Cadmium Red Deep is a strong, warm red-orange valued for its opacity, weight, and visual authority. Historically favored for bold passages and solid coverage, it occupies a transitional space between red and orange that gives it both warmth and structural strength within a palette.
Understanding Cadmium Red Deep on the Palette
Cadmium Red Deep sits on the red-orange side of the color wheel and leans distinctly warm. Its hue makes it especially effective for sunlit passages, florals, foreground elements, and anywhere visual emphasis is needed.
As an opaque pigment, Cadmium Red Deep behaves very differently from transparent reds. Rather than building color through glazing, it establishes form through direct application, making it a defining color rather than a subtle one.
Pigment Information: What Cadmium Red Deep Is Made Of
Cadmium Red Deep is traditionally made from cadmium sulfoselenide pigments (commonly PR108).
Typical characteristics include:
- Opaque
- High chroma
- Heavy pigment load
- Strong covering power
- Excellent lightfastness
Because cadmium pigments contain heavy metals, they are considered toxic and require careful handling.
Handling & Mixing Characteristics
Cadmium Red Deep is known for:
- Dense, opaque washes
- Strong covering ability
- Reduced luminosity compared to transparent reds
Because of its opacity:
- It can easily overpower mixtures
- It tends to dull transparent colors
- It is best used deliberately rather than casually
This pigment performs best when used sparingly and with intention, particularly in combination with other opaque colors.
Why Cadmium Red Deep Works in Color Theory Systems
As an intermediate red-orange, Cadmium Red Deep:
- Anchors warm passages
- Establishes strong complementary contrast
- Provides visual weight in structured palettes
Its solidity makes color relationships immediately visible, which is why it has historically been included in teaching palettes despite its limitations.
Color Schemes Using Cadmium Red Deep
In the past, I used Cadmium Red Deep as the INTERMEDIATE RED-ORANGE on the color wheel because it is a pure opaque watercolor that is perfect for its complementary color listed below. But, now I prefer to use Cadmium Free Red Deep because Cadmium paints are toxic.
The following color schemes are based on Stephen Quiller’s “Quiller Color Wheel” and his book “Color Choices: Making Color Sense Out of Color Theory.“
Complementary
The complementary color sits on the opposite side of the color wheel. For Cadmium Red Deep, the complementary color is:
This pairing produces strong contrast and muted neutrals, especially useful for structural color studies.
Split-Complementary
The split-complementary colors are the two colors located on either side of the complementary color on the color wheel. The following are the split-complementary colors for Cadmium Red Deep:
This scheme offers balance while retaining warmth and visual interest.
Analogous
Going clockwise on the color wheel from RED-ORANGE to YELLOW-ORANGE, the analogous colors for Cadmium Red Deep are:
These combinations create strong, cohesive warm passages but can become heavy if overused.
Triadic
This Triadic consists of three INTERMEDIATE colors. In addition to Cadmium Red Deep, the other colors that make up this Triadic color scheme are:
This triad produces dynamic contrast while maintaining structural balance across the palette.
Cadmium Red Deep Compared to Other Reds
- Cadmium Red Deep: opaque, heavy, warm
- Alizarin Crimson: transparent, cool, staining
- Permanent Rose: lighter, cleaner, modern
Cadmium Red Deep is best understood as a structural color rather than a luminous one.
Best Uses for Cadmium Red Deep
Cadmium Red Deep is most effective for:
- Bold focal areas
- Floral accents
- Foreground elements
- Teaching opacity vs transparency
- Direct, painterly techniques
Limitations of Cadmium Red Deep
Despite its strengths, Cadmium Red Deep:
- Reduces luminosity in mixes
- Can overpower transparent pigments
- Contains toxic heavy metals
For these reasons, many artists now prefer cadmium-free alternatives such as Cadmium Free Red Deep, Cadmium Free Scarlet, Cadmium Free Orange and Cadmium Free Lemon.
A Note on Cadmium Red Deep’s Role on the Palette
Cadmium Red Deep represents a traditional approach to color—one built on solidity, opacity, and directness. While modern alternatives offer safer and more transparent options, understanding Cadmium Red Deep remains valuable for historical context and color theory education.