Neutral Grey 2 is the second rung of Holbein's published grey ladder: Munsell value 7.5, sitting between Grey 1 at 8.5 and Grey 3 at 5.5. It uses the same two pigments as Grey 1, PBk7 carbon and PW6 titanium white, and carries the same four-star lightfastness. No hue or chroma is quoted, so there is no colour bias to work around. In practice it is a light-to-mid grey, unmistakably grey rather than off-white, and still well up the light end.

Of the four, this is the one that most often does the light-grey work inside a finished piece. It is light enough to hold detail drawn on top of it and dark enough to read as a deliberate tone rather than an unpainted patch, which makes it useful for shading in comics and manga-style work, for machinery and architecture, and for the mid-light plane in flat graphic illustration. Designers use it for panels and rules that should organise a layout without competing with it. It also desaturates a bright colour more decisively than Grey 1 does.

What Makes This Colour Special

Pigment, lightfastness and series as published by Holbein. Holbein does not publish an opacity rating for individual colours; the range as a whole is described by Holbein as opaque.

Acrylic Gouache, Not Traditional Gouache

Pigment ground into an acrylic emulsion, thinned with plain water, formulated for even flat coverage rather than texture. That is acrylic gouache, and Holbein's version is the reference point for the category. Holbein Acrylic Gouache dries to a matte opaque finish and is water resistant once dry, so it does not reactivate with water like traditional gouache. Greys get used in layers more than most colours, so not lifting matters here. For greytone work, a smooth heavier sheet from our pads and paper holds a crisp edge best.

Why Holbein Acrylic Gouache Is in Serious Studios

• Genuinely opaque. Holbein describes the range simply as an opaque acrylic paint. It covers, including over darker colour, which is the whole point of reaching for gouache rather than watercolour.
• Velvety matte, no sheen. Holbein describes the colour as opaque, intense, smooth and velvety. It dries flat, which is why it photographs and scans without glare.
• Water resistant once dry, so you can layer. Holbein’s own wording, and the reason the range exists. A dry layer will take another one over the top without lifting.
• The colour you mix is the colour you get. Holbein states it does not shift in colour tone from wet to dried colour. Anyone who has watched a perfect grey dry into a different grey will appreciate that.
• Built to use straight from the tube. Holbein says it is specifically designed to be used directly from the tube and will dry to even, uniform paint layers.
• Works on more than paper. Holbein lists paper, canvas, cloth, stone, wood, leather, plexiglass and concrete, with excellent adhesion, and full compatibility with all acrylic mediums.

Getting the Most Out of This Tube

Straight from the tube is the default. This is what Holbein designed it for, and it is where you get those even, flat, uniform layers. Add a little water to loosen it, but go easy: very diluted washes can dry streaky across a large flat area, so build coverage in thin even coats rather than flooding it on.

Watch the palette, not the clock. Holbein gives an open time of roughly 10 to 30 minutes and notes the drying time is much like ordinary watercolour. The practical consequence is that paint left sitting on the palette will go off and will not come back, so squeeze out small amounts as you need them.

It plays well with acrylic mediums. Holbein states the range is compatible with all acrylic mediums, so you can change the body or extend the working time if you want to. Soft synthetic brushes suit it, since they hold enough paint to lay a flat area without dragging.

Questions About Holbein Neutral Grey #2