Coloring Black Objects

If You Color It All Black, Where Did the Object Go?

Black objects present the opposite problem from white ones.

With white, we're trying to add just enough color to reveal the form.

With black, we're trying to preserve enough variation that the form doesn't disappear.

Fill a black cat completely with the darkest black pencil you own and you'll certainly have a black cat.

Unfortunately, you may also have a cat-shaped hole in the page.

The ears, legs, fur, face, and beautiful curve of the back can vanish into one solid mass.

The secret to coloring black is surprisingly similar to coloring white:

Don't think about the object's name. Think about the light falling on it.

Black Has a Range of Values

A black object doesn't need to be equally black everywhere.

In bright light, parts of a black surface may appear surprisingly light. Midtones might be charcoal, blue-gray, violet-gray, brown, or deep versions of surrounding colors.

Save your darkest black for the places that genuinely need to be darkest:

• deep creases,

• areas beneath overlaps,

• contact shadows,

• the darkest side away from the light,

• tiny areas of maximum contrast.

If everything is black, nothing can become more black.

You've used your darkest value before the picture had a chance to ask for it.

Try It: The Black Sphere

Draw a circle.

Instead of filling it with black, begin with a medium-dark gray, indigo, dark violet, or another very deep color.

Leave the area facing your light source noticeably lighter.

Gradually deepen the color as the sphere turns away from the light.

Use black only in the deepest shadow.

Now add a cast shadow beneath it.

Step back.

The object should still read as black because its overall value is dark—but now it also looks round.

That's the goal.

Black Can Be Warm or Cool

This is where black objects become much more interesting.

A cool black might contain:

• indigo,

• navy,

• blue-gray,

• violet,

• cool charcoal.

A warm black might contain:

• dark brown,

• burgundy,

• deep red-brown,

• warm charcoal,

• muted plum.

Imagine two black cats.

One sits beneath cool moonlight. Its fur might contain indigo, blue-violet, and cool gray.

The other curls beside a fireplace. Its black coat might contain brown, burgundy, warm gray, and golden reflected highlights.

Both cats are black.

But they belong to completely different worlds.

Look for Reflected Color

Dark surfaces reflect their surroundings too.

A black cauldron beside orange fire may pick up warm orange or reddish reflections.

A black car beneath a blue sky may contain strong blue reflections.

A black satin dress beside red curtains might catch burgundy highlights.

A raven surrounded by green foliage may contain subtle green, blue, or turquoise in its feathers.

You don't have to make those colors obvious.

Layer them lightly into the areas receiving reflected light, then deepen around them with your darker colors.

Those unexpected hues can make black feel much richer than black pencil alone.

Try This: Make Black Without Black

Choose a simple object—a feather, cat silhouette, hat, boot, ornament, raven, or cauldron.

Now color it so that it clearly appears black without using your black pencil at all.

Try combining very dark:

Blue + Violet

or

Indigo + Brown

or

Burgundy + Deep Green

Layer the colors gradually until they create a rich near-black.

Preserve lighter versions of those colors in the illuminated areas.

When you're finished, decide whether the object actually needs black.

If it does, add it selectively to the deepest shadows.

This exercise is a wonderful way to discover just how colorful darkness can be.

Black Fur Needs Fur

Suppose you're coloring a black cat.

Don't create the body as one smooth dark shape and then draw a few random hairs on top.

Use directional strokes from the beginning.

Allow blue-gray, charcoal, violet, or brown strokes to follow the direction of the coat.

Some areas can remain relatively smooth and dark. Others—around the chest, cheeks, tail, ears, and places where the body curves toward the light—can reveal individual strands.

Leave the brightest fur strokes lighter rather than trying to draw white hairs over fully burnished black.

And don't forget the shadows between overlapping forms.

A black front leg still needs to separate from a black body.

This is where tiny differences in value become enormously important.

Black Fabric Is Not Black Fur

Texture still matters.

For black velvet, use soft transitions and subdued highlights.

For black satin, create stronger, sharper contrasts between very dark areas and narrow bright highlights.

For black leather, use smooth layers with selective glossy reflections.

For black fur, preserve visible directional strokes.

For black metal, include sharp reflected shapes and stronger changes in value.

They're all black.

What makes them look like different materials is the way light behaves on their surfaces.

Mini Challenge: The Black Cat Test

Draw or trace a simple black cat.

Choose a light source from one side.

Use dark blue, violet, gray, or brown for most of the cat.

Preserve lighter areas:

• along the illuminated side of the face,

• across the shoulder,

• on the top of the back,

• around the edges of the ears,

• and anywhere the fur catches reflected light.

Deepen the underside and overlapping areas.

Add black only at the very end.

Then give the eyes enough contrast to remain visible.

If you've done it successfully, the cat will clearly be black—but you'll still be able to see the cat.

Snoopy-cat would presumably approve.

Or sit directly on the page.

Either seems equally plausible.

Don't Forget the Background

The background can determine how much work you need to do.

A black object against a pale background already has strong edge contrast.

Place that same object against a dark nighttime background and some edges may disappear.

That's not necessarily bad.

Allowing a few edges to become lost in darkness can create beautiful atmosphere.

Then use reflected light or a carefully placed highlight to reveal the edges you want the viewer to notice.

You don't have to outline the entire black object in white just to prove it's there.

Let some of it disappear.

Edenglow Studio Tip

Save your black pencil for the darkest darks.

Build most of the object with charcoal, indigo, violet, brown, burgundy, or other deep colors first.

Black becomes much more powerful when it isn't everywhere.

And once you begin noticing the blues, purples, reds, browns, and reflected colors hiding inside black objects, plain black starts looking surprisingly colorful.