Why Blackline?

[Gin1906]

Ok, I have a question relating to a comment I received on a mini, Part of the comment is.....

This model would benefit most from deeper shading and blacklining around the armour & skin.

ok so my question, why blackline, personally I can\'t stand the cartoony look when the mini is black lined, I try to go for a realistic look to my minis, as you would see them in life,,, and when I look in the mirror I don\'t see dark black lines seperating my skin from my cloths and such.
on the same note, the same comment stated that I needed deeper shading, well how do you know when your shading is deep enough or your highlights are high enough?
The mini in question is #57677 I do not know how to link it sorry.

I would appreciate any help or answers, I would love to become a better painter, and it kinda makes me sad when a mini that I spent the better part of two full days working on is a 5.6
:~(???:~(

Thanks again
Gin

 

[Dr. Bob]

Painting is illusion.

Blacklining helps to separate parts of the figure visually. Think of it as a kind of special shading.

If you paint a mini \"realistically\" there would be no highlighting or shading at all, right? Obviously, on a one inch mini, that doesn\'t look too good.

Of course, you can paint your mini any way you like, but for the record, I agree with the commenter - you mini would look better (and probably score better) with more shading.

 

[Taer]

Yeah, plus if you black line you won;t get those cocky SOB\'s who think they are better than you saying you need to blackline anymore!

:flip::bouncy:

 

[AAvH-Darkblade]

Blacklining is an important technique.

Originally posted by Dr. Bob
Painting is illusion.

Blacklining helps to separate parts of the figure visually. Think of it as a kind of special shading.

If you paint a mini \"realistically\" there would be no highlighting or shading at all, right? Obviously, on a one inch mini, that doesn\'t look too good.

Of course, you can paint your mini any way you like, but for the record, I agree with the commenter - you mini would look better (and probably score better) with more shading.

I have to agree with Dr. Bob, blacklining is an important technique and helps to define the areas of the model and if done with a little care doesn\'t look \"cartoony\".

Originally posted by Gin1906
ok so my question, why blackline, personally I can\'t stand the cartoony look when the mini is black lined, I try to go for a realistic look to my minis, as you would see them in life,,, and when I look in the mirror I don\'t see dark black lines seperating my skin from my cloths and such.

Actually, you are not quite correct here, in the proper light, like outside on a day when the sun is out, you will see the dark shadow lines where your cloths meet your skin.

If you are painting \"realistically\" you have to understand the concept of the viewer vs. the viewed. If seen with the viewer as a 28 mm person viewing a 28 mm mini then natural light and such will create the hightlights, shadows and blacklining that make the mini look \"realistic\". But when the viewer is 6 ft tall viewing a 28 mm mini the natural light does not look realistic to the viewer. So, the painter has to create the illusion of light, shadow and definition on the model to give the illusion of apparent \"realism\" for a viewer greatly larger then object viewed.

Here are some good examples of blacklining from some of the best painters on CMON:

Cyril\'s blacklining is so fine as to be almost unnoticable, but the strength of the effect is quite apparent. Especially on the eye.
http://www.coolminiornot.com/47110

Here\'s another good one by Cyril, you can see how the jewlery stands out against his beautifully painted skin.
http://www.coolminiornot.com/13486

elouchard\'s Druid is simply an amazing paint job. Note the blacklining again on the wrap around the bladed staff and where the wood meets the blade. Also, the depth of the shadow gives this mini a solidity and depth that is very powerful.
http://www.coolminiornot.com/27933

Another good one by Jennifer Haley:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/16674

Also, blacklining does not necassarily mean \"black\", it can be any very dark colour that will provide a nice divide, for example a deep brown between skin and cloth. Softens the break, but still defines.

A good example of using differnet browns and black to do the blacklining is luis\'s Gandalf: http://www.coolminiornot.com/48816

Well, I hope the examples help.

Cheers, Darkblade

 

[Trevor]

Looks pretty good to me.

I wouldn\'t blackline, it doesn\'t look very good. I usually highlight up from black, so you automagically get \"black lines\" but it looks miles better. If you need to deepen shadows, brown or off-black lining looks better as its not so harsh.

As for the votes, its pretty harsh here, and your score has jumped up quite a bit.

 

[AAvH-Darkblade]

Originally posted by Trevor
Looks pretty good to me.

I wouldn\'t blackline, it doesn\'t look very good. I usually highlight up from black, so you automagically get \"black lines\" but it looks miles better. If you need to deepen shadows, brown or off-black lining looks better as its not so harsh.

