Spotlight on Colour: Payne's Gray
Payne's Gray is a dark blue gray made from mixtures of blue, black and in some cases crimson. A valuable part of our acrylic, oil and watercolour ranges, it is a permanent colour with excellent lightfastness. Often used as a richer, complex black, it can be spread thinly, allowing the blue undertone to become apparent.
Payne's Gray is attributed to the well known landscape painter and lecturer, William Payne (1760-1830). First developed for watercolour, Payne used this mixture of pigments as an alternative to black and white mixes.
When mixed with other colours, Payne's Gray will deepen in shade rather than create a ‘dirty' colour which can happen when mixing blacks with other shades. Though not often included in paint sets, Payne's Gray is available as a singular item and is a great addition to an artist's palette. It will allow more versatility and subtlety in the darker tones of a painting but is equally capable of complementing lighter warm or cool colours.
Payne's Gray can be found in the following ranges: