diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index d624380..ce17a37 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   "configurations": [
     {
       "name": "Basic examples",
-      "type": "python",
+      "type": "debugpy",
       "request": "launch",
       "program": "examples/basic_example.py",
       "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     },
     {
       "name": "Complete example set",
-      "type": "python",
+      "type": "debugpy",
       "request": "launch",
       "program": "examples/complete_example.py",
       "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@
       "justMyCode": true
     },
     {
-      "name": "Run Tinta tests",
-      "type": "python",
+      "name": "Run Tinta tests (workspace python)",
+      "type": "debugpy",
       "request": "launch",
       "console": "integratedTerminal",
       "module": "pytest",
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@
         "_PYTEST_RAISE": "1"
       },
       "args": ["-xv"]
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "Run Tinta tests (all versions)",
+      "type": "debugpy",
+      "preLaunchTask": "Run All Pytest Versions",
+      "request": "launch"
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/examples/basic_example.py b/examples/basic_example.py
index b7c7d07..f89b09b 100644
--- a/examples/basic_example.py
+++ b/examples/basic_example.py
@@ -29,119 +29,140 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 sys.path.append(str(Path().cwd().parent / "tinta"))
-# pylint: disable=wrong-import-position, wrong-import-order, import-error
-from tinta import Tinta  # noqa: E402
-
-# End import shim
-
-Tinta.load_colors("examples/colors.ini")
-
-# The most basic example we can get.
-Tinta("That's a really nice car!").print()
-
-# Prints the entire string in red.
-Tinta().red("That's a really nice red car!").print()
-
-# Prints the first half in blue, then the rest in red.
-Tinta().blue("That's a cool blue car").red("but not as cool as my red one").print()
-
-# Prints the first few words in green, separated by _*_,
-# then the final word in purple.
-Tinta().green(
-    "Sometimes", "We", "Want", "To", "Join", "Words", "Differently", sep=" * "
-).purple("Neat!").print()
-
-# Here we underline a word.
-Tinta().gray("It's").underline("really").normal(
-    "important to be able to style things."
-).print()
-
-# Here we tried to print in pink, but used the plaintext arg in print.
-# You'll notice we still support Python's multiline \ feature.
-Tinta().pink(
-    "But it's equally important to be able " "to print things in plaintext, too"
-).print(plaintext=True)
-
-# Let's try some f-strings.
-animal = "Tiger"
-Tinta().orange(f"Hey, we support f-strings, too! Raaarrr, said Ms. {animal}.")
-
-# And dimming some text.
-Tinta().blue("We can").dim("dim").normal("things").print()
-
-# Things getting out of hand? You can break them up easily in multiple
-# lines, without having to fiddle with \.
-tint = Tinta()
-tint.push("Sometimes we need to")
-tint.pink("break up long lines of text")
-tint.gray("to make them easier to read.")
-tint.line("We can even write to a new line!")
-tint.print()
-
-# You could do the same using multiple segments, or ()
-Tinta().vanilla(
-    "I like ice cream", "it comes in all sorts" "of great and yummy flavors."
-).print()
-
-(Tinta().vanilla("I like ice cream").red("especially with cherries on top.").print())
-
-# When you're done printing, Tinta resets itself, but you can still
-# reuse the original variable.
-tint.push("After a print, Tinta resets itself").green()
-tint.line("but you can still use the same initialized version.")
-tint.print()
-
-# Using native print()'s built-in end, we can terminate a string
-# without a newline.
-Tinta("And of course as always,").print(end="")
-Tinta(" you can print with end=''").print()
-
-# Not enough colors in config.yaml? Add your own on the fly!
-Tinta(
-    "Did you know, you can", "write with ansi codes directly, too?", color=127
-).print()
-
-# Have some fun with separators.
-Tinta("A bird", "I like birds", sep="; ").push(
-    "And also cats", "and dogs", sep=" "
-).print(sep="\n")
-
-# You could get really fancy and inject some formatted text in the middle,
-# using f-strings.
-(
-    Tinta()
-    .mint("Fate.")
-    .dark_gray("It protects")
-    .underline()
-    .blue(f"fools{Tinta().normal().dark_gray(',').to_str()}", sep="")
-    .normal()
-    .pink("little children,")
-    .dark_gray("and ships named")
-    .purple("Enterprise.")
-    .print()
-)
-
-# Tinta is also smart about how we join things together. If you join
-# several objects together, it collapses repeated whitespace. You
-# can also use 'sep' to force sections to collapse.
-t = (
-    Tinta()
-    .pink("A section")
-    .push()
-    .white()
-    .blue("of text", sep="")
-    .green(",")
-    .push()
-    .purple("separated.")
-)
-t.print()
-
-# And finally, you can use some helper tools to clear the current
-# console and move up a line.
-Tinta().yellow("Loading...").print()
