat and stay put. Pigment in acrylic emulsion, thinned with water, workable on paper, board, card and canvas. 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. A dark like Wine Red benefits especially, since you can glaze over it without lifting. Choose a heavier sheet from our pads and paper for larger flats.

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 Wine Red