You’ve probably tried a million purple watercolors without finding your perfect match. Whether you’re chasing vibrant violets or deep, moody plums, you’ll uncover that pigment selection makes all the difference in your work. Each formula brings distinct characteristics—from staining power to granulation—that fundamentally change how your paintings develop. The right purple transforms your entire palette. What separates the colors professionals trust?
Quick Overview
- Daniel Smith Quinacridone Purple delivers powerful, juicy hues with exceptional transparency ideal for glazing techniques.
- Handy Art Washable Liquid Watercolor offers non-toxic, U.S.-made versatility for painting, tinting, and dyeing applications.
- GOLDEN QoR Dioxazine Purple provides vibrant, semi-transparent color with patented Aquazol binder and ASTM Lightfastness 1 rating.
- Daniel Smith Imperial Purple granulates beautifully with semi-transparent qualities revealing subtle plum-to-ultramarine shifts as pigment settles.
- Professional-grade purples with higher pigment loads require less paint per application, offering better long-term value than student-grade alternatives.
| DANIEL SMITH Quinacridone Purple Watercolor 15ml Tube |
| Professional-Grade Purple | Lightfastness Rating: Excellent | Transparency Level: Transparent | Staining Level: Medium staining | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Handy Art Washable Liquid Watercolor 8 ounce Purple |
| Best For Beginners | Lightfastness Rating: Not specified | Transparency Level: Transparent (liquid) | Staining Level: May stain porous surfaces | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| GOLDEN QoR Dioxazine Purple Watercolor Paint Tube |
| Most Vibrant Pigment | Lightfastness Rating: ASTM 1 (Excellent) | Transparency Level: Semi-transparent | Staining Level: Staining | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Daniel Smith Watercolour – 5 ml – Imperial Purple (Series 2) – 0174 |
| Best Granulating Purple | Lightfastness Rating: Not specified | Transparency Level: Semi-transparent | Staining Level: Low-staining | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| DANIEL SMITH 284600030 Extra Fine Watercolor 15ml Paint Tube Cobalt Violet |
| Most Transparent | Lightfastness Rating: Excellent | Transparency Level: Truly transparent | Staining Level: Non-staining | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Grumbacher Academy Watercolor Paint 7.5ml/0.25 Ounce Thio Violet (A211) |
| Best Value Pick | Lightfastness Rating: Not specified | Transparency Level: Luminescent/vibrant | Staining Level: Not specified | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolor Paint Tube Purpurite |
| Most Unique Formula | Lightfastness Rating: Excellent | Transparency Level: Semi-transparent | Staining Level: Low staining | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
More Details on Our Top Picks
DANIEL SMITH Quinacridone Purple Watercolor 15ml Tube
If you’re after a purple that delivers both richness and versatility, DANIEL SMITH’s Quinacridone Purple is your go-to choice. This extra-fine watercolor offers a powerful, juicy hue with a subtle reddish undertone that’ll elevate your work. You’ll appreciate its non-granulating formula, which produces smooth, controlled washes that mix beautifully with other colors. The paint’s exceptional transparency makes it ideal for glazing, while its strong pigmentation guarantees incredible depth without sacrificing luminosity. You can lift it easily while wet, giving you flexibility during your creative process. With excellent lightfastness and medium staining properties, this 15ml tube delivers professional-quality results that’ll satisfy your artistic demands.
- Lightfastness Rating:Excellent
- Transparency Level:Transparent
- Staining Level:Medium staining
- Container Size:15ml tube
- Toxicity/Safety:Conforms to ASTM D4236
- Special Characteristics:Quinacridone pigment, non-granulating
- Additional Feature:Non-granulating smooth washes
- Additional Feature:Ideal for glazing technique
- Additional Feature:Lifts easily while wet
Handy Art Washable Liquid Watercolor 8 ounce Purple
Handy Art Washable Liquid Watercolor’s non-toxic formula makes it an excellent choice for artists who prioritize safety without compromising on color intensity. You’ll appreciate that this U.S.-made product contains no latex, dairy, casein, soy, egg, gluten, peanuts, or tree nuts, making it suitable for sensitive users. The 8-ounce bottle offers versatility—use it directly for vivid, saturated purples or dilute with water for lighter washes. You can apply it to watercolor painting, tinting, and dyeing craft materials. While the washable formula cleans easily from most clothing, you’ll want to avoid porous surfaces where staining may occur. This affordable option delivers reliable performance for both hobbyists and educational settings.
