Brown Black Pudding vs Pastel Grey: Grimdark Base Colors
By SCALE75 - HOBBIES & GAMES – SCALE75 - Hobbies & Games | Published: 2026-10-30
Category: Comparisons
Compare Scale75's Brown Black Pudding and Pastel Grey as base colors for grimdark miniatures. Learn which muted tone fits your painting style and project.
Quick Answer
Choose Brown Black Pudding for deep shadows and warm muted bases; choose Pastel Grey for desaturated highlights and cool contrast. Both work as grimdark base colors, but they serve opposite ends of the value scale.
Warm vs Cool Undertones
Brown Black Pudding leans warm with its dark brown-black hue, making it ideal for earthy, grimy bases and shadowed recesses. Pastel Grey is a soft neutral grey with a cool cast, perfect for muted highlights and desaturated armor panels.
In grimdark painting, undertone direction matters: warm shadows read as organic and decayed, while cool greys suggest cold metal and bleak atmosphere. Choose based on the mood you want to set.
Value Range and Contrast
Brown Black Pudding sits at the dark end of the value scale, providing deep contrast when paired with lighter tones. Pastel Grey is a mid-to-light tone that lifts details and creates subtle transitions without going bright.
If you're building a high-contrast grimdark scheme, start with Brown Black Pudding and layer up. For a flatter, more muted look, Pastel Grey as a base gives you room to shade down with darker washes.
Trade-Offs at a Glance
- Brown Black Pudding: Warm Depth: Use for base coating dark areas, recess shading, and creating earthy, grimy transitions. It adds warmth and richness but can darken a model too much if overused. Pair with a mid-tone like a muted brown or grey to keep contrast visible.
- Pastel Grey: Cool Muted Base: Use as a base for armor panels or cloth to establish a desaturated, bleak tone. It lifts details but may look flat without stronger shadows. Add a dark wash or Brown Black Pudding in recesses to increase depth.
- Combining Both: Use Brown Black Pudding for shadows and Pastel Grey for highlights to create a full value range with muted, grimdark harmony. Test on a spare mini to balance warm and cool tones.
Product Facts
- BROWN BLACK PUDDING: Brown Black Pudding is a dark brown-black shade ideal for adding depth, shadows, and subtle transitions. This makes it a strong choice for base coating dark areas or creating warm, grimy shadows in grimdark schemes.
BROWN BLACK PUDDING - PASTEL GREY: Pastel Grey is a soft neutral grey tone from the Scale75 individual paints range. Its muted neutrality works well for desaturated base coats and smooth highlights on armor or cloth.
PASTEL GREY
Which One Fits Your Project?
Best for
- Grimdark armies needing warm, earthy shadows and deep contrast
- Painters who want a desaturated, cool base for muted armor or cloth
Not for
- Bright, high-fantasy schemes where saturated colors are needed
- Projects requiring pure black or pure grey without warm or cool undertones
