Cobalt Violet - Pigment Violet 14 (PV14)

This is another interesting pigment  labelled by Bruce McEvoy of Handprint as a `Top Forty' pigment. Not everyone agrees, Michael Wilcox calls it `gummy and weak'. I think I know what he means but it does have some attraction for the watercolour artist, although it is not offered by all the majors, nor any of the cheaper makes. On the downside as a Cobalt pigment it is both expensive and toxic, something that will put many off.

Top row from left to right.Graham, Lukas and Art Spectrum. Winsor & Newton is in the middle. The bottom two are different pigments for comparison purposes. In the bottom swatches Number 1 is Art Spectrum, 2 Graham, 3 W & N Potters PInk PR233, 4 W & N Permanent Mauve PV16. 

The above swatches have been supplied by John Softly who has tried several different Cobalt Violets. I myself have three, the Rowney Cobalt Magenta, Winsor & Newton Cobalt Violet and the Lukas version. The latter two, both in pan form, I have yet to use. The Rowney is a good colour but I have some reservations about it, which I have written about previously.

Bruce describes Cobalt Violet as follows:

 "...a very lightfast, semitransparent, nonstaining, moderately dark valued, moderately dull violet to red-violet pigment...."

You can see the variation in shades with some inclining to `bluish' and others `reddish'. It also granulates beautifully in most paints. You don't see this pigment featuring in many artists palettes, although John tells me it is a staple of David Curtis and also Robert Brindley. At my last two Charles Reid workshops I noticed it on his palette (for the first time), almost certainly the Winsor & Newton version. In his most recent  portrait DVD it features on the clothing of the figure painting of the man. You need to make a decision as to whether you prefer the more violet shades or those inclining to reddish.

In the Handprint listings, not 100% up to date, there are 9 manufacturers offering this paint who, apart from Rowney, call it either Cobalt Violet or Cobalt Violet Deep. Once again I stress go only by pigments numbers as there are some other paints calling themselves Cobalt Violet or Cobalt Violet Deep that aren't PV14 or have another pigment added.  

Finally I quote Bruce McvEcvoy again who concludes by saying:

" ...genuine, high quality Cobalt Violet is a spectacular paint in broad wash applications - morning skies and magnificent florals - and evocative in flesh tone shadows. The `red' shades offered by Rowney, Bloxx and Winsor & Newton are effective as the pink component in Caucasian flesh tones..." 

Added 26/04/13: from John Softly ( I asked John for his conclusions):

"After playing with PV14 for a couple of months  I can't say that I have found a clear winner. The two warms - Art Spectrum and W & N are very similar but I am inclined to go for the Art Spectrum as my local art shop periodically discounts the whole range of 10ml AS watercolours and retails them for £4.66 regardless of series.

 The two cools -Graham and Lukas - are, yet again, similar in hue but both have problems relating to consistency. The Graham I find far too liquid which is no problem in the studio but will run out of its well unless the palette is kept perfectly horizontal. It could be the result of the semi-tropical climate I live in but the paint in the palette is still too liquid after a month (as is the Cobalt Green and Cerulean Blue I purchased at the same time). Many people praise the Graham range and have no problem with the liquidity of the honey so I assume the climate is to blame. The relatively new Sennelier range also has honey as an integral part of the mix but it does solidify to a paste like consistency on the palette. On the other hand the Lukas has the opposite problem and the paint is too stiff and does not flow from the tube easily. The Winsor & Newton Permanent Mauve (PV16) suffers the same problem - so much so that, at one time, it was only available in cake form. Once in the palette and activated with water the Lukas PV14 does behave perfectly and my only concern is that the tube will dry out over time and become solid. I have both warm and cool versions of PV14 on my palette and, at times, use the the two PV14s and Raw Sienna as my triad. Mostly however my triad consist of the  warm version of Cobalt Violet, Cobalt Blue and Raw Sienna. Incidentally when mixing a grey with Cobalt Blue and Raw Sienna (or similar) any green cast can be removed with the addition of warm PV14"

We now come to the question of price and in the UK there are considerable variations. Holbein at £18.80p for a 15 ml tube are the dearest, with Maimeri £14.60 (15ml) and Old Holland £16.35 for 18ml.. You can currently buy the Winsor & Newton 14 ml version, on promotion at both Great Art and Jacksons, for just over £10 - a great buy. Daler Rowney (Cobalt Magenta) is  just over £9 (15ml) and Lukas  (Great Art) £10.35p for 24ml .If you only use a colour occasionally then it might be wiser (and cheaper) to buy the 5ml size which most (not Lukas) offer.  The Rembrandt 5ml is only £3.00 from Jacksons - very cheap. A minefield of prices that you need to navigate carefully if you are not to end up paying more than necessary. Naturally if you must have a particular make then you pay the price.

 I shall try Cobalt Violet in the three makes I have and certainly give it a try in portraits - possibly skies and florals.. At some future date I'll report on the results.

