Black 4.0 super black acrylic paint by Stuart Semple, 150ml bottle and box
Two classical busts, one in ordinary black acrylic and one in Black 4.0 super black paint, which looks flat
Black 4.0 super black paint, 1 litre bottle
Figure painted in Black 4.0 so it reads as a flat black silhouette
Black 4.0 ultra matte black paint swallowing the light
Black 4.0 super black paint bottles
Black 4.0 super black acrylic paint by Stuart Semple, 150ml bottle and box
Two classical busts, one in ordinary black acrylic and one in Black 4.0 super black paint, which looks flat
Black 4.0 super black paint, 1 litre bottle
Figure painted in Black 4.0 so it reads as a flat black silhouette
Black 4.0 ultra matte black paint swallowing the light
Black 4.0 super black paint bottles

BLACK 4.0 - The blackest black paint in the known universe

BLACK 4.0The blackest black paint in the known universeby Stuart Semple

Paint it on anything and it stops being a thing. The edges go, the surface goes, and what's left looks like a hole in the room.

It brushes on like any acrylic, thins with water and lasts. Made by hand in England by a team of artists.

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*Note: By adding this product to your cart you confirm that you are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor. To the best of your knowledge, information and belief this material will not make it's way into the hands of Anish Kapoor.

Free delivery on orders over £85 to the UK, USA and EU, and over £150 to Canada, Australia and most other countries. Flat rate options also available.

If you are in North America, orders ship straight from our new Kentucky base, otherwise your paints will be sent to you from the UK.

Your materials are handmade by a team of artists in England using the world's best ingredients.

Allow up to two weeks depending on where you are. Need it faster? Grab the fast track option at checkout.

Make a holein the room

A hand holding a rose painted in Black 4.0, so flat it reads as its own shadow
Two David busts on a white shelf: one in ordinary dark paint showing every curl, one in Black 4.0 where the face has gone flat
A chrome apple with one half painted in Black 4.0, the painted half gone completely flat
Figure painted in Black 4.0 so it reads as a flat black silhouette

Paint anything with it and it stops having edges.

Made for everyone*

The blackest material ever made was off limits to every other artist alive when Vantablack was granted sole use in Art to Sir Anish Kapoor. The message was clear: this isn’t for you. You’re not special enough.

Stuart didn’t accept that, and set out to make a super black for everyone else, working through 3 versions over years of experiments.

Black 4.0 is where that got to. Seven years of it, made with the help of thousands of artists, for all artists.

*except Anish Kapoor

Where the light goes

Two balloon dogs side by side, one gloss black, one painted in Black 4.0 that reads as a cut-out

It swallows the light that lands on it, so your eye can't find a surface. A face goes flat. A rose turns into its own shadow. A sculpture becomes a silhouette you can walk round.

Use it to cut negative space into a room, to let a ground fall away behind whatever you paint over it, or to make one object nobody can quite read.

It's a water-based acrylic. It brushes, it airbrushes, and it's archival, so the void stays put.

Things that disappeared

  • Wall panel by @nia_50_art, the lower half painted in Black 4.0 so the edge disappears

    @nia_50_art

  • Artwork made with Black 4.0

    @daviddeclansheahan

  • Archtop guitar body by @tikatooguitars finished in Black 4.0

    @tikatooguitars

  • Trainers painted in Black 4.0 so they lose their shape
  • Artwork made with Black 4.0
  • Game Boy Color shell by @sickgamesco painted in Black 4.0

    @sickgamesco

  • The same @nia_50_art panel from the side, the black edge swallowing the light

    @nia_50_art

  • Artwork made with Black 4.0

    @daviddeclansheahan

It's next level. Vantablack got nothing on this.

@thewonderprojekt

Got to say 4.0 was a dream to paint with, went down so smooth and dried quickly.

@thecatasmodeus

The 4.0 has great coverage and such a smooth consistency.

@brunskiwaa

Getting it flat

  1. Seal anything porous with one part PVA to three parts water. Prime anything shiny.
  2. Use a soft brush and as little paint as you can.
  3. Build thin, even layers and let each one dry before the next.
  4. Paint at room temperature. Thin with water if you need to, or airbrush it.
  5. Show us what disappeared: @culturehustle #sharetheblack

As seen in

  • The Guardian
  • Wired
  • Frieze
  • artnet
  • GQ
  • Vice

Questions

Are there any other paints like this?

No. This was the first, and it's still the only artists' acrylic paint that's non toxic, goes on any surface with a brush and is made corporate free.

Can I put a top coat over it?

No. It's designed to be like flock in a bottle, so anything on top gives it a sheen and you lose the effect. Leave it unsealed and the void stays.

Can I touch it once it's dry?

Yes. Like velvet, it can pick up fingerprints and show scuff marks. It's pretty durable compared to Black 3.0 though, and won't flake or scratch off easily.

What can I paint it on?

Pretty much anything. Seal porous surfaces first with one part PVA to three parts water. Prime anything shiny with Black 2.0 or a matt primer.

How far does it go?

150ml covers about 2 square metres in thin coats.

Which size should I get?

The 150ml covers most canvases and sculptures. Get the litre for big pieces or airbrushing, and the 6 litres for walls and installations.

How long between coats?

At least two hours, overnight is best. Keep the coats thin. If you thin it, use a little water only. Flow additives and mediums add shine.

Can I use it outside or on a car?

Some artists have, but it isn't a permanent outdoor paint. It stays unsealed to keep the effect, so outside it will wear over time. It's easy to touch up, and it's perfect for shows, temporary pieces and experiments.

Share the black.

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