-time.sleep(1)
-Tinta.clearline()
-Tinta().green("Done").print()
-time.sleep(1)
-Tinta.up()
-Tinta().green("Done :)").print()
+
+
+def basic():
+    # pylint: disable=wrong-import-position, wrong-import-order, import-error
+    from tinta import Tinta  # noqa: E402
+
+    # End import shim
+
+    Tinta.load_colors("examples/colors.ini")
+
+    # The most basic example we can get.
+    Tinta("That's a really nice car!").print()
+
+    # Prints the entire string in red.
+    Tinta().red("That's a really nice red car!").print()
+
+    # Prints the first half in blue, then the rest in red.
+    Tinta().blue("That's a cool blue car").red("but not as cool as my red one").print()
+
+    # Prints the first few words in green, separated by _*_,
+    # then the final word in purple.
+    Tinta().green(
+        "Sometimes", "We", "Want", "To", "Join", "Words", "Differently", sep=" * "
+    ).purple("Neat!").print()
+
+    # Here we underline a word.
+    Tinta().gray("It's").underline("really").normal(
+        "important to be able to style things."
+    ).print()
+
+    # Here we tried to print in pink, but used the plaintext arg in print.
+    # You'll notice we still support Python's multiline \ feature.
+    Tinta().pink(
+        "But it's equally important to be able " "to print things in plaintext, too"
+    ).print(plaintext=True)
+
+    # Let's try some f-strings.
+    animal = "Tiger"
+    Tinta().orange(f"Hey, we support f-strings, too! Raaarrr, said Ms. {animal}.")
+
+    # And dimming some text.
+    Tinta().blue("We can").dim("dim").normal("things").print()
+
+    # Things getting out of hand? You can break them up easily in multiple
+    # lines, without having to fiddle with \.
+    tint = Tinta()
+    tint.push("Sometimes we need to")
+    tint.pink("break up long lines of text")
+    tint.gray("to make them easier to read.")
+    tint.nl("We can even write to a new line!")
+    tint.print()
+
+    # You could do the same using multiple segments, or ()
+    Tinta().vanilla(
+        "I like ice cream", "it comes in all sorts" "of great and yummy flavors."
+    ).print()
+
+    (
+        Tinta()
+        .vanilla("I like ice cream")
+        .red("especially with cherries on top.")
+        .print()
+    )
+
+    # When you're done printing, Tinta resets itself, but you can still
+    # reuse the original variable.
+    tint.push("After a print, Tinta resets itself").green()
+    tint.nl("but you can still use the same initialized version.")
+    tint.print()
+
+    # Using native print()'s built-in end, we can terminate a string
+    # without a newline.
+    Tinta("And of course as always,").print(end="")
+    Tinta(" you can print with end=''").print()
+
+    # Not enough colors in config.yaml? Add your own on the fly!
+    Tinta(
+        "Did you know, you can", "write with ansi codes directly, too?", color=127
+    ).print()
+
+    # Get the string representation of the Tinta object with to_str().
+    Tinta("Sometimes you just want to get the string").to_str()
+    Tinta().purple("Which").pink("is").green("pretty").blue("cool").to_str()
+    Tinta().vanilla("If you need it in plaintext, you can do that, too.").to_str(
+        plaintext=True
+    )
+    t = Tinta().mint("⭐like this⭐")
+    print(f"You can also use a Tinta object in an f-string directly, {t}")
+
+    # Have some fun with separators.
+    Tinta("A bird", "I like birds", sep="; ").push(
+        "And also cats", "and dogs", sep=" "
+    ).print(sep="\n")
+
+    # You could get really fancy and inject some formatted text in the middle,
+    # using f-strings.
+    (
+        Tinta()
+        .mint("Fate.")
+        .dark_gray("It protects")
+        .underline()
+        .blue(f"fools{Tinta().normal().dark_gray(',').to_str()}", sep="")
+        .normal()
+        .pink("little children,")
+        .dark_gray("and ships named")
+        .purple("Enterprise.")
+        .print()
+    )
+
+    # Tinta is also smart about how we join things together. If you join
+    # several objects together, it collapses repeated whitespace. You
+    # can also use 'sep' to force sections to collapse.
+    t = (
+        Tinta()
+        .pink("A section")
+        .push()
+        .white()
+        .blue("of text", sep="")
+        .green(",")
+        .push()
+        .purple("separated.")
+    )
+    t.print()
+
+    # And finally, you can use some helper tools to clear the current
+    # console and move up a line.
+    Tinta().yellow("Loading...").print()
+    time.sleep(1)
+    Tinta.clearline()
+    Tinta().green("Done").print()
+    time.sleep(1)
+    Tinta.up()
+    Tinta().green("Done :)").print()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    basic()
diff --git a/examples/complete_example.py b/examples/complete_example.py
index 1a9b38f..a7a7ec7 100644
--- a/examples/complete_example.py
+++ b/examples/complete_example.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 """
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Iterable, List
 
