18% Grey paint

[PhilipHowe]

As I may have mentioned, I have a studio in Ancoats.
I want to paint one part of a wall 18% neutral grey (ok, as close as I can).
Does anyone know where I can get the paint, other than going into B&Q and getting them to colour match it?

Thanks in advance.

[John]

Is it not easier to paint it white and get the 18% grey with lighting?

The only way I can see you'd get this, unless there is a specialised paint available, is to compare shades of grey with a Kodak 18% grey card. You could mix black and white until you had the right shade?

[stopher002]

Hi Phillip
Dulux Decorating Centre, Liverpool St, (off Oldfield Way) Salford
Take the Grey card (18%) as a sample
they will be able to scan the colour & mix there & then
Ask for advise on a base coat, also ask how many coats to have an even colour

Hope this is of help

Many Thanks
Chris

[Paul Jones]

I want to paint one part of a wall 18% neutral grey (ok, as close as I can).

Good choice Philip. I'm sure you know that a neutral gray wall gives you the option of photographing it from white to black and anywhere in-between, depending on how you light it.

On his studio lighting DVD Damien Lovegrove shows examples and says that his gray wall is painted with Dulux Ice Storm 2 paint. He also mentions it in this link, with example photos of different gel effects.

"The Paint on the back wall of my studio is Dulux Ice Storm 2. It is as near a neutral as you can get with pigment and comes from their professional range. You will need to get it mixed for you. The computers at Dulux paint mixing centres have the recipe built in."

"I use a grey wall because it will go pure black when unlit with just 3 stops less light than my subject. There is always some spill light in a studio, especially one as small as mine and white backgrounds usually turn a muddy grey when unlit."

http://www.prophotonut.com/2009/12/31/c ... echniques/

[PhilipHowe]

John, thanks, the idea is to do a grey wall and light that, exactly as Paul has said.
Paul, I actually remembered that Damien Lovegrove used that, so I emailed and asked him what colour he used and he replied, exactly as Paul has suggested. I came back on here to post that, so thanks Paul, you beat me to it, and, would you believe, "You are absolutely correct."

The problem with taking my own card in was that it has to be mixed to match, which has never worked before, I knew there was a colour available, just didn't know where from.

Thanks one and all.

[Paul Jones]

Paul, I actually remembered that Damien Lovegrove used that, so I emailed and asked him what colour he used and he replied, exactly as Paul has suggested. I came back on here to post that, so thanks Paul, you beat me to it, and, would you believe, "You are absolutely correct."