Sennelier Watercolour S3 Dioxazine Purple (917)

Dioxazine Violet is transparent and has very high tinting strength. It is a staining pigment that is very dark when used at full strength. Concentrated, it paints out nearly black, but it mixes with Titanium White to form bright, opaque tints of purple. PV23 produces slightly redder shades than PV37. Because the hue can vary with the conditions of preparation and grinding, it may be offered in a red shade, blue shade, and so forth.

Chemical Name: carbazole dioxazine

Permanence: Dioxazine Violet has a good lightfastness. Some artists have reported that PV37, a molecular variant, is more lightfast than PV23. However, there may be some concern about it fading or shifting in colour in tints and washes.

Toxicity: n/a

History: Two molecular variants of Dioxazine Violet, PV23 and PV37, are available. They have similar properties but mix slightly differently.

Alternate Names: Dioxazine Purple, Chromothal Violet, Mauve, Carbazole Violet.