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Over the last several years, there has been an influx of new \u2018neutral tints\u2019 introduced by manufacturers of artist paints almost as though there has been a new pigment discovered. In a way there has. There are new (20thC) pigments that are more transparent, which means that a good, transparent neutral can be mixed. However, not all the Neutral Tints on the market are transparent.<\/p>\n
Neutral tint formulations have been around since the 18th<\/span> C developed by watercolor artists \u2013 and historically have been called ‘grays\u2019. Neutral tints are sold as a paint that can be used to neutralize any other pigment (reduce the chromacity, or \u2018tone down\u2019) . The following is an excerpt from the description for Neutral Tint paint by Daniel Smith:<\/span><\/p>\n “Create Rich Darks and Neutrals with this fabulous and unique, dark neutral pigment that when mixed with any watercolor pigment produces glowing, darker values of that color. We wanted to make it easier for students to keep away from making muddy darks in one easy step, and this is the perfect solution!\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>Features and Benefits: Quick and reliable way to darken a color while retaining transparency. Produces gorgeous glowing darks rather than muddy colors. Tones down colors.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/em><\/p>\n So why not just use black? Many watercolorists avoid black, and for some good reasons. Most classical blacks are made from carbon obtained from burning something \u2013 like lamp oil, bone (replaced Ivory), coal, etc. In other words, they are made from soot<\/em>. Blacks made from soot produce a pigment that is very dull \u2013 this is because the carbon molecules tend to scatter light randomly more than other pigments. The ‘ideal’ black reflects no light at all.\u00a0 <\/span>In watercolor, passages that contain carbon black pigments might appear gorgeous when wet, but become flat when dry. Therefore, adding a carbon black to tone down paint tends to dull it as well. So, how do we reduce the chroma of paint with<\/span>OUT<\/em> using black? Supposedly, that is the idea of ‘neutral tints’.<\/span><\/p>\n The ideal<\/em> neutral tint will not change the hue of the paint you add it to, only the chroma. In addition it should not change the transparency and\/or granulation qualities of the paint.\u00a0 The only neutral mix that can accomplish this is one that is transparent and non-granulating itself.\u00a0 This type of mix is much more attainable with modern 20th C pigments.<\/span><\/p>\n Traditionally, Neutral Tints have been called grays, and some of them are still available today under the originating artist’s name (like Payne\u2019s Gray, or Davy’s Gray, etc).\u00a0 Originally, these formulas contained an earth red, a blue, and a touch of an earthy yellow \u2013 a primary triad.\u00a0\u00a0 Most of the neutral tints today are made with a blue or violet mixed with a black. (We will look at some of the formulae in Part 3 of this blog.)<\/p>\n You might wonder \u201cwhat is the distinction between a Neutral Tint and a Gray?\u201d They have similar hues and chromas (ie: they are all \u2018gray-like\u2019).\u00a0 <\/span>Neutral tints<\/em> are more transparent – to be used to reduce the chroma of another paint, whereas the <\/span>grays<\/em> often have more \u2018character\u2019 – they may contain pigments that settle and granulate – so they are more useful as standalone paints.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n