Black lining

To me it's just another tool in the toolbox. I utilize all methods at one point or another when painting except for NMM, which looks nice if done well; seems unnecessary IMO.

Willmark":7h1cpd0m said:

To me it's just another tool in the toolbox. I utilize all methods at one point or another when painting except for NMM, which looks nice if done well; seems unnecessary IMO.

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Hmm. NMM? Nervously Manhandled Miniatures? Nicely Muddled Mediums? Never Mix Mud? No Military Medals? Non Manicured Members? Ohhh ... hang on - Non Metallic Metals! Yeah, I don't really get why someone would bother either.

@ Asslemen, I have literally hundreds of pictures I could show. If not 1000s. Is there anything in particular you would like to see done in a black lining style? In the meantime, there are many examples of my technique in the thread showing my kitbashes, scratchbuilds and conversions - see viewtopic.php?f=6&t=258

Padre":1mv0hom8 said:

Willmark":1mv0hom8 said:

To me it's just another tool in the toolbox. I utilize all methods at one point or another when painting except for NMM, which looks nice if done well; seems unnecessary IMO.

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Hmm. NMM? Nervously Manhandled Miniatures? Nicely Muddled Mediums? Never Mix Mud? No Military Medals? Non Manicured Members? Ohhh ... hang on - Non Metallic Metals! Yeah, I don't really get why someone would bother either.

@ Asslemen, I have literally hundreds of pictures I could show. If not 1000s. Is there anything in particular you would like to see done in a black lining style? In the meantime, there are many examples of my technique in the thread showing my kitbashes, scratchbuilds and conversions - see viewtopic.php?f=6&t=258

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OK, I now have the programm for my next free hours

Asslessman":2u1t1rfx said:

Stone, hearing from such a painter as yourself you still use blaklining kind of reassures me. Though it is right the technique in itself has evolved to not just a black paint line, the principle remains. How do you do yours? is it thinned black ink or paint as most or more subtle methods such as those descrived before? I have t say I'll have a closer look at your models now.

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When I first heard about black lining it was in an article in Games Master International (same guys that did GM magazine) back in the early 90's. Their painter also showed colour lining which just used darker shades of the colours used on the model to achieve a similar but more subtle result. Painting a model and then going in and black lining everything ended up being a big hassle for me though and I could never get my lines thin enough or neat enough.

Now I kind of do it in reverse. I'll slap a base colour on, say on a tunic and then paint around all the edges with black (I normally use a black undercoat too) of the tunic and any detail of other objects (belts, pouches etc) that are in contact with it. That neatens everything up again and outlines the tunic. Sometimes I'll use dark brown instead of black if black seems like it might be a bit harsh. Dark brown works a little better next to pale flesh or lighter colours. If I'm using very light colours I might avoid dark lining and go with darker shades of the colours being used otherwise you can end up with the Stormtrooper effect. Anyway, I'll finish painting the hypothetical tunic and the move onto the next area, say a belt over the tunic. To save a little time I'll have probably used dark brown to outline the belt against the tunic so that becomes the base colour for it. When I add lighter layers of brown to highlight up the belt I'll leave a thin line of the dark base colour/lining showing to create the dark/black lining. I find it useful doing it that way around partly because if your dark lining gets a bit wobbly it's easy enough to tidy up when you begin highlighting the paint work, rather than doing a beautiful job and then splodging black everywhere.

Yeah, I never actually black line anything. I just use a black undercoat and paint leaving gaps, like 'cell shading'. The only time I apply black afterwards is when I need to neaten up where a colour has gone over the black line I want. That way I only ever need to use black to neaten up my figures. The other colours (often a mixture of colours to make various shades) don't need to be re-mixed.

I also remember technical drawing pens being used by some people to black line with. Tried it once and it was a disaster.

@ Blue and Padre : You people make me realise ther's a big trouble with my technique to begin with, I always apply base colours quite loosely because I can correct it when I move to the neighbour zone. I also tend to work a colour entirely base, shade, highlight...) befoe moving to another in whereas some painters first block every colour (sometimes leaving the black undercoat line) and then work these.
This would be a strong change of method and I guess it would be most necessary to get from a tabletop level to a more serious one.

@Stone and Illuminatus : What you said is very interesting and opens many other things to work on (for me at least, you seem to have thought this through before). This leads me to another quetsion (n another thread i believe) : How does colour theory blends with "oldschool "painting (I'll develop that)

Thanks a lot guys, I learn a lot from you all on this one.

Asslessman":1s413t2l said:

@ Blue and Padre : You people make me realise ther's a big trouble with my technique to begin with, I always apply base colours quite loosely because I can correct it when I move to the neighbour zone. I also tend to work a colour entirely base, shade, highlight...) befoe moving to another in whereas some painters first block every colour (sometimes leaving the black undercoat line) and then work these.
This would be a strong change of method and I guess it would be most necessary to get from a tabletop level to a more serious one.

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I paint one area to completion before moving onto the next as well. Learning to do that instead of blocking in all the colours in one go made me a much better painter (literally overnight!).

stone cold lead":1q8fof7q said:

I paint one area to completion before moving onto the next as well. Learning to do that instead of blocking in all the colours in one go made me a much better painter (literally overnight!).

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OK, I guess this implies that you've thought of your paintscheme before. main problem I have in not blocking colours /thinking about peintscheme beforhand is that I get my main colour all done and then I don't have much choice on neighbor zones if I want to keep a good contrast. This problem is especially true when painting coat of arms for brets for ex. with the metals/enamels theory for heraldry.
This is why I thought blocking colours would help (plus I would be less tempted to paint over neighbour areas.
But from what you say, I understand both ways are possible.

Interesting...always fascinating to hear how others go about painting. I do tend to block in all my base colors...leaving that black line in place... Then I work from the skin out and finish highlighting a color before moving into the next. Getting the base colors in place really helps gel a color scheme in my head...then I can get down to the business of making them look good.

Cheers,

Blue

Different approaches work better for some than others. It's partly trial and error to find out what works for the individual. All part of the fun, especially if you hit upon something that really improves your painting.