Problem colours or pigments?

A while ago I related my problems  with the Graham Mineral Violet (PV16). The first 15 ml tube was half empty and a complaint to Lawrence, the sole UK source, was promptly dealt with and a new tube despatched. I didn't attempt to paint with the colour for several months and when I did found the tube had solidified into a horrible muddy brown. Again I contacted Lawrence www.lawrence.co.uk who were very good, explaining that Graham said this was  due to a faulty batch of pigment, and  had subsequently changed their supplier. A third tube arrived which I was assured was the real thing. Although I don't use this colour much I have a secondary palette and  sqeezed colour into one of the wells. After a while I noticed it was changing colour - the muddy brown again! By skimming quite a lot of paint off the top I returned to the `true' colour - at least I think it is. The only way round this seems to be to  squeeze out a small amount of paint prior to using it. However my conclusion from all this is AVOID.  I stress this is my experience with only one make and others may be fine, but this isn't a popular pigment and rarely features in artist palettes. I have many other Graham paints and am generally very pleased with them so this isn't a condemnation of Graham. Charles Reid uses Holbein Mineral Violet BUT this is PV15 not 16, in other words Ultramarine Violet.

The Cobalt Violet is 4th bottom left but look at the paint 3rd bottom left!

What does Handprint  www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/waterfs.html the indispensable reference say? The initial surprise is that it is rated a `Top Forty' pigment by  Bruce McEvoy. He continues:

 `Manganese Violet PV16 is a very lightfast, semitransparent, lightly staining, dark valued, moderately dull red-violet pigment, available from 4 pigment manufacturers worldwide'.

 He also says the PV16 pigment is very consistent across paint manufacturers. Six versions  are listed variously called Manganese Violet, Permanent Mauve (W & N) and Mineral Violet. Old Holland call it Manganese Violet-Blue and this discoloured to a brownish cast in his sample. Shades of my experience with Graham.

The second problem colour/pigment is the Rowney PV14 Cobalt Magenta. Like all cobalts it is very expensive, although the Rowney version considerably less so than others. It may be that I'm exaggerating the problem but certainly over a period the same sort of horrible muddy discolouring took place and I had to discard quite a lump of paint because of it. What to do? I sqeezed out a small amount  as I did with Mineral Violet and so far - about a week to ten days - the colour remains the same. I quite like the colour and it granulates beautifully if a little weak.

What does Handprint say? Another Top Forty pigment! He goes on to say:

 `Cobalt Violet PV14 (often labelled "cobalt violet deep") is a very lightfast,semi-transparent, nonstaining, moderately dark valued, moderately dull violet to red-violet pigment, available from 4 pigment manufacturers worldwide'. 

Again this is not the most popular of pigments although a number of manufacturers list it. The paints on offer show a noticeable variation (Handprint) and colour varies from light to dark valued. Some disparage it as `weak and gummy' but , again according to Handprint, the `genuine, high quality,cobalt violet is a spectacular paint on broad wash applications'.

Interestingly I spotted a pan of Cobalt Violet in Charles Reid's palette at my last Crantock course in 2011. Charles has taken to using some pans although he prefers tube colours. This is due to the problems associated with moist watercolours when travelling. He never mentioned this colour when discussing his palette but I notice that on his latest DVD, `Figurative Watercolours', the figure of the man has some on his clothing. Almost certainly this is the Winsor & Newton version.

What to do? If you like this colour, and I do, what make to buy. I have just this minute looked at my palette again, and while the Mineral Violet has already turned grey, the Cobalt Magenta hasn't changed colour.

What does it cost? Taking Jacksons www.jacksonsart.co.uk as the guide The Rowney Cobalt Magenta is £8.80p for a 15ml tube (5ml £4.50p). Winsor & Newton 14ml is £12.10p (5ml £6.10p). Daniel Smith is actually cheaper at £11.70p, Holbein is an amazing (Cobalt Violet Light) £18.70p with Old Holland £15.95p. All 15ml including Bloxx. Some eye watering prices here. Jacksons only offer Rembrandt in 5ml tubes - a reasonable £2.90p. You can get 21ml Rembrandt from others like Great Art www.greatart.co.uk but is such a large tube in this colour necessary? Bloxx costs £14.85p, Graham £10.36p (inc.20% off offer for 6 same size tubes), DaVinci £11.96p (includes 20% offer). Both these only in the UK from Lawrence who do charge for carriage. Maimeri don't list this pigment. My suggestion would be, unless you have a definite preference for a specific make, to consider either the Rowney or Rembrandt versions and also the 5ml size if it is only used  occasionally. I do have a final suggestion. The underrated German make of Lukas offer a 24ml tube costing £9.25p then you also have the -20% offer on top. This is the Lawrence deal but Lukas is also available from Great Art and possibly some others but that 24ml tube!!!