- Lightfastness Rating:Not specified
- Transparency Level:Transparent (liquid)
- Staining Level:May stain porous surfaces
- Container Size:8 ounce bottle
- Toxicity/Safety:Non-toxic
- Special Characteristics:Washable, liquid formula
- Additional Feature:Washes out of clothing
- Additional Feature:Use directly from bottle
- Additional Feature:Non-toxic U.S.A. made
GOLDEN QoR Dioxazine Purple Watercolor Paint Tube
Professional artists who demand exceptional lightfastness and luminous color won’t find a better choice than GOLDEN QoR’s Dioxazine Purple. This 11 ml tube contains PV23 pigment, delivering vibrant, semi-transparent hues that stain beautifully across your paper. You’ll appreciate the patented Aquazol binder, an exclusive formula that accentuates pigment luminosity even after drying. The paint flows with subtlety and transparency, giving you remarkable control over your washes. Made in the USA by an employee-owned company with over 40 years of experience, this professional-grade watercolor earns ASTM Lightfastness 1 rating. It’s vegan, too—ideal for conscious artists seeking premium quality without compromise.
- Lightfastness Rating:ASTM 1 (Excellent)
- Transparency Level:Semi-transparent
- Staining Level:Staining
- Container Size:11ml tube
- Toxicity/Safety:Vegan
- Special Characteristics:Patented Aquazol binder, vibrant
- Additional Feature:Patented Aquazol binder formula
- Additional Feature:Employee-owned company heritage
- Additional Feature:Accentuates luminosity after drying
Daniel Smith Watercolour – 5 ml – Imperial Purple (Series 2) – 0174
You’ll find Daniel Smith’s Imperial Purple exceptional if you’re after a highly saturated purple that granulates beautifully across your paper. This semi-transparent, low-staining watercolor reveals subtle shifts between plum and ultramarine as pigment settles. You’ll appreciate its versatility—it delivers delicate washes for pale lavender effects or rich, concentrated applications. The 5 ml tube suits both studio work and outdoor painting. Whether you’re capturing iris petals or sunset skies, this pigment’s granulation adds depth and visual interest. At 4.1 stars, artists consistently praise its performance and quality, making it a reliable choice for your watercolor palette.
- Lightfastness Rating:Not specified
- Transparency Level:Semi-transparent
- Staining Level:Low-staining
- Container Size:5ml tube
- Toxicity/Safety:Not specified
- Special Characteristics:Granulating, reveals plum/ultramarine shades
- Additional Feature:Granulates revealing plum/ultramarine
- Additional Feature:Delicate washes to lavender
- Additional Feature:Low-staining semi-transparent pigment
DANIEL SMITH 284600030 Extra Fine Watercolor 15ml Paint Tube Cobalt Violet
Daniel Smith’s Cobalt Violet stands out for artists who crave transparency and luminosity in their work. You’ll appreciate its truly transparent quality that radiates beautifully in light washes, embodying the delicate softness of flower petals. The slightly granulating texture adds visual interest while maintaining a lustrous finish. At full strength, this non-staining pigment comes alive with remarkable intensity. You’ll find it readily mixes with other colors and allows you to create soft edges effortlessly. The 15ml tube contains PV 49 pigment and conforms to ASTM D4236 standards, ensuring professional-grade quality for your watercolor paintings.
- Lightfastness Rating:Excellent
- Transparency Level:Truly transparent
- Staining Level:Non-staining
- Container Size:15ml tube
- Toxicity/Safety:Conforms to ASTM D4236
- Special Characteristics:Cobalt pigment, soft edges, delicate
- Additional Feature:Slightly granulating lustrous finish
- Additional Feature:Soft edges and lifting
- Additional Feature:Non-staining delicate pigment
Grumbacher Academy Watercolor Paint 7.5ml/0.25 Ounce Thio Violet (A211)
For artists seeking an affordable yet reliable purple watercolor that won’t compromise on vibrancy, Grumbacher Academy’s Thio Violet delivers exceptional value. This deep magenta shade with red undertones mixes cleanly, allowing you to create a wide range of violet tints and shades perfect for florals and sunsets. Whether you’re applying it straight from the tube or mixing it with white, you’ll achieve luminescent, vibrant strokes and washes. At 7.5ml, it’s ideal for students and professionals alike. Made in the USA by Grumbacher since 1905, this collegiate-line paint earns a solid 4.6-star rating from nearly 250 reviewers, confirming its reliability and quality for serious artists.
