Need some help with black

[Redfinger]

Need some help with black, New Pics 9/26

Hello,

I am trying to improve my blending skills and I picked up a mini the other day to try the color black. Now I know the problem with highlighting/shading black is that black is not a color, so if not done properly you just end up with a dark grey, or a dark blue, ect...

So this is my first go at black. I painted the leather in Vallejo Black Gray, then gave a thin wash of straight black to bring out the details. Then I started working the highlights with Vallejo Oxford Blue, a nice deep purple, bringing it up to Vallejo Ivory. It still seems like it could have more, and thoughts? I would really appreciate any and all advice! Thanks

Ashton

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[Einion]

Sorry, I've seen this a lot and it's a bit of a personal bug-bear: black is a colour, in the same way that white and grey are.

That aside, trying to visualise this at real size since it's such a big enlargement but the shading looks okay but perhaps a little more attention paid to the sculpting of the mini and the angles the surfaces are at? One definite thing I would suggest is adding just one last highlight across the top line of the bodice area, to give it more definition.

Einion

 

[Redfinger]

Sorry, I've seen this a lot and it's a bit of a personal bug-bear: black is a colour, in the same way that white and grey are.

That aside, trying to visualise this at real size since it's such a big enlargement but the shading looks okay but perhaps a little more attention paid to the sculpting of the mini and the angles the surfaces are at? One definite thing I would suggest is adding just one last highlight across the top line of the bodice area, to give it more definition.

Einion

After 15 years dealing with optics and studying light and it's properties, from a physics stand point, black in not a color....but maybe that is why I am having a hard time with painting it correctly....thanks for the tips though, I think I will add that highlight. The highlights on the legs are still not complete, I was just blacking stuff in at that point, it was mostly the upper part I was concerned with.

Thanks again!

Ashton

 

[RuneBrush]

I've found that the biggest thing with black is that black objects aren't ever truly black. As with all colours we generalise - "oh look a green t-shirt" and "the grass is green" - they're two completely different colours but still classed as green. My black leather shoes are a completely different colour to my black work trousers. My shoes being more reflective have more shine on them so the highlights cover a larger area and have very crisp edge highlights. My trousers are the opposite with very subtle edge highlights and deep shadows.

Your mini looks pretty sound and an extra highlight would push it, especially with the hint of blue & purple in.

 

[MrPickles]

i think the trick to black is to shade with very thin translucent shades of grey all the way up to almost pure white - all edge highlighting usually. if your lines arnt smooth you go back in with straight black afterwards and tighten them up/make it look clean.

 

[kathrynloch]

I have to agree with Runebrush. Not too long ago I finished the article on how to paint black horses. And it all depends on how you define black. A black horse isn't going to look like what's in that paint pot labeled Chaos Black. But that's really neither here nor there. You can also use blue and purple washes to help add a little zing. I also agree with Einon on the following of the sculpt a little more. The bodice looks great! but the pants need to have those folds and creases, bumped just a touch. Great job, with a difficult color...err...shade...ummm...tint...oh the heck with it! lol!

 

[Einion]

After 15 years dealing with optics and studying light and it's properties, from a physics stand point, black in not a color....

Theory v. practice - nothing 'black' is actually black, so we're actually dealing with very dark greys in real terms (even the darkest-valued black paint isn't value 0 in Munsell terms, 0, 0, 0 in RGB, 0 lightness in one of the CIE colourspaces).

Einion

 

[Redfinger]

wow guys! thanks for all the sound advice. I guess I am on the right track working with the purple, I just to continue to perfect my blending skills. I will be posting more picture of this mini in my update thread later today.

Ashton

 

[Dragonsreach]

Okay best advice I can give you is to STOP THINKING ABOUT THE COLOUR, THINK ABOUT THE MATERIAL.
Try and get out of the mindset that it's a colour you are working with. What you are trying to do is make a figure look like she's wearing clothes.
Therefore it's important that you think about material, reflectivity and wear/weathering.
As some rough examples:-
Black Leather/Silk like the corset then Bright Shiney highlights,
Black Soft Velvet Soft smooth Blue tone highlights,
Faded black homespun trousers mix in a soft earthy brown (VAirbrush Hemp,or Kahki Brown )
Well worn,weathered and faded cloak add Bleached bone as the colour to lighten.
For Black boots Mix in a dark brown (VGC Camo Black Brown) and highlight using that.

Reflectivity in clothing is of course dependant on the colours surrounding the material and the material itself, for our purposes Black leather would have the greatest reflectivity (assuming reasonable maintenance) so tiny touches of the nearest surface colour could be carried into the black.
Try to look for real life examples, Black Jeans are one stable of modellers /gamers wardrobes, try and observe the variations at your local gaming store, without getting funny looks of course.

Also try to look for girls wearing leather trousers, but make sure you have a model handy to explain to the nice policeman exactly why you are staring at her bum. :laugh:

 

[noneedforaname]

There are certain :ahem: speciality publications which show young ladies in high gloss leather taken under good lighting that shows it reflective properties quite well. It's a resource material nothing else, honest.

 

[QuietiManes]

Ex-gf caught me doing a little research on female posture and skin tones once. She didn't want to hear about the innocence of my artistic endeavor...she just gave me the look while laughing turning her back to me...didn't talk to me for a spell.

Best to keep some things on the down low. ")

 

[Redfinger]

I have taken the advice outlined in this post and pushed the highlights a little further, I also cleaned up the highlights on the leggings and started on the gloves. I don't think I am going to go much light on the leggings, I want the shading to get brighter as the light moves up the mini.

Please though, offer your criticism on how I can better improve my shading and the overall black color as well.

Ashton

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