bill_glickman Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Does anyone know a method, or where I can buy pure grey paint? Preferably around 12-25% in reflectivity? When I mean pure grey, I am referring to equal amounts of RG&B vlues. Is such a product made off the shelf? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik4 Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Wow, 12% does seem rather dark. Since paint is made out of pigments, it operates on a CMYK mixing system. I am not sure if you can obtain an even set of RGB values. <p> If you're looking for collour neutral grey, then I'd suggest looking at a Munsell Colour chart and getting a grey which is closest to your needs. <p> www.creativepro.com has an interesting write-up on painting one's environment a light Munsell 8 grey which can be whipped up at the better paint suppliers. The page also mentioned others who have achieved grey using their own stated formulae. The light Munsell 8 grey is used for the walls and ceiling of the author's workroom that holds his graphic monitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_glover Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Bill, <p> Find a supplier of Rosco motion picture materials. They make various paints and I seem to recall they do white, black and grey cyc. paint which is colour neutral. <p> Good luck, <p> Walter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_glickman Posted January 23, 2002 Author Share Posted January 23, 2002 Erik, I was very intereted in that paint, but could not find that article on the link you provided? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_glover Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Erik, <p> Thank you for the link - look like interesting reading at morning tea today! <p> WG <p> Bill, <p> I located the article by typing 'paint munsell 8' in the search box. The article is entitled 'The darkroom makes A Comeback Part 2' and in the text is a link to Part 1. <p> Cheers, <p> WG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_glickman Posted January 23, 2002 Author Share Posted January 23, 2002 John, I am using it for grey point calibration for scanning. I want a reference point of something in my image that has equal RGB values. I tried the "match a chip method"....but I am unsure if the outcome is equal amounts of RGB... how can I determine this? I felt there must be some ready made product that is already "certified" grey as one of the posters mentioned above... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_glover Posted January 24, 2002 Share Posted January 24, 2002 Bill, <p> Sinar use the MacBeth Colour-Checker as their reference. It is 'printed' with pigments not dyes. <p> Walter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_a._zeichner1 Posted January 24, 2002 Share Posted January 24, 2002 Anything resembling paint will most likely change over time because the pigments are somewhat fugitive but not equally so. Even reference charts used to white balance broadcast level television cameras need to be retired from time to time. There is a rather good greyscale chart from Smethurst in England that might serve your purpose, but if you regularly subject it to intense light, it may not last forever either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Will you be color balancing the lighting in the room as well? "Neutral" gray is only going to be neutral gray if the ambient lighting is balanced to your monitor as well, assuming you are talking about a room for digital work. Most of the rooms I've been in where this work is done are neutral in tone but have very subdued ambient lighting -- and the monitors are carefully tuned with products like the products from <A HREF = http://www.colorcal.com. ColorVision</A>. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik4 Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 </a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Geez talk about a misguided answer! I'm sorry Bill, for some weird reason I thought you were wanting to paint the room you were working in, not painting a reference subject. Sorry to waste your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_glickman Posted January 26, 2002 Author Share Posted January 26, 2002 Thats OK Ellis, even you are allowed a mistake once in awhile :-). It sounds like Erik is on the right path... someone seems to have pre made such a paint. It takes the guess work out. I would love to find that source and just buy some. Erik, it looks like you tried to post, but then we got nothing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik4 Posted January 26, 2002 Share Posted January 26, 2002 Err, sorry, Bill, I was just trying to be a wise ass and closing off the HTML tags. <p> First, www.gretagmacbeth.com has some useful information. Then. I followed its links to one of its re-sellers: www.chromix.com . Gretag Macbeth has a Colour Checker DC for $279, Ouch! Perhaps it is just what you are looking for. <p> Gretag Macbeth mentions Munsell N 7 as being a neutral grey tone to eliminate colour viewing errors in its light booths. www.creativepro.com mentioned Munsell N 8 as neutral so there is some slight difference there. <p> I guess your best bet to mix your own patch would be to look for a graphic arts supply shop or production house or a prepress house. The Munsell colour system is the de facto standard used to define colour in the prepress world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik4 Posted January 26, 2002 Share Posted January 26, 2002 I am sorry. I missed this out. Pantone provides colour swatches with the corresponding Munsell number. If you go to a graphic arts supply house, just ask to borrow the Pantone swatch book. You should be able to find Munsell N 7 or N 8 or whatever value of grey that you need. It may not be as accurate as a gretag macbeth one due to the print quality but it is can come close enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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