 sys.path.append(str(Path().cwd().parent / "tinta"))
 # pylint: disable=wrong-import-position, wrong-import-order, import-error
@@ -33,85 +34,140 @@
 
 # End import shim
 
-Tinta.load_colors("examples/colors.ini")
-
-# from colors.ini:
-
-# [colors]
-# green = 35
-# red = 1
-# blue = 32
-# light_blue = 37
-# yellow = 214
-# amber = 208
-# olive = 106
-# orange = 166
-# purple = 18
-# pink = 197
-# gray = 243
-# dark_gray = 235
-# light_gray = 248
-# black = 0
-# white = 255
-# error = 1
-# debug = 160
-
-# get names of colors from colors.ini
-colors = []
-with open("examples/colors.ini", "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-    colors = [line.split("=")[0].strip() for line in f.readlines() if "=" in line]
-
-w = 26
-GAP = "\n\n"
-
-method = 'Tinta().print("plain")'.ljust(w)
-Tinta(method, " → plain").print(end=GAP)
-
-for col in colors:
-    viz = f" → {col}"
-    method = f'Tinta().tint("{col}")'.ljust(w)
-    Tinta().tint(col, method, viz).print()
 
+def header(s):
+    print("\n\n" + s.center(80, "-") + "\n")
+
+
+def sort_colors(colors: Iterable[str]) -> List[str]:
+    return list(
+        sorted(
+            colors,
+            key=lambda x: (
+                "gre" if "gray" in x or "grey" in x else x.split("_")[-1].lower()
+            ),
+        )
+    )
+
+
+def complete():
+
+    _orig_colors_ini = Tinta.colors._colors_ini_path
+
+    Tinta.load_colors("examples/colors.ini")
+
+    # from colors.ini:
+
+    # [colors]
+    # green = 35
+    # red = 1
+    # blue = 32
+    # light_blue = 37
+    # yellow = 214
+    # amber = 208
+    # olive = 106
+    # orange = 166
+    # purple = 18
+    # pink = 197
+    # gray = 243
+    # dark_gray = 235
+    # light_gray = 248
+    # black = 0
+    # white = 255
+    # error = 1
+    # debug = 160
+
+    # get names of colors from colors.ini
+    colors = []
+    with open("examples/colors.ini", "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        colors = [line.split("=")[0].strip() for line in f.readlines() if "=" in line]
+
+    for color in colors.copy():
+        if "gray" in color:
+            # insert grey aliases
+            colors.append(color.replace("gray", "grey"))
+
+    colors = sort_colors(colors)
+
+    w = 28
+    header("Color methods")
+    GAP = "\n\n"
+
+    method = 'Tinta().print("plain")'.ljust(w)
+    Tinta(method, " → plain").print(end=GAP)
+
+    for col in colors:
+        viz = f" → {col}"
+        method = f'Tinta().tint("{col}")'.ljust(w)
+        Tinta().tint(col, method, viz).print()
+
+        t = Tinta()
+        func = getattr(t, col)
+        method = f't.{col}("{col}")'.ljust(w)
+        func(method, viz).print(end=GAP)
+
+    w = 32
+
+    header("Style methods")
+
+    method = 'Tinta().bold("bold")'.ljust(w)
+    Tinta(method, " →").bold("bold").print()
+
+    method = 'Tinta().underline("underline")'.ljust(w)
+    Tinta(method, " →").underline("underline").print()
+
+    method = 'Tinta()._("underline")'.ljust(w)
+    Tinta(method, " →")._("underline").print()
+
+    # dim
+    method = 'Tinta().dim("dim")'.ljust(w)
+    Tinta(method).dim(" → dim").print(end=GAP)
+
+    header("Chaining methods (builder pattern)")
+
+    # chain methods
+    t = Tinta()
+    for i, col in enumerate(colors):
+        t.tint(col, col, sep="\n" if i % 2 != 0 else " ")
+    t.print(end=GAP)
