<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/mub9l.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mub9l.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
<em>Granary and Mill</em> By Andrew Wyeth ,1961</p>

<p>One designation for this palette is “neutral.”  Andrew Wyeth is well known for neutral palette usage: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Wyeth’s palette was neutral, meaning the colors have a brown undertone. You can achieve this by mixing together complementary colors- or by adding brown to your colors.  <a href="https://4.files.edl.io/1e5e/10/30/18/150509-95b22654-f87d-4142-9622-d1350085dae7.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">This quote is from this lovely PDF describing Andrew Wyeth’s use of neutral palettes in his paintings.</a></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-18T23:42:30.303Z
2019-02-19T05:22:19.277Z
2019-02-19T05:22:19.277Z
Laurent R.
<p>I would say <strong>Old White High Contrast Monochrome Painting</strong>.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Wacfi.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Wacfi.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p><em><a href="https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C5MACD_enFR506FR507&amp;biw=1744&amp;bih=1249&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=1&amp;ei=KENEXO7mNPWDjLsP7M-s4Ao&amp;q=old%20white&amp;oq=old%20white&amp;gs_l=img.3..35i39j0i67j0l8.4719.4719..4808...0.0..0.65.65.1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.VfQRSpfXoeg#imgrc=_" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Old white Google search</a></em></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/b24sm.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/b24sm.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Greystone High Contrast photograph by <a href="https://fineartamerica.com/featured/greystone-high-contrast-william-vivian.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">William Vivian</a></p>

<p><a href="https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C5MACD_enFR506FR507&amp;biw=1744&amp;bih=1249&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=1&amp;ei=LkNEXKeAHs2wgweHgYagBA&amp;q=high%20contrast%20monocrhome&amp;oq=high%20contrast%20monocrhome&amp;gs_l=img.3...117553.122343..122647...0.0..0.147.1638.23j1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.......35i39j0j0i67j0i8i30.U4GTnPysqRA" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>High Contrast Monochrome Google search</em></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-21T13:01:46.090Z
Monochrome can be any colour, however.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-20T09:50:32.053Z
2019-01-20T10:00:01.223Z
2019-01-20T10:00:01.223Z
Danielillo
<p>We used to call this "sepia" back in college. It referred to the colour of old yellowed black-and-white photographs. I don't know if it is an official term, though.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-23T11:34:26.727Z
However, sepia has a defining red/brown hue, originally an ink in that specific colour.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-20T11:29:46.520Z
2019-01-22T16:58:55.967Z
2019-01-22T16:58:55.967Z
user18894
<p><strong>Greyscale</strong>.</p>

<p>The contrast is due to the scene, not the style. The small amount of coloring is in all probability due to the used white and black pigments not being completely neutral, or other pigmented residue on the materials used.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-21T17:34:12.483Z
There is definitely some brown and some hints of blue in the painting. I don't think you could get both of these from just one black and one white. One of those two colors, potentially yes, as black can lean warmer (toward brown) or cooler (toward blue), but not both from the same black.
A. Staffelbach
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-21T22:42:43.780Z
But both hues don't have to come from the same colour. Black acrylics, in my experience, are usually cool, and the whites neutral to warm, especially in contrast to the cooler blacks. The colour balance of the photograph could have altered the painting's appearance as well. Furthermore, the slightly visible, slightly warmer oval-shaped area to the right of the middle, cutting through the field and barn, is from a painting underneath. All in all, there is too little information to attribute the subtle colouring to the painter's intent.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-24T12:19:01.223Z
Assuming the painting in question is made using acrylics, of course, but it seems to be.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-21T13:00:36.767Z
2019-01-21T13:00:36.767Z
Joachim
<p>I can spot some yellow-ish, maybe even some dark green-ish.</p>

<p>If that is the case, it <em>cannot be <strong>gray-scale</strong></em>.</p>

<p>Gray-scale means that if you convert the picture to gray-scale, the picture will not be changed.</p>

<p>I think the best would be a combination of <strong>low-saturation</strong> and <strong>sepia</strong>.</p>

<p>It is <strong>not fully low-saturation</strong>, because the snow is <em>tinted yellow-brown-ish</em>.</p>

<p>It is <strong>not fully sepia</strong>, because <em>the tint does not affect the entire picture</em>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-19T12:58:00.257Z
2019-02-20T05:30:25.420Z
2019-02-20T05:30:25.420Z
virolino
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/sOa4L.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/sOa4L.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>How can the colour scheme of this painting be described in technical terms?</p>

