Createx Neutral Greys

Discover the power of perfect balance

 

The Createx Neutral Greys collection is back, bringing artists a reliable and refined set of gray tones developed for controlled illustration work. Whether you’re an airbrush artist, fine-art illustrator, or scale modeler, these tones help you build natural volume, subtle contrast, and smooth monochromatic transitions without color shift.

This collection features the full tonal range from near-black to near-white, allowing you to dial in depth, detail, and atmosphere with precision. The paints spray cleanly straight from the bottle, dry to a matte finish, and can be easily reduced for more transparency and ultra-fine control. Createx Neutral Greys are ideal for black-and-white compositions, portrait work, fantasy art, concept illustration, and shading techniques across nearly any surface.

 

What’s in this collection

 

The Createx Neutral Greys line includes nine individual Neutral Grey tones plus a complete set that bundles them together. Each value is carefully formulated so you can shift up or down the scale without unexpected temperature or chromatic bias — giving you a smooth, predictable grayscale spectrum for layering and blending.

  • NG1 Lightest Neutral Grey — great for highlights and subtle top layers
  • NG2–NG5 Midtone Neutral Greys — perfect for building natural transitions
  • NG6–NG8 Deep Neutral Greys — excellent for shading, contouring, and controlled contrast
  • NG9 Near-Black Neutral Grey — ideal for outlining, deep shadows, and edge definition

The set provides an efficient workflow for artists who want a consistent grayscale palette ready to go. Because all tones share the same acrylic base and behave similarly when reduced, you can switch between bottles without sudden differences in finish or transparency.

Features, benefits & practical use

Createx Neutral Greys are known for delivering predictable and versatile performance whether used with airbrush or brush. Their matte finish reduces glare and makes it easier to evaluate your values accurately. This is especially helpful in portraiture, fine-art illustration, and model painting when illumination may vary.

  • Transparent/low-filler formulation helps maintain detail
  • Matte finish once cured for accurate value reading
  • Excellent atomization at low pressures
  • Smooth tonal transitions without color-temperature shift
  • Reduced grain texture vs. typical metallic or opaque acrylics
  • Builds depth without “muddying” other layers
  • Works on paper, plastic, metal, and mixed media when properly prepped

These paints can be sprayed straight from the bottle, but many artists choose to combine them with 4011 Reducer for even smoother gradients, lower tip-dry, and tighter micro-control.

 

Usage recommendations

 

Createx Neutral Greys are designed to be flexible and dependable in professional workflows. Use them to paint high-contrast portraits, stylized grayscale characters, fabric shadows, fantasy armor values, atmosphere in landscapes, concept art silhouettes, and more.

Primer selection matters. A smooth, clean surface helps these transparent tones lay down evenly. For modeling or hard-surface work, many artists apply 4030 Balancing Clear as an intercoat binder to increase durability, especially when automotive-grade clears will be used afterwards.

For detail work, spray at lower pressure with a 0.18–0.3 mm airbrush setup. The fluid consistency is ideal for crisp shading without overspray. The matte cure also helps you layer without reflections masking value shifts.

 

Best practices

 

  • Spray directly or thin lightly with 4011 Reducer
  • For hard-surface work, mix with 4030 Balancing Clear
  • Work at lower pressures (≈15–25 psi) for detail
  • Build layers slowly to control shading
  • Dry with heat to accelerate curing

Because the paints are formulated with minimal filler, they maintain fine detail without obscure texture buildup. This makes them ideal for controlled rendering in comic illustration, tattoo flash, and concept art sketches where subtle value control is essential.

 

Why choose Createx Neutral Greys

 

When working in grayscale, consistency is everything. If undertones shift warm or cool, the composition loses clarity. The Createx Neutral Greys collection avoids this problem with tightly controlled pigment selection. Every value steps up or down without drifting into brownish or bluish casts — so you see pure value instead of competing color information.

This neutral behavior also makes these tones easy to glaze over later with transparent colors if you decide to tint, shade, or stylize the artwork. Build your value structure first, then layer color glazes for more dimensional finishes.

 

Who are they for?

 

  • Airbrush artists
  • Fine-art illustrators
  • Scale modelers
  • Portrait artists
  • Concept artists
  • Students learning value structure

Whether you’re rendering chrome helmets, character shadows, or moody grayscale cityscapes, Createx Neutral Greys give you the tonal accuracy needed to control form and depth.

 

Compatibility

 

  • Works with Createx Illustration Colors
  • Fully compatible with 4011 Reducer + 4020 Reducer
  • Can bind using 4030 Balancing Clear for added durability
  • Top-coat with automotive clears for advanced finishing

With such broad compatibility, this series integrates effortlessly into existing Createx workflows.

 

Your creativity, powered by SprayGunner

 

SprayGunner is committed to helping artists achieve professional-grade results with the best tools available. That’s why we’re excited to offer the full Createx Neutral Greys selection — individual bottles and the complete set — along with airbrushes, compressors, clear coats, reducers, and everything else you need to elevate your craft.

Whether you’re sketching tonal forms or building layered atmospheres, Createx Neutral Greys are the perfect grayscale system to expand your illustration toolkit.

Shop now at SprayGunner!