+
+    header("Mixed formatting")
+
+    # complex formatting
+    t = Tinta()
+    t.vanilla("vanilla").bold("bold", sep="\n")
+    t.clear()
+    t.mint("mint").underline("underline", sep="\n")
+    t.clear()
+    t.olive("olive").dim("dim", sep="\n")
+
+    t.print(end=GAP)
+
+    header("Clearing the console")
+
+    # clear
     t = Tinta()
-    func = getattr(t, col)
-    method = f't.{col}("{col}")'.ljust(w)
-    func(method, viz).print(end=GAP)
-
-w = 30
-
-method = 'Tinta().bold("bold")'.ljust(w)
-Tinta(method, " →").bold("bold").print()
-
-method = 'Tinta().underline("underline")'.ljust(w)
-Tinta(method, " →").underline("underline").print()
-
-# dim
-method = 'Tinta().dim("dim")'.ljust(w)
-Tinta(method).dim(" → dim").print(end=GAP)
-
-# chain methods
-t = Tinta()
-for i, col in enumerate(colors):
-    t.tint(col, col, sep="\n" if i % 2 != 0 else " ")
-t.print(end=GAP)
-
-# complex formatting
-t = Tinta()
-t.vanilla("vanilla").bold("bold", sep="\n")
-t.clear()
-t.mint("mint").underline("underline", sep="\n")
-t.clear()
-t.olive("olive").dim("dim", sep="\n")
-
-t.print(end=GAP)
-
-# clear
-t = Tinta()
-t.vanilla("vanilla").bold("bold", sep="\n")
-t.clear("plain text", sep="\n")
-t.mint("mint").underline("underline", sep="\n")
-t.olive("olive inherits underline", sep="\n").dim("dim inherits both", sep="\n")
-t.clear("clear clears all", sep="\n")
-t.amber("so we can start fresh")
-
-t.print(end=GAP)
+    t.vanilla("vanilla").bold("bold", sep="\n")
+    t.clear("plain text", sep="\n")
+    t.mint("mint").underline("underline", sep="\n")
+    t.olive("olive inherits underline", sep="\n").dim("dim inherits both", sep="\n")
+    t.clear("clear clears all", sep="\n")
+    t.amber("so we can start fresh")
+
+    t.print()
+
+    header("Tint via color codes")
+
+    def print_columns(cols, *, width=4, indent=0):
+        print("".ljust(width + 1) * indent, end="")
+        for i in range(256):
+            end = "\n" if i % cols == cols - indent - 1 else " "
+            Tinta().tint(f"{str(i).ljust(width)}", color=i).print(end=end)
+
+    print_columns(12, indent=8)
+
+    Tinta.colors._colors_ini_path = _orig_colors_ini
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    complete()
diff --git a/tests/launch.json b/tests/launch.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 4c49321..0000000
--- a/tests/launch.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-{
-    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
-    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
-    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
-    "version": "0.2.0",
-    "configurations": [
-        {
-            "name": "Python: Module",
-            "type": "python",
-            "request": "launch",
-            "console": "externalTerminal",
-            "module": "pytest",
-            "env": {
-                "_PYTEST_RAISE": "1"
-            },
-            "args": [
-                "-xv"
-            ]
-        }
-    ]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_tinta.py b/tests/test_tinta.py
index e06cd26..d4e2b13 100644
--- a/tests/test_tinta.py
+++ b/tests/test_tinta.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 
 import re
-from typing import Any, Callable, List, Tuple
+from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Tuple
 
