Paynes Grey is a proper artist's staple that translates brilliantly to modelling. It's the tone for stippling, for subtly altering a base colour, and for pulling convincing effects out of uniforms and worn fabric. Cooler and more nuanced than a flat black, it darkens and knocks back without ever deadening a scheme — a quietly essential addition to any oil box.

Best for

• Stippling and textured effects
• Subtly altering base colours
• Shading and effects on uniforms
• A cooler alternative to flat black

Reach for Paynes Grey when black would be too harsh and you want depth with a bit of life left in it.

A subtle, hard-working artist's grey. Thin it with white spirit for stippling work, and it slots neatly into the wider Abteilung 502 oil range.