Paynes Gray - to use or not to use

Most watercolorist will tell you not to use black paint. But what about Paynes Gray?  This colour has a strong blue undertone that is more subtle than Ivory Black.

Similar to black, you will find numerous artist advocating against the use of this colour as they claim it is "flat" or a dead colour.  However, some who encourage mixing your blacks, including famous artists, do support the use of Paynes Gray because it dries several values lighter.

This colour has some uses, such as mixing it with some yellows to create some interesting greens. However, you may have noticed that the Paynes Gray from the various brands do not all look the same.

Some people like to use Paynes Gray for shadows. In this instance, or when you're looking for a darker color, remember to use the complementary colors of the object to get the correct color - instead of reaching for Paynes Gray.

If you do not have the colour on your palette but wish to create an equivalent, mix a combination of Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Umber or Burnt Sienna. You might have to play around with the proportions but you'll get there in the end.

Today's artist find is von Carsten Wieland

Have a great week,
Danielle

p.s. my palette does contain Paynes Gray. What about you?