THE COLOUR GREY

MEANING

Grey represents neutrality and balance.  It is associated with meanings of confidence, stability, calmness, professionalism and sophistication.

Grey can also be associated with dullness, depression and loss.

The greys represent solid strength and longevity, an association stemming from the colour of granite and gravel, stone, slate and rock; of ancient monuments, pillars and temples that have withstood the ravages of time.

HISTORY

Grey is an intermediate colour between black and white. The first recorded use of grey as a colour name in English was in AD 700. In antiquity and the Middle Ages, grey was the colour of undyed wool, and therefore was the colour most commonly worn by peasants and the poor. It was also the colour worn by Cistercian monks and friars of the Franciscan and Capuchin orders as a symbol of their vows of humility and poverty. Franciscan friars in England and Scotland were commonly known as the grey friars, and that name is now attached to many places in Great Britain.

During the Renaissance and the Baroque, grey began to play an important role in fashion and art. Black became the most popular colour of the nobility, particularly in Italy, France, and Spain, and grey and white were harmonious with it.

Grey was also frequently used for the drawing of oil paintings, a technique called ‘grisaille’. The painting would first be composed in grey and white, and then the colours, made with thin transparent glazes, would be added on top. The grisaille beneath would provide the shading, visible through the layers of colour. Sometimes the grisaille was simply left uncovered, giving the appearance of carved stone.

Grey was also a good background colour for gold and for skin tones. It became the most common background for the portraits of Rembrandt Van Rijn and for many of the paintings of El Greco, who used it to highlight the faces and costumes of the central figures.

Grey became a highly fashionable colour in the 18th century, both for women's dresses and for men's waistcoats and coats. The grey business suit appeared in the mid-19th century in London; light grey in summer, dark grey in winter; replacing the more colourful palette of men's clothing early in the century.

In the late 1930s, grey became a symbol of industrialization and war. It was the dominant colour of Pablo Picasso's celebrated painting about the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, Guernica.

Ultimate Grey (Pantone 17-5104) has been chosen as one of Pantone’s Colours of the Year for 2021: “Ultimate Grey is emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation. The colours of pebbles on the beach and natural elements whose weathered appearance highlights an ability to stand the test of time, Ultimate Grey quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure, steadiness and resilience.”

GREY AND BRANDING

Unlike many of the other colours, grey is one of the most neutral shades available. Brands often choose it for its timeless, practical, and unbiased feeling.

Some common associations for grey in branding include: practicality, efficiency, timelessness, classic, serious, mystery.