COLUMBUS – The legacy and integrity of Williamsburg Handmade Oil Colors is built upon its commitment to develop paint out of a constant dialog with artists; responding to artists’ needs. The introduction of its first line of Special Edition Colors – four Neutral Grays (N2, N4, N6, N8) began as an email request from an artist and quickly evolved from there!

There are several things that Williamsburg Handmade Oils is known for – its range of colors, the differences in grind, an attention to detail and emphasis on small batch production or simply, the sheer sensuousness of the paint. Less well known are the conversations with artists searching for things they cannot find elsewhere, or with materials that possess some unique presence. Sometimes these requests lead to a larger opportunity. The development of the Special Edition Neutral Grays is just one example of where the conversation can go.

Ground in alkali-refined linseed oil, the Neutral Grays use a combination of Titanium White, Lamp Black, and small amounts of various iron oxides (Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna) to pull the otherwise too-cool mixtures towards neutral. It took great finesse from the Lab, with the goal to always track as tightly as possible, the spectral curves generated from an official, newly minted set of Munsell Grays.

The new Williamsburg Grays match the Munsell values nearly flawlessly across the spectrum. The fact that any attempt at Munsell equivalents are constantly compared to such exacting, universal model is what sets these colors apart. The Munsell Grays are meant to form an objective and known scale that any other color can be measured against. Incorporated as part of one’s palette, they can allow a painter to adjust a color’s chroma in a repeatable and precise way that is simply not attainable otherwise.

Williamsburg Special Edition Neutral Grays are available in 150 ml tubes and can be purchased through the Williamsburg online store as well as at select retailers beginning in March.

For more information about the new Special Edition Neutral Grays from Williamsburg Handmade Oil Colors, please call Customer Service at 800-293-9399 or 607-847-8843. To purchase these products, visit www.williamsburgoils.com or check in with your local retailer. To read a more detailed article about the Williamsburg Neutral Grays, see the article on page 10 of the most recent Just Paint newsletter (#28) at www.goldenpaints.com/justpaint/index.php.