DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Hematite Burnt Scarlet Genuine Watercolor, 15ml Tube

For a watercolor study of weathered brick, stone, or tree bark, Hematite Burnt Scarlet Genuine is intended to add visible pigment texture as well as a reddish-brown hue. Its granulating character makes it a different choice from a smoother, more uniform watercolor.

DANIEL SMITH identifies this PrimaTek color as made with ground hematite mineral. The pigment’s heavier particles settle in a thick wash, while a thin wash appears more like rich sienna.

The listed properties include excellent lightfastness, semi-transparency, granulation, and low staining. These traits make the paint worth considering when surface variation matters to the subject.

Highlights

The main reason to choose this tube is its pronounced granulation. Hematite Burnt Scarlet Genuine is designed for textured effects, which can support the irregular look of rugged landscapes and natural materials such as wood, stone, and brick. Rather than relying on brush marks alone, the settling pigment can add variation within a wash.

Its color shifts with dilution: a thin application reads as sienna, while a thicker wash allows the heavier particles to settle and create bolder granulation. That gives artists room to use the same paint for a lighter earthy passage or a more textured area. It is also described as semi-transparent and low staining, with excellent lightfastness.

This is a specialized pigment, not simply a standard reddish-brown for every palette. A smoother watercolor may be easier to control when an even, uninterrupted fill is the priority, this one is more relevant when mineral-like texture is part of the intended effect.

Usage tips

Try the paint at different dilutions on a scrap of the paper you plan to use. A thin wash can show the sienna character, while a thicker application is where the product description says the heavier particles settle into stronger granulation. This gives you a practical way to judge how much texture suits a particular passage before adding it to a finished painting.

The manufacturer also notes that Hematite Burnt Scarlet mixes with other colors, where it can neutralize them while adding granulation. That makes it useful to explore in landscape mixtures, but the resulting appearance will depend on the colors and proportions used. The product is described as washable, though no specific cleaning instructions are provided.

One listing detail needs attention before ordering: the product name identifies a 15ml tube, while the specification table gives an item volume of 5 ml and a size of 0.5 Fl Oz. Those volume details do not align, so confirm the tube size with the seller if it affects your decision.

Everyday use

For a rocky hillside, old masonry, or a study of rough wood, this watercolor can supply both an earthy red-brown color and an uneven surface effect. It may also be useful in mixes when a flatter color needs to be muted and given more granulation. Depending on how you use it, the paint can serve as a distinctive accent or as part of a broader set of earth colors.

Artists building a palette around predictable, smooth washes may prefer a less granulating pigment for those passages. Hematite Burnt Scarlet Genuine is better suited to subjects where visible texture supports the image rather than distracts from it.

Should you buy it?

Worth considering if you paint natural textures, rugged scenery, or want a mineral-based color that brings granulation into mixes. It's not for you if your main need is a consistently smooth wash without visible settling. The listed lightfastness, semi-transparency, and low staining are useful selection details, but the conflicting volume information makes checking the exact tube size especially important.