black · Oil

Mars Black

Neutral and opaque. Stronger and colder than ivory black.

IndexPBk11

Color#1E1C1B

Tinting strength9/10

Opacityopaque

Lightfastnessexcellent

Dryingfast

This is one of the strongest pigments there is. A sliver changes a whole pile of paint, so put out less than looks right and work towards the color.

With white, step by step

pure #1E1C1B 6:1 #201E1D 3:1 #23201F 2:1 #252221 1:1 #2A2826 1:2 #33302F 1:3 #3A3736 1:6 #4A4745 pure #F8F7F3

From pure Mars Black on the left to titanium white on the right. Watch how much chroma you lose on the way — that is the cost of lightening with white, and the reason a tint often needs a trace of something warm putting back.

What to mix it with

These are the partners that take Mars Black furthest towards neutral, which makes them the ones you reach for when you need a shadow or a gray rather than a color.

with Ultramarine quietest point #222222 with Cerulean Blue quietest point #232323 with Payne’s Gray quietest point #222222 with Cobalt Blue quietest point #212120 with Prussian Blue quietest point #1E1E1D with Viridian quietest point #20201F

Every pair

Titanium White Zinc White Lemon Yellow Cadmium Yellow Light Cadmium Yellow Deep Yellow Ochre Raw Sienna Naples Yellow Cadmium Red Light Cadmium Red Deep Alizarin Crimson (permanent) Quinacridone Rose Indian Red Burnt Sienna Raw Umber Burnt Umber Ultramarine Cobalt Blue Cerulean Blue Phthalo Blue Prussian Blue Phthalo Green Viridian Chromium Oxide Green Dioxazine Purple Ivory Black Payne’s Gray

Is it on your palette?

Tick off what you own and every recipe is worked out for that set, from a color you pick out of your own photo.

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