- Lightfastness Rating:Not specified
- Transparency Level:Luminescent/vibrant
- Staining Level:Not specified
- Container Size:7.5ml tube
- Toxicity/Safety:Not specified
- Special Characteristics:Deep magenta masstone, mixes cleanly
- Additional Feature:Deep magenta with undertone
- Additional Feature:Vibrant luminescent strokes/washes
- Additional Feature:Affordable collegiate line option
DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolor Paint Tube Purpurite
Artists seeking a genuinely luminous lavender violet will appreciate Purpurite Genuine, DANIEL SMITH’s semi-transparent watercolor that delivers sophisticated color without heavy staining. This PrimaTek mineral-based paint flows smoothly across your paper with exceptional ease, offering you versatility across multiple techniques. You’ll notice its naturally occurring, silky sub-metallic sheen that adds depth to your work. The granulating properties create beautiful texture variations, while excellent lightfastness guarantees your paintings endure. At 15ml per tube, Purpurite Genuine gives you a professional-grade purple option that conforms to ASTM D4236 standards, making it an ideal choice for serious watercolor artists demanding quality and performance.
- Lightfastness Rating:Excellent
- Transparency Level:Semi-transparent
- Staining Level:Low staining
- Container Size:15ml tube
- Toxicity/Safety:Conforms to ASTM D4236
- Special Characteristics:PrimaTek mineral-based, granulating, silky sheen
- Additional Feature:Silky sub-metallic natural sheen
- Additional Feature:Naturally occurring mineral pigment
- Additional Feature:Intensely lavender violet color
Factors to Consider When Choosing Purple Watercolor Paint
When you’re shopping for purple watercolor paint, you’ll want to evaluate several critical characteristics that’ll affect your work’s quality and durability. Consider the pigment’s transparency level, lightfastness rating, and staining power, as these factors determine how your colors’ll behave on paper and whether they’ll fade over time. You should also examine the paint’s granulation and flow properties alongside its price point to guarantee you’re getting the best value for your artistic needs and budget.
Pigment Transparency Levels
Understanding how light interacts with your purple watercolor pigment is essential to achieving the effects you’re after. You’ll find three main transparency levels to examine: transparent, semi-transparent, and opaque pigments.
Transparent purples allow light to pass through, creating luminous washes that glow on your paper. They’re ideal when you want delicate glazes and layering. Semi-transparent options give you more control, offering increased opacity while maintaining some light interaction, perfect for building depth gradually. Opaque purples block light entirely, delivering solid, vibrant coverage that requires minimal layering.
Your choice directly impacts your painting’s mood and technique. Transparent pigments lift easily for corrections, while opaques resist manipulation. Select your desired outcome: choose transparent for ethereal effects, semi-transparent for versatility, or opaque for bold statements.
Lightfastness and Durability
Since your purple watercolor paintings will ideally last for generations, lightfastness—a pigment’s resistance to fading under light exposure—should be a primary consideration in your selection process. Paints rated with excellent lightfastness maintain their vibrant hues for decades, while low-rated options fade quickly and demand careful handling and specific display conditions.
You’ll also want to evaluate staining properties, as more staining pigments prove harder to lift or remove from paper. This impacts both your painting technique and long-term preservation.
Selecting purple watercolors with excellent lightfastness ratings and minimal staining guarantees your artwork remains stable and well-preserved. Check manufacturer specifications and ASTM lightfastness ratings before purchasing. This investment in quality pigments protects your creative work from deterioration over time.
Staining Characteristics
Your choice of purple watercolor pigment profoundly impacts how the paint behaves on paper. Some purple watercolors possess high staining properties, making them difficult to lift or remove once applied. You’ll find that transparent purple formulations typically stain less than opaque or granulating variants, giving you more flexibility during your work.