 import pytest
 from pytest import CaptureFixture
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class TestChaining:
     def test_chaining_resets_correctly(
         self,
         Testa: Callable,
-        kwargs: dict[str, Any],
+        kwargs: Dict[str, Any],
         expected: str,
         capfd: CaptureFixture[str],
     ):
@@ -217,10 +217,28 @@ def test_print_empty_str(self):
     def test_print_none(self):
         Tinta(None).print()
 
+    def test_empty_color_call(self):
+        t = Tinta("Plain").green()
+        t.push("Green")
+        t.print()
+
     def test_tint_color_0(self):
         Tinta().tint(0, "Zero").print()
 
 
+class TestExamples:
+
+    def test_basic_example(self):
+        from examples.basic_example import basic
+
+        basic()
+
+    def test_complete_example(self):
+        from examples.complete_example import complete
+
+        complete()
+
+
 class TestWhiteSpace:
 
     def test_print_whitespace(self):
diff --git a/tinta/ansi.py b/tinta/ansi.py
index 54e5732..7320f9d 100644
--- a/tinta/ansi.py
+++ b/tinta/ansi.py
@@ -23,6 +23,17 @@
 config = configparser.ConfigParser()
 
 
+def _alias_key(colors: "AnsiColors", k: str, search: str, repl: str):
+    """Sets up an alias key for a color."""
+    if k not in config["colors"] and k not in colors.__dict__:
+        raise MissingColorError(f"Color '{k}' not found in colors.ini.")
+    if search.lower() in k.lower():
+        alias_key = k.replace(search.lower(), repl.lower())
+        if alias_key not in config["colors"] and alias_key not in colors.__dict__:
+            colors.__setattr__(alias_key, int(config["colors"][k]))
+            config["colors"][alias_key] = config["colors"][k]
+
+
 class AnsiColors:
     """Color builder for Tinta's console output.
 
@@ -64,6 +75,11 @@ def __init__(self, path: Optional[Union[str, Path]] = None):
         for k, v in config["colors"].items():
             self.__setattr__(k, int(v))
 
+            _alias_key(self, k, "gray", "grey")
+            _alias_key(self, k, "grey", "gray")
+
+        self._colors_ini_path = path
+
     def get(self, color: str) -> int:
         """Returns the ANSI code for a color.
 
diff --git a/tinta/tinta.py b/tinta/tinta.py
index 9267a81..83c5e04 100644
--- a/tinta/tinta.py
+++ b/tinta/tinta.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 import sys
 from itertools import zip_longest
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Any, cast, List, Optional, overload, Union
+from typing import Any, cast, Dict, List, Optional, overload, Union
 
 from deprecated import deprecated
 
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class Tinta(metaclass=_MetaTinta):
     """
 
     _initialized = False
-    _known_colors: dict[str, Any] = {}
+    _known_colors: Dict[str, Any] = {}
     color: Union[int, str]
     colors: AnsiColors
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def __init__(
             Tinta._known_colors = vars(self.colors)
             Tinta._initialized = True
         for c in Tinta._known_colors:
-            self.__setattr__(c, functools.partial(self.tint, c))
+            self.__setattr__(c, functools.partial(self.tint, color=c))
 
         if s:
             self.push(*s, sep=sep)