Effectively that is blacklining and precisicely how I do it as well, built right into my layering from the start though I base coat in white.

Cheers, Darkblade

 

[AAvH-Darkblade]

Off Topic

Trevor, just wanted to mention I\'ve been really liking the familiars you have been posting.

Cheers, Darkblade

 

[Indigo]

Originally posted by Taer
Yeah, plus if you black line you won;t get those cocky SOB\'s who think they are better than you saying you need to blackline anymore!

lol easy tiger, I made that comment and wasn\'t being cocky!

Blacklining makes the different parts of a mini distinct and seperate from each other. As your mini stands the edges kinda blur into each other and it looks sloppier than it is.

Rather than blacklining, which can look pretty extreme and cartoony (depending on the mini), use very dark shades of the colours rather than black. In your case, paint a thin line of dark blue around the edges of the cloak, where it meets other materials, and do the same with a darker flesh tone around the flesh.

remember to use very thin paint though or it will look a bit silly

(Also, a lot of people get offended with the way I vote - to clarify I think that your painting doesn\'t look too bad and shows promise. You\'re not just throwing paint at the mini which is where most people go wrong . Just trying to offer some help)

 

[Trevor]

@ darkblade: Thanks, glad you liked them

have a look at frenchkids translation of Cyrils article it really neatly shows how \"blacklining\" can make a mini shine.

 

[airhead]

I used to be in the NO blackline side of the fence, then I picked up a black & a brown sigma Micron pen and went after a mini. The results were amazing. Now I have to watch that I do not get carried away and do too much lining.

Yes, look at fingers together, there is a black line between them. Look at the area under a starched dress shirt collar - see the blackline? Just under you belt? We don\'t see them unless we look (absurd, but I had an art instructor that tried hard to get me to quit looking at \"things\" and \"see\" light & color.)

Link to your mini here

 

[Jarrett Lee]

IMHO blacklining makes a mini look far better. It adds definition to the various sections of the figure. It \"crispens\" it. And from studying Golden Demon winner photos many, many, many times I started noticing that the big boys were blacklining things all the time - guys like Bryan Shaw, Adam Rantz etc. IMO blacklining should be used with judgement (i.e. not all areas of a mini need to be blacklined) but it definitely has a place on every miniature.

Jarrett

 

[Flashman14]

Just to clarify:

As the term is commonly used, blacklining means to go into and PAINT a black line as opposed to LEAVING an edge of black around seperate items.

I\'m glad some one mentioned that whatever that color is it need not be black but rather the darkest shade of whatever color is present: like I wouldn\'t use dark brown on a blue robe. But this is closer to outlining then blacklining. If you just start with all the shadow colors and leave the edges dark it\'s just called \"leaving the edges dark\". (There is no term for it)

But all are correct who say it helps differentiate different parts of the mini.

Where blacklining looks bad is where black is the wrong color or is applied too wide or with stray marks into the colors it separates.

 

[Gin1906]

Originally posted by Indigo

(Also, a lot of people get offended with the way I vote - to clarify I think that your painting doesn\'t look too bad and shows promise. You\'re not just throwing paint at the mini which is where most people go wrong . Just trying to offer some help) [/quote]

Indigo, I was not upset by your comment, believe me compared to some I have gotten, Yours was down right glowing and very sweet!

Darkblade, Thank you for all your help! and the wonderful links!
(Fan girl comment.....I loved your cake toppers, some beautiful, beautiful work!...
Fan girl off now )

To every one else, again Thank you!

So it looks like I will be learning a new technique, I will have to learn black lining, or blue lining hmmm or purple lining, maybe dark red? lollol
(whistling hi ho hi ho off to work I go....Screeech, nope really do have to work today!) Hmmm maybe this weekend...shoot nope have to help build the husbands shop...shoot. well probably won\'t get to paint for a while, but when I do... :bouncy::flip::bouncy:

Again thank you for all of your help

 

[Wonderboyhal]

I typically use the term darklining rather than blacklining, just because you don\'t have to use black. In many cases, I darkline with a very dark brown. On many areas of the mini, especially areas of flesh, this looks much more natural.

 

[dauber22]

Wonderboyhal

Since the topic of blacklining has already been covered so wonderfully (kudoos to DarkBlade for being so helpful) I shall slip OT for a moment (for teh very first time, I swear! )

Welcome to the wonderful, wacky world of Forum posting, Wonderboyhal. Always room for more in this pool. Have seen and enjoyed your minis, especially your Dark Fairie. Also, love the base on your Yoda. Always glad to see new voices join in.