Payne’s Gray is a dark gray-blue color used in paint. Can be used as a mixer instead of black. Because it’s less intense than black, it’s easier to get the hue right when using it as a shade. Originally a blend of iron blue (Prussian blue), yellow ocher, and purple lacquer, Payne’s Gray is now often a blend of blue (ultramarine or phthalocyanine) and black or ultramarine and burnt sienna. The color is named after William Payne, who painted watercolors in the late 18th century. The first recorded use of Payne’s Gray as a color name in English was in 1835. The source of the color shown below is Robert Ridgway’s color list, taken from the web for his 1912 book Color Standards and Color Nomenclature.