Pyrrole Red: a modern pigment for oil painting

As a painter, I am always curious about how the same pigment can behave differently depending on the brand, the formulation, and the medium it is ground in. Recently I found myself with three different pyrrole reds: two by Schaal (one of which has since been discontinued, and its newer replacement) and one by Michael Harding, alongside a Schaal cadmium red. It felt like the perfect opportunity to compare them properly: not just pyrrole against cadmium, but pyrrole against pyrrole, because even within the same pigment index, the differences can be surprisingly significant.

What follows are my observations and some broader notes on pyrrole red as a pigment, its characteristics, its strengths, and how it sits in relation to cadmium red both technically and practically.

three pyrrole reds I own in comparison with the classic cadmium red

Origins and history

Pyrrole red (PR254, short for Pigment Red 254) is a relatively recent synthetic pigment: developed by the chemical company Ciba-Geigy in the 1980s, but discovered by accident in 1974 by chemist Donald G. Farnum and his team at Michigan State University.

Despite its short history compared to the great pigments of the painterly tradition, it has quickly established itself as a very appreciated red by many artists.

It is also known as "Ferrari Red", used by the famous car manufacturer because of its stability and lightfastness.

Characteristics of the pigment

Pyrrole red has a number of properties that make it exceptional for oil painting:

Lightfastness - It is one of the most stable reds available. Its lightfastness is rated I by ASTM, the highest level, comparable to the best inorganic pigments.

Tinting strength and saturation - It has very high chromatic mass and intense saturation. It reads slightly cooler than cadmium red medium, with a tendency toward magenta that makes it extremely versatile in mixtures.

Transparency and opacity - Depending on the grind and the medium, it can behave in a semi-transparent way, which makes it interesting for glazing and layering. Some formulations are more opaque.

Drying in oil - Like all modern organic pigments, pyrrole red tends to dry slowly in oil, but remains manageable with traditional techniques (lean layers below, fat layers above).

Non-toxicity - Unlike cadmium red, it contains no heavy metals, making it much safer to handle in the studio.

Pyrrole Red vs Cadmium Red

	Pyrrole Red (PR254)	Cadmium Red (PR108)
Origin	Synthetic organic	Inorganic (cadmium sulfide)
Lightfastness	Excellent (I ASTM)	Excellent (I ASTM)
Toxicity	Non-toxic	Toxic (cadmium)
Hue	Warm-cool red, magenta bias	Warm red, orange bias
Transparency	Semi-transparent / variable	Opaque
Covering power	Medium-high	High
Price	Medium	High (cadmium is expensive)
Mixability	Excellent	Excellent, but may react with some pigments

Here are some photos of the colors I tried with titanium white and lead white (below)

Schaal current pyrrole - Schaal discontinued pyrrole - MH pyrrole - Schaal cadmium

In practical terms: cadmium red has a rich, substantial opacity and an almost earthy warmth; it is the quintessential "fleshy" red, ideal for skin tones and warm passages. Pyrrole red, on the other hand, tends toward a more abstract luminosity, almost fluorescent when used straight, and lends itself well to mixtures with blues to produce rich, deep purples.

Personally I started using it in my flesh tones about one month ago by adding just a little bit and I find it very nice, but you have to be really careful with it.

My latest work in progress: you can see the pirrole red pure on the contour and mixed with other skin tones.

Applications in oil painting

Used straight: applied in thick paste, pyrrole has an almost aggressive brilliance. It works beautifully as a chromatic accent in compositions where the red needs to "vibrate" without being subdued.

In glazing: thinned with an oil or alkyd medium, it can be used transparently over dark grounds to create deep, mysterious reds, an effect close to madder lake, but far more stable.

In greys and neutrals: mixed with its complementary (greens) or with black, it produces unusual greys, slightly violet or brownish-pink, very different from the "dead" greys obtained with traditional pigments.

In pinks: with titanium or lead white, pyrrole offers a surprisingly elegant range of pinks.

Sources

• Jackson's Art Blog — The Accidental Invention of Pyrrole Red (September 2024)

• Paint List — Pigment Spotlight: Pyrrole Red PR254

• Artist Pigments — PR254 Pyrrole Red: Technical Information

• Cultural Heritage Science Open Source — PR254 Pyrrole Red (February 2026)

• Natural Pigments — Pyrrole Red Pigment