Bistre
A dark brown pigment and colour made from soot, once used in Old Master drawings
Bistre is a dark, greyish brown pigment made by burning beechwood to collect soot, which is then boiled and diluted. Artists, especially Old Masters, used bistre ink for wash drawings. The name also refers to several shades of brown that resemble the original pigment, with the first English record in 1727.
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- Made from soot produced by burning beechwood
- Used as ink by Old Masters for wash drawings
- First recorded as a colour name in English in 1727
- Also called soot brown
- French and Spanish bistre are recognised colour variations
What colour is Bistre?
Bistre is a dark, greyish brown pigment with a yellowish tint. It is made from soot, usually collected by burning beechwood. The colour can range from very dark brown to medium brownish tones, and is often described as having a smoky or muted appearance. Bistre stands out from other browns by its subtle grey and yellow undertones, making it distinct from warmer or redder browns.
Where does Bistre come from?
The name bistre comes from the pigment made by burning beechwood and collecting the soot. This soot was then boiled and diluted with water to make ink. The term has been used since at least 1727 in English to describe both the pigment and similar brown shades. Bistre has also been known as 'soot brown,' reflecting its origins.
How is Bistre made?
To make bistre, beechwood is burned to produce soot. The soot is then collected, boiled, and diluted with water to create a usable ink or pigment. This process results in a brown colour with grey and yellowish tones. The pigment is organic, as it is derived from plant material rather than minerals or synthetic sources.
Where Bistre is used
Bistre was widely used by Old Masters for wash drawings, where ink is applied in diluted layers to create shading and depth. The pigment's smoky brown tone made it popular for sketches and preparatory studies. Today, the term bistre is also used for colours in art and design that resemble the original pigment.
Brown around the world
What the brown family means from country to country.
Brown is the colour of Nazism in German political speech, after the brown shirts of the party's stormtroopers. To call a view "brown" is to call it far right.
Politics and protestDanger and warningShameSource: SturmabteilungMasi is bark cloth beaten from paper mulberry and printed in brown and black. It is worn at weddings and funerals and given in ceremonial exchanges.
Sacred and holyWeddings and marriageSource: Tapa clothKuntunkuni is a dark brown mourning cloth of the Asante, dyed with tree bark. Adinkra cloth, stamped with symbols, was first made on such dark grounds for funerals.
Mourning and deathSadnessSource: Adinkra symbolsThe batik of the Javanese courts at Yogyakarta and Surakarta is dyed in soga brown with indigo and cream. Some court patterns were once reserved for the royal family.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: BatikBogolanfini, or mud cloth, is cotton painted with fermented river mud in browns, black and white. Hunters wear it for protection, and women after childbirth.
Protection and healingSacred and holySource: BògòlanfiniShades and relatives of Bistre
There are several variations of bistre, including bistre brown, French bistre, and Spanish bistre. Bistre brown is a medium brownish tone, matching the ink used by Old Masters and sharing its colour coordinates with drab, sand dune, and mode beige. French bistre and Spanish bistre are recognised in popular colour lists in France and the Spanish-speaking world.
Colours that go with Bistre
Harmonies are worked out from the value #3D2B1F. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Bistre
What colour is bistre?
Bistre is a dark, greyish brown with a yellowish cast. It can range from very dark to medium brown tones.
Where does the name bistre come from?
The name comes from the pigment made by burning beechwood to collect soot, which is then processed into ink.
How was bistre made?
Beechwood was burned to produce soot, which was then boiled and diluted with water to make the pigment.
What was bistre used for?
Artists, especially Old Masters, used bistre ink for wash drawings and sketches.
Are there different shades of bistre?
Yes, variations include bistre brown, French bistre, and Spanish bistre, each with slightly different tones.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Bistre", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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