<p>For instance:</p>

<ul>
<li>Grayscale</li>
<li>Low saturation</li>
<li>Or something else?</li>
</ul>

<p>I don't have a background in art; I find that I'm unsuccessful in describing this painting's colouring.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-21T12:15:01.010Z
What do you need the technical terms for? To look for similar works, or to describe the painting to someone?
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-21T12:40:32.427Z
@Joachim : Fair question. To look for similar works.
User1974
<painting><acrylic-paint>
How can the colour scheme of this painting be described (in technical terms)?
User1974
# How can the colour scheme of this painting be described (in technical terms)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-20)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/sOa4L.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/sOa4L.jpg)

How can the colour scheme of this painting be described in technical terms?

For instance:

* Grayscale
* Low saturation
* Or something else?

I don't have a background in art; I find that I'm unsuccessful in describing this painting's colouring.

**Tags:** painting, acrylic-paint

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What do you need the technical terms for? To look for similar works, or to describe the painting to someone?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 : Fair question. To look for similar works.  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-02-18. Score: 1

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/mub9l.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/mub9l.jpg)
*Granary and Mill* By Andrew Wyeth ,1961

One designation for this palette is “neutral.” Andrew Wyeth is well known for neutral palette usage:

> Wyeth’s palette was neutral, meaning the colors have a brown undertone. You can achieve this by mixing together complementary colors- or by adding brown to your colors. [This quote is from this lovely PDF describing Andrew Wyeth’s use of neutral palettes in his paintings.](https://4.files.edl.io/1e5e/10/30/18/150509-95b22654-f87d-4142-9622-d1350085dae7.pdf)


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-01-20. Score: 1

I would say **Old White High Contrast Monochrome Painting**.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Wacfi.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Wacfi.png)

*[Old white Google search](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C5MACD_enFR506FR507&biw=1744&bih=1249&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=KENEXO7mNPWDjLsP7M-s4Ao&q=old%20white&oq=old%20white&gs_l=img.3..35i39j0i67j0l8.4719.4719..4808...0.0..0.65.65.1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.VfQRSpfXoeg#imgrc=_)*

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/b24sm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/b24sm.jpg)

Greystone High Contrast photograph by [William Vivian](https://fineartamerica.com/featured/greystone-high-contrast-william-vivian.html)

[*High Contrast Monochrome Google search*](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C5MACD_enFR506FR507&biw=1744&bih=1249&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=LkNEXKeAHs2wgweHgYagBA&q=high%20contrast%20monocrhome&oq=high%20contrast%20monocrhome&gs_l=img.3...117553.122343..122647...0.0..0.147.1638.23j1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.......35i39j0j0i67j0i8i30.U4GTnPysqRA)

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Monochrome can be any colour, however.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-01-20. Score: 1

We used to call this "sepia" back in college. It referred to the colour of old yellowed black-and-white photographs. I don't know if it is an official term, though.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: However, sepia has a defining red/brown hue, originally an ink in that specific colour.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-01-21. Score: 0

**Greyscale**.

The contrast is due to the scene, not the style. The small amount of coloring is in all probability due to the used white and black pigments not being completely neutral, or other pigmented residue on the materials used.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: There is definitely some brown and some hints of blue in the painting. I don't think you could get both of these from just one black and one white. One of those two colors, potentially yes, as black can lean warmer (toward brown) or cooler (toward blue), but not both from the same black.  
> **username_1**: But both hues don't have to come from the same colour. Black acrylics, in my experience, are usually cool, and the whites neutral to warm, especially in contrast to the cooler blacks. The colour balance of the photograph could have altered the painting's appearance as well. Furthermore, the slightly visible, slightly warmer oval-shaped area to the right of the middle, cutting through the field and barn, is from a painting underneath. All in all, there is too little information to attribute the subtle colouring to the painter's intent.  
> **username_1**: Assuming the painting in question is made using acrylics, of course, but it seems to be.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2019-02-19. Score: 0

I can spot some yellow-ish, maybe even some dark green-ish.

If that is the case, it *cannot be **gray-scale***.

Gray-scale means that if you convert the picture to gray-scale, the picture will not be changed.

I think the best would be a combination of **low-saturation** and **sepia**.

It is **not fully low-saturation**, because the snow is *tinted yellow-brown-ish*.

It is **not fully sepia**, because *the tint does not affect the entire picture*.


---

