How to Mix Grey Oil Paint
To mix grey with oil paint, combine 1 part Ivory Black and 1 part Titanium White. The simplest grey is black and white. Painters often prefer greys mixed from complementary colors because they can be pushed warmer or cooler and look more alive.
Opens the free browser simulator with these colors on the palette. Squeeze them out and blend with the palette knife.
Step by step
- Put down 1 part of Ivory Black. It is the largest amount, so it is your base.
- Add 1 part of Titanium White. White lightens the mix but also cools and softens it, so add it gradually.
- Blend with a palette knife, folding the paint over itself until no streaks of the separate colors remain.
- Pull a thin smear out to the side. Thin paint shows the true color better than a thick pile.
Lighter versions of grey
The same recipe with more and more titanium white mixed in, by volume:
#7D7C7E
#919092
#9F9FA1
#B2B2B3
#D1D1D0
Another way to mix grey
With Ivory Black, Titanium White and Yellow Ochre: 3 parts Ivory Black, 3 parts Titanium White and 1 part Yellow Ochre.
Tips for mixing greys and blacks
Greys look different next to other colors. A neutral grey can look bluish next to orange and warm next to blue, so judge it in place.
Questions
What colors make grey?
To mix grey with oil paint, combine 1 part Ivory Black and 1 part Titanium White. You can also mix it from 3 parts Ivory Black, 3 parts Titanium White and 1 part Yellow Ochre.
How do you make grey lighter?
Add titanium white a little at a time. Adding the same amount of white as the whole mix gives about #B2B2B3. White also cools and softens a color, so you may need a touch more of the warm color in the recipe to keep the same character.
How do you make grey darker?
Add more of the darkest color in the recipe. For a grey mixed from complements, add more of both colors and less white.