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ThatPainter
color theory

How to Make Grey in ibisPaint X

Make a neutral gray in ibisPaint X by setting HSB Saturation to 0 and adjusting Brightness. Learn how to enter an exact RGB or hex gray, save and sample colors, convert artwork to grayscale, and troubleshoot color restrictions.

By ThatPainter Team 5 min read

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To make a neutral gray in ibisPaint X, tap the square color icon, open the HSB controls, set Saturation to 0, then adjust Brightness until the color is as light or dark as you need. “Gray” and “grey” describe the same color.

The quickest way to make gray

  1. Select Brush, or choose another tool that uses a color.
  2. Tap the square color icon on the main toolbar to open the Color window.
  3. Show the HSB controls if they are not already visible. HSB stands for Hue, Saturation, and Brightness.
  4. Set Saturation (S) to 0. With no saturation, the hue no longer adds a color tint, producing a neutral gray.
  5. Adjust Brightness (B): lower values make dark gray and higher values make light gray.
  6. Confirm the color and draw.

The official ibisPaint Color-window guide documents the color square, HSB controls, RGB sliders, and hexadecimal color input. The labels or placement can vary between iPhone, iPad, Android, and different app versions.

Make an exact gray with RGB or hex

For a repeatable neutral gray, use equal values for red, green, and blue. Open the Color window, switch from HSB to RGB, and enter the same number in all three fields.

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You can also enter a hexadecimal value in the Color window. #808080 is a standard example of medium gray, not a special ibisPaint preset or the only correct gray. Smaller equal channel values make darker gray; larger equal values make lighter gray. The official guide explains how to toggle between HSB and RGB and enter a hexadecimal color code.

Save a gray for later

After creating the color, switch to the palette view in the Color window and save the current color in an empty palette slot. This is useful when you need the same gray across several layers or illustrations.

You can also retrieve recently used colors from Color History. The official guide says the history can retain up to 100 colors, with newer colors positioned farther to the left. History and palette availability may look slightly different across versions.

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Pick gray from the canvas

If the shade you want is already visible in your artwork:

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  1. Open the Tool Selection window.
  2. Choose Eyedropper.
  3. Select either Canvas or Current Layer, then tap the gray area.

Canvas samples the visible composite, while Current Layer samples only the selected layer. Choose Canvas when you want to match what viewers see. Choose Current Layer when you need the underlying color from one layer. The distinction matters when opacity, blending modes, or overlapping layers affect the apparent gray. See the official ibisPaint Eyedropper guide.

Turn a colored drawing into grayscale

Selecting a gray brush color does not convert existing artwork. To change a colored illustration toward black, gray, and white, use the grayscale filter:

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  1. Open Tool Selection.
  2. Choose Filter.
  3. Select Grayscale.
  4. Adjust the slider.
  5. Tap the checkmark to apply the filter.

The official Grayscale filter tutorial documents this path and its adjustment slider. Preserve or duplicate the original first if you may want to continue color editing later. Grayscale normally means a range of neutral values; it does not necessarily mean only two colors. A strict black-and-white result requires a suitable monochrome or threshold workflow.

Gray color, grayscale artwork, and grayscale export

What you want Use this
Paint with one gray Color window with HSB, RGB, or hex input
Match a gray already visible Eyedropper
Reuse a preferred gray Palette or Color History
Convert colored artwork Tool Selection → Filter → Grayscale
Save using grayscale color information A grayscale color-space or export option, where supported

The U.S. App Store listing for ibisPaint X has reported an option to select an 8-bit grayscale color space when saving PNG or JPEG files. Do not assume that menu is present on every device or version; check the save/export options available in your installation. A grayscale export setting is different from merely choosing a gray painting color.

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Why does my gray look blue, brown, or faint?

The gray has a color tint

Reopen the Color window and set Saturation to 0, or make the RGB values equal. If it still appears tinted, test it in an unpainted area. Surrounding colors can create a contrast illusion, and a brush texture or blending mode can change the visible result.

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The brush appears gray after you select a color

Check the following:

  • Brush opacity and any pressure-based opacity setting.
  • Layer opacity.
  • Layer blending mode.
  • Whether the selected layer, selection, or tool has special restrictions.
  • Whether the document or canvas is using a grayscale color mode.

Some users report checking a Canvas → Color Mode setting when color unexpectedly remains unavailable, but this is version-dependent rather than a universal, verified menu path. If the option exists in your installation, confirm that the canvas is not restricted to grayscale.

The gray looks transparent

Color-window opacity is separate from the color’s brightness. Also check brush opacity, layer opacity, and brush-specific pressure settings. A fully neutral gray can still look faint when any of these reduce opacity.

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Choosing gray for shading

For gray shading, do not simply reduce saturation and expect the result to become darker. Set saturation to 0, then choose several brightness levels: a lighter gray for illuminated areas, a middle gray for the base, and a darker gray for shadows. Keep the light direction consistent so the values describe form rather than producing a flat gray fill.

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FAQ

What RGB values make gray?

Use the same value for red, green, and blue. For example, 128/128/128 is a standard medium-gray example; lower equal values are darker and higher equal values are lighter.

How do I make light gray or dark gray?

In HSB controls, set Saturation to 0, then raise Brightness for lighter gray or lower it for darker gray.

Why does my gray look blue or brown?

Check that Saturation is 0 or that the RGB channels are equal. Brush effects, layer opacity, blending modes, and surrounding colors can also affect the appearance.

Can I save a gray to use again?

Save it in an empty palette slot in the Color window, or retrieve it later from Color History.

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How do I make a whole drawing grayscale?

Use Tool Selection → Filter → Grayscale, adjust the slider, and apply it. This changes existing artwork; preserve a copy first if you may want to continue editing it in color.

Why can’t I use color on my canvas?

Check whether the document or canvas is set to a grayscale color mode, and check the layer, brush, opacity, blending mode, and any active selection. A reported Canvas → Color Mode path may vary by app version and platform.

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