When you’re planning wet-on-wet techniques, staining characteristics matter greatly. Excess pigment from highly staining purples can bleed into surrounding areas, potentially compromising your intended effects. You should evaluate staining levels when selecting colors for washes, glazes, and detailed work. If you’re working with highly staining pigments, you’ll need to master special lifting techniques to prevent unwanted marks on your finished painting.
Granulation and Flow
Two distinct visual effects emerge when you apply purple watercolors to paper: granulation and smooth, uniform flow. Granulating purples create textured, mottled effects that add visual interest, while non-granulating formulations deliver seamless washes ideal for backgrounds or glazing.
You’ll notice that highly pigmented paints flow more smoothly and blend better than less pigmented alternatives. The binder also matters—synthetic binders generally produce smoother, more uniform flow than natural gum arabic binders, which can create separation.
Your paper choice influences flow decisively. Cold-pressed papers offer balanced texture and control, whereas rough surfaces promote granulation and hot-pressed papers enable maximum smoothness.
Proper water dilution remains essential for controlling flow and achieving your desired effects. Experiment with different purple formulations and dilution ratios to uncover which combination best suits your artistic vision and technique.
Price and Value
Quality purple watercolors don’t always demand premium prices, but you’ll want to evaluate the cost-per-use and pigment quality before investing. Professional-grade paints cost more upfront, yet they’re more pigment-dense, requiring less paint per application. Student-grade options work well if you’re experimenting, but they contain more fillers and won’t deliver the same vibrancy or longevity.
Consider how often you’ll use specific purple shades. A versatile violet you reach for constantly justifies higher spending, while niche purples merit budget options. Check the pigment load—higher concentrations mean better value despite steeper prices.
Compare brands offering similar pigments at different price points. You might uncover comparable quality at lower costs. Don’t sacrifice permanence for savings; archival-quality purples protect your artwork’s longevity.
Tube Size Options
Purple watercolor paints come in multiple tube sizes—typically ranging from 5 ml to 37 ml—and you’ll want to match your choice to how you actually work. Smaller 5-15 ml tubes suit you if you’re experimenting with new colors or prefer portability. They’re budget-friendly for testing purples before committing to larger quantities.
Conversely, you’ll benefit from 22-37 ml tubes when tackling bigger projects or working frequently. These larger sizes provide substantial coverage without constant repurchasing, making them economical for regular use.
Consider your project scale, frequency of use, and available storage space when deciding. If you travel frequently or work on small pieces, compact tubes won’t clutter your kit. For studio-based artists creating large compositions, bigger tubes eliminate frequent replacements and offer better long-term value.
Color Undertones
Beyond size considerations, the undertone of your purple watercolor dramatically shapes your painting’s mood and color harmony. You’ll find three primary undertone categories to evaluate.
Warm-toned purples feature reddish or pinkish undertones, creating vibrant, energetic compositions. Cool-toned purples carry bluish or lavender undertones, offering serene, sophisticated results. Neutral-toned purples appear muted or grayish, providing versatile, subdued effects.
Your choice greatly impacts your final artwork. If you’re painting florals requiring delicate elegance, cool-toned purples excel. For landscapes needing warmth and vibrancy, warm-toned options work better. Neutral undertones suit mixed-media projects where you need adaptability.
Consider your subject matter and desired atmosphere before selecting. Examine paint swatches under your actual working light. This strategic approach guarantees your purple watercolor delivers exactly the visual impact you’re seeking, elevating your entire painting.
Surface Compatibility
Your choice of painting surface fundamentally alters how purple watercolor performs. Different papers, canvas, and surfaces possess varying absorbency levels, textures, and resistance that directly impact paint behavior.
Smooth, cold-pressed papers give you greater control over washes and blending, while rough, textured papers produce less predictable—though sometimes exciting—results. Canvas and other absorbent surfaces demand adjusted paint consistency and application techniques to prevent excessive staining or color loss.
You’ll achieve your desired effects by understanding your surface’s specific characteristics. This knowledge guarantees purple pigments interact with your chosen medium exactly as you intend. Selecting proper surface compatibility is not optional; it is crucial to preventing unwanted outcomes and maximizing your purple watercolor’s vibrancy and performance.
