need advice on painting black pants

[uberdark]

ok so i am starting a speed freeks army and am having trouble painting up the black pants. i want my army to look good but am not into spending 15 hours on each mini. what are some tricks to painting black.

can someone please help me.

p.s. the problem for me is that the gray lines just look too plain when i line them in on the raised parts.

 

[DaN]

so do you want them to have Shiny Leather TROUSERS, or something like black denim?

 

[uberdark]

i\'ll be honest dan its whatever is easier.

im not gettin\' too technical until i get to the wartrukks and warbikes.

 

[DaN]

Well then I\'d just go them a dirty charcoal - black undercoat, 50:50 codex & chaos, black wash for shading.

Bish bash bosh, Robert\'s your mother\'s brother.

 

[markstorch]

If the problem is the gray highlighting is too stark after you paint it on, try giving the whole area a thin black wash afterward. That will tone down the gray and help blend the color together.

 

[uberdark]

sounds good man. any other ideas from the peanut gallery.

thanks guys

 

[Ritual]

I always use a mid flesh tone for highlighting black (something I\'ve learnt from historical master painter Danillo Cartacci). I use a base coat of black with a dash of brown mixed into it. Then you can do the shadows with pure black. The flesh tone creates really nice highlights that doesn\'t look sterile (like grey highlights can do). And, it has the perk of letting you know if you take the highlights too far, as the flesh colour will start becoming noticeable.

I find this method really quick, as well. You hardly have to blend the shadows at all, since they\'re so close in tone. And, it\'s really quick to apply a couple of layers of gradually lighter paint on the raised areas. You still want the majority of the surface to be close to black anyway.

 

[uberdark]

anders thanks man thats just what i needed. any ideas on what mid-flesh tone would be good to use. i predominantly have gw paints.

 

[Ritual]

You can use elf flesh or bronzed flesh or something similar.

 

[uberdark]

Originally posted by Ritual
You can use elf flesh or bronzed flesh or something similar.

can you provide me with a photo example that i can go from?

thanks

john

 

[Ritual]

Here\'s a mini by Danillo Cartacci and I assume he\'s used the method I described as that is what he recommends in his book (he works with oils a lot, but that makes little difference when it comes to which colours to use).

You can control the \"blackness\" a bit by varying parameters such as how much brown to add to the black for the base coat, how large you make highlights and so on.

 

[uberdark]

so if the skin tone is used i am assuming you are mixing some black into the skin tone.....or are you just adding very thinned out paint?

sorry for all the wuestions.

 

[Ritual]

You add it gradually to the base coat (i.e. the brown + black mix). So, if you\'re using layering, each layer gets a bit more flesh colour mixed into the base coat.

 

[uberdark]

Originally posted by Ritual
You add it gradually to the base coat (i.e. the brown + black mix). So, if you\'re using layering, each layer gets a bit more flesh colour mixed into the base coat.

right then..... i appreciate all your help.

 

[Ritual]

You\'re welcome, John! I hope it helps you! I really like the look of this method, at least.

 

[demonherald]

I use flesh colours when I\'m wanting black for materials etc....same as Anders just described and it is a lot more controllable than trying greys etc...Graveyard earth is also pretty good in the mix especially at the base of the trousers to lend a bit of dirty dustiness to it....

as for a flesh tone mix up your own batch of 50/50 dwarf and elf flesh.. works a treat.

 

[uberdark]

just got my first test piece done....

the paint job is awesome and quickly done.

i used bronzed flesh then black ink to help pull the shade out. the pants look great.....

thanks a lot anders..... now i have a quick way to paint pants so i can get my army out on the table. im so wanting to paint right now i almost dont want to go to sleep.

black pants 0
uberdark 1

muwahahahahahaaha....

night all.

 

[Ritual]

Originally posted by uberdark
the paint job is awesome

I think you need to back this rather bold statement up with some solid evidence! :]

I\'m glad I could help!

 

[uberdark]

Originally posted by Ritual

Originally posted by uberdark
the paint job is awesome

I think you need to back this rather bold statement up with some solid evidence! :]

I\'m glad I could help!

once i get my new camera i would be glad to. thats why i havent put anything up in the past few months. i plan on putting up around 4-5 things in the next month.

as for the awesomeness factor, its not perfect but definitely better than tabletop and thats all i was looking for. when i get to the warbikes, then i will start getting more detailed.

later on man.

 

[painterboyroy]

Out of curiosity I bought the Andrea Miniatures Black Paint set, (being an illustrator I buy all sorts of paints for experiment) and they work just fine, nice darkish mid grey for the base coat then the shadow blacks are nice warm very (brown) dark greys nearly to black and the highlight blacks are cool dark (blue) greys. worked a treat..
but Ritual\'s way is much better...