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A Whiter Shade of Pale? |
Dec 18, 2004 |
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These days there are literally thousands of different model paints on the market. They come in pretty much every shade and intensity you can think of and model makers now have an almost infinite palette of colours at their disposal. Even so, for novice painters, it is often the most fundamental shades that prove the most difficult to master. One colour in particular continues to thwart even the most determined disciples of the craft. That colour is white.
Technically, the colour doesn't really exist so model makers must use it with extreme care or the result will look fake or out of place. All objects are influenced and affected by their surroundings. Even snow on top of a mountain isn't truly white. Light, whether natural or artificial, bounces around its environment, like so many beans in a baby's rattle, reflecting minute traces of colour. Take away the light and white objects quickly fade to a muted grey.
Anja Wettergren's latest work captures this theory perfectly. High Elven warriors are traditionally dressed in pure white uniforms. Instead of applying a neat white coat straight out of the pot, however, Anja has given each figure a slighter darker, more drab base coat. This is then lightened by adding increasing amounts of white to the mix - which is then applied in successive coats to each figure.
This gives the fabric of the robes a slightly softer, and far more natural appearance.
As a rule, pure white paint should be avoided like the plague! I only ever use it my own work for the sharpest hi-lights or the tiniest pin-points of reflected light.
For more examples of Anja's work, please visit her website: High Valley Miniatures.
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