Help with Painting Black

[panzerkaput 33941xp 0]

Good Morning Chaps and Chapettes

We all sometimes have that bugbear colour that we cannot paint, or rather we find either different to do or are unsatisfied with the end results and my colour for the moment is black.

I paint using the  Triad system beloved by Kevin Dalimore and Sean Dean, using Vallejo Model Colour paints in the main. I do use others, mainly Game Colour from Vallejo, but mainly use Vallejo as I personally like the way the paint moves.

So at the moment I paint black using VMC Black Grey as the base colour, Dark Blue Grey for the midtone and Neutral Grey for the highlights and they all good but to my eyes a little too grey. I then add a black wash over it to bring it down again and darken it. I have tried it from a pure black base, nut to me looks too black then and I am thinking of swapping the Black Grey for German Grey and seeing if that produces better results.

In the pass I have used black as the base and used flesh added to the black at one part flesh to 3 parts black for the midtones and then a 50/50 mix for the highland, which uses a nice, less grey look but not quite black. The other method I have used is a black base, then a dark blue midtone and follows by a mid grey highlight. The results look good but a little unnatural and forces.

So my question really is how to you paint black?

[warhammergrimace 13765xp 3]

I use a dark grey and then give it a wash in nuln oil or a similar wash. Black is rarely black looking because of light hitting it so I never paint with black paint.

[panzerkaput 33941xp 0]

Thanks there and yes that I guess is why to my eye it is sometimes wrong.

 

[khusrauParticipant 1169xp 0]

I’m the same. Paint Vallejo German Grey and wash with Nuln oil. I’ve tried lots of methods but that’s my go to. The other one is highlight with a mix of dark prussian blue and German grey, then Nuln oil.

[khiasharisseParticipant 294xp 0]

German grey is my go to for painting black as well, washed with Army Painter dark tone before highlighting back up with the base again.

[scribbs 14508xp 2]

Similar to the posts above, for 28mm I pick a dark colour and stick on a heavy black wash. Base colour varies though. A dark grey (I typically use Vallejo London Grey) is good, but I also like Vallejo Dark Sea Blue and Vallejo German Camouflage Black Brown.

For smaller scales I tend to use a matt black base coat and just highlight with dark sea blue.

[panzerkaput 33941xp 0]

Thanks there and maybe I am over thinking it

 

[lobstermooch 2096xp 2]

Personally I start with a black base, then highlight with greys starting at almost black up until very light. (Amount of grey layers depends on how much time and detail I’m willing to put in).

Then add black glaze (I mix vallejo black with lahmian medium).

Make sure glaze isn’t too strong as its best to add several light glazes.

This will help fade the greys to black but keep the highlights.

[crazyredcoatParticipant 13642xp 1]

Usually, I go from a dark grey (Corvus Black from Citadel, though Necromancer Cloak from Army Painter is the similar option I know of), but you can go from a pure black and actually recess shade with a dark brown. That will always give the appearance of being a little worn and weathered, though, so if you’re wanting a clean black then I’d go from the charcoal grey-like colours.

[panzerkaput 33941xp 0]

Thats a good idea and will try it @lobstermooch

 

 

[panzerkaput 33941xp 1]

Wow I do like that idea @crazyredcoat and will try that.

[danlee 22437xp 1]

My go-to black recipe is to paint with Corvus Black (its actually a very dark grey), highlight with Mechanicus Standard Grey, then wash everything with Nuln Oil to make the highlights darker again.

[panzerkaput 33941xp 0]

Thanks there and it seems to be a popular way of painting black

 

[crazyredcoatParticipant 13642xp 1]

I’m not sure what paint range you use, but the usual colour in Citadel is Rhinox Hide, so something that matches that colour should work. You’ll want to thin with medium, but I’d recommend getting the consistency closer to, say Contrast, than to a typical wash/shade paint.

[panzerkaput 33941xp 1]

I use Vallejo but I am sure I can find a colour close to Rhinox Hide

 

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