Painting Black

[SteveArch]

I've got some Copplestone "Men in Black" to paint.

http://www.copplestonecastings.co.uk/images/fw24col.jpg

I've never been happy with painting black, any suggestions and tips? I use Vallejo and GW paints.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Dragonsreach]

Vallejo Black Grey, highlighted very small amounts and washed several times with highly diluted Vallejo Black Glaze.

 

[Einion]

Honestly painting black isn't that hard to paint well, the main thing to keep an eye on is that there's enough black left after you're done with the highlighting so whatever it is still reads as black (and not grey, with black shadows).

Beyond that it's an open field, how light you go on the final highlights and any particular colour direction you go (e.g. neutral, brownish, blueish). I though there was a recentish thread on this that I could point you to but no luck finding it I'm afraid.

I've never been happy with painting black, any suggestions and tips?

Any specific issues with the outcomes or do you just find it tricky or time-consuming to do?

Einion

 

[SteveArch]

I seem to either end up with a figure that just looks black, or the highlights make it look grey. The Black Glaze is a good call, I'll try tat

 

[RuneBrush]

Some people say to use a dark teal colour in the highlight mix so that it takes the grey colour off (P3 coal black/GW incubus darkness).

 

[Einion]

Some people say to use a dark teal colour in the highlight mix so that it takes the grey colour off (P3 coal black/GW incubus darkness).

I wonder what they mean by "takes the grey colour off"? Highlights on black are grey normally, although when painting something black you can take them in any hue direction you fancy.

Einion

 

[secretpaintgeek]

Some people say to use a dark teal colour in the highlight mix so that it takes the grey colour off (P3 coal black/GW incubus darkness).

I have to say I have heard this mentioned before, not sure how true it is but I can see how it would work. Black Glaze at the end will def help though

 

[RuneBrush]

I wonder what they mean by "takes the grey colour off"? Highlights on black are grey normally, although when painting something black you can take them in any hue direction you fancy.

Einion

I read somewhere (and I have no idea where) that grey highlights shouldn't be pure grey - it might have been going back to the days where greys and whites were as chalky as anything

 

[Einion]

Well whether to do the highlights on black in neutral greys (same deal with the shadows on white) is obviously a purely personal choice; they are inherently the most boring choice which is perhaps most relevant with fantasy subjects but still there's really no "shouldn't" when it comes to colour except in specific circumstances, like trying to match something and not hitting the target.

Einion

 

[Elric2k]

Andrea black paint set, all your woes will be behind you

 

[Avelorn]

I generally use a bit of colour in the highlights and shadows and most often complementary. Not seldom something akin to citadel rotting flesh (pale green-yellow) for highlights and a bit of glazes of red in the shadows.

This is to give it a bit of life and is an exaggeration of seemingly complementary nature of the colour of light and the colour of the shadows that is an optical illusion. Of course there can be real colour to the shadows as well. Bluish from the sky that goes well with yellowish light from the sun.

It is also easier to blend then something that is truly monochromatic.

 

[Einion]

Posted this before, if you want to go with complementary highlights and shadows here's a quick reference guide to correct hue oppositions:

Sven, as you can see red : cyan, green-yellow : violet-blue.

Einion

 

[Avelorn]

Yes, that is true. I should have used more of a violet blue in the shadows with rotting flesh. Some old habits die hard. Good reminder, thanks.