PaintwellPaint mixing, from the tubes you own

How to mix charcoal gray paint

The recipes below come from Paintwell's pigment model, worked out from the real tube paints named, in oil and in acrylic. Percentages are by volume of paint on the palette.

Charcoal gray
#3a3b3c
Oil, any brand
  • 84%Prussian Blue Williamsburg
  • 16%Indian Red Williamsburg
Very close match
Winsor & Newton oil
  • 70%French Ultramarine
  • 30%Venetian Red
Very close match
Gamblin oil
  • 70%Ultramarine Blue
  • 30%Venetian Red
Very close match
Acrylic, any brand
  • 71%Ultramarine Blue Blick
  • 29%Burnt Sienna Liquitex
Very close match
Golden acrylic
  • 62%Ultramarine Blue
  • 38%Burnt Umber
Very close match
Liquitex acrylic
  • 69%Cobalt Blue
  • 31%Cadmium Red Medium
Very close match

How to get there

Put out the Prussian Blue first: it is 84% of the mix.

Add the Indian Red a little at a time, mixing fully between additions. The smaller shares are usually the stronger paints, and it is far easier to add more than to take it back.

Judge the color in the light you will paint in, and test a dab on the canvas: wet paint and dry paint can read differently, especially acrylic, which usually dries a little darker.

Every brand's version of a pigment is a little different, which is why the recipes change from brand to brand. If you own other tubes, Paintwell works the recipe out from those instead.

Match any color from your own photo

Take a photo of your reference, tap any color, and Paintwell gives you the recipe from the paints you actually own. Then point your camera at your mix and it tells you which way you're off.

Related colors

BeigeTanKhakiBrownChocolate brownTaupeGraySlate gray