Neutral Grey 4 is the dark end of Holbein's published ladder, at Munsell value 4.0 against 5.5 for Grey 3, 7.5 for Grey 2 and 8.5 for Grey 1. It is also the most complex of the four: PBk7 carbon and PW6 titanium white, plus PBr6 iron manganese oxide and PY42 hydrous iron oxide. Four stars for lightfastness, and still notated as a plain value with no hue or chroma beside it.

This is the grey that does the work of a black without the finality of one. At value 4.0 it is dark enough for deep shadow and strong contrast, but there is still room underneath it, so a black laid next to it still reads as darker. Comic and storyboard artists use it as the deepest greytone before ink, designers as a near-black that softens a layout, landscape painters for wet slate, storm shadow and bitumen. Mixed into any colour in the range it darkens and desaturates in a single move.

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

Acrylic gouache is the matte, opaque, high-pigment member of the acrylic family, made to lie flat and cover evenly rather than to hold texture. 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. A dark tone such as Neutral Grey 4 is usually laid early and worked over, so a layer that stays put saves you repainting. Anyone comfortable with acrylic paint will find the handling familiar and the finish quite different.

A standard acrylic is formulated to hold a brush mark, which is handy for texture and a nuisance when you want a large dark area to read as a single even tone. Acrylic gouache levels out instead, so a field of Grey 4 goes down flat and stays that way once it is dry.

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 #4