Post by faramirsmumma on Sept 30, 2005 19:29:51 GMT -5
Introduction:
Hello all and thanks so far for reading. This is not a painting guide as such, its well, a theory. This is a theory that has been around for a long time and used by artists and miniature painters alike. If you look at ‘alternate’ painting guides, the colours that are used compliment each other. Look at experienced painters work (many come to mind) they wont use colours that ‘clash’, have you seen a bright green tunic next to an orange belt? This theory clears up the possible confusion… for some…
Starting off:
First and foremost, get a colour wheel (as shown above). This is either done by buying one, or printing out the picture in this article.
In this Colour Theory, we are looking into the relationships of colour. There is a relationship between local colour (the colour of an object), the tonal colours (the colour changed by light and shadow), and reflected colour (the colour of the environment).
The colours on a miniature need to be exaggerated to bring out the effect. This is a lot easier and looks more ‘heroic’ then subtle (more natural) highlights. Look at someone who ‘dramatic highlights’ compared to someone who ‘natural highlights’, by no way is one method better, but the results are different.
Colour Harmony is just colours that look good together. This is based on your knowledge of colour ranges. *Enter colour wheel*. If you ‘Google’ pictures of Colour Wheels you will see that it is always the same, Yellow stays at the top, and all the colours are where they should be.
Let’s get technical:
Look to the centre of the colour wheel – there’s a small triangle in the middle. These are ‘Primary’ colours (Yellow, Red, Blue). Now look at the points of the triangle, they point to the same colour in the wheel.
Then we get the ‘Secondary’ colours (Green, Orange, Violet). Again the central triangles of colour point to the same colour in the wheel.
Picture the wheel with just the previously mentioned colours. There are even-spaced gaps between each colour. This is where the ‘Tertiary’ colours come in; they are a mix of the two colours. Your wheel is now complete.
Complimentary colours are always opposite each other on the wheel, when placed together they have a ‘harmonic discord’ that makes the colours have the brightest contrast when placed together. Look at the rich reds of the cloth of Rohan, their dark green cloaks contrast – thus a harmonic discord.
How to choose:
When choosing colours for painting alternate schemes for your miniatures, many artists tend to stick with a Simple Harmonic range. Pick one colour from the range, this colour will dominate the miniature, either it will be the cloak colour or armour colour. Then pick the colour directly opposite on the colour wheel (following still?). This is your dominant complementary colour, so it will be either the colour you use on the armour or cloak (whichever one you didn’t choose before). When picking additional colours to supplement your secondary choice (maybe for straps, inner shirt/cloak) use the colours next to it - on the colour wheel.
If you choose the blues (for example) to supplement a violet colour, then you model will look ‘cold’ in comparison if you chose the shades of red/pink. Mixing in parts of the supplementary colours to all the other parts of the miniature will help tie it in and prove more of a harmonic look.
Choice of Palette:
There is also a Cool Palette and a Warm Palette to choose from. A Warm palette will involve reds, Oranges, Browns and Yellows, whereas a Cool palette will be Greens, Blues, and Violets in all of their shades.
For miniatures, choosing one of these palettes can change the look of a force or miniature. Basing has a similar effect, yet combining your paint scheme and basing gives an even greater effect!
Look at Frodo standing on Mount Doom – the colour of the lava gives us the sense of warmth. So when painting something with that same ‘warmth’, use the Warm Palette, whereas if you were painting someone/thing on an icy mountain, you would use the Cool Palette. This sounds simple enough, but many don’t use it.
Here's an example from the Warhammer Range (GW) of how choosing different Palette's (Warm and Cold) greatly affect the finished result.
Rules:
-A colour will cast its complementary colour onto shades or neighbouring colours.
-Mixing two complementary colours creates Black.
-Shadows contain the colour blue (it’s everywhere), the colour of the object in a darker tone, and the complementary colour.
-Primary Colours are bias towards a Seconday Colour. Look at the central hexagon, the Red and Green look good together, same with the Yellow and Violet, and Blue and Orange. Even though they are not opposite.
Conclusion:
I hope reading this article has given you a better understanding of how colour schemes are chosen for miniatures. It may not give you a steadier hand, yet for those who don’t stick to the conventional painting schemes, it shows how colour schemes are chosen and will help you when picking.
Don’t forget to vote!
Special thanks and pictures provided by Games Workshop (no permission) and CJ Cummings www.rajinggaijin.com (permission), whom without, none of this would be possible.
Hello all and thanks so far for reading. This is not a painting guide as such, its well, a theory. This is a theory that has been around for a long time and used by artists and miniature painters alike. If you look at ‘alternate’ painting guides, the colours that are used compliment each other. Look at experienced painters work (many come to mind) they wont use colours that ‘clash’, have you seen a bright green tunic next to an orange belt? This theory clears up the possible confusion… for some…
Starting off:
First and foremost, get a colour wheel (as shown above). This is either done by buying one, or printing out the picture in this article.
In this Colour Theory, we are looking into the relationships of colour. There is a relationship between local colour (the colour of an object), the tonal colours (the colour changed by light and shadow), and reflected colour (the colour of the environment).
The colours on a miniature need to be exaggerated to bring out the effect. This is a lot easier and looks more ‘heroic’ then subtle (more natural) highlights. Look at someone who ‘dramatic highlights’ compared to someone who ‘natural highlights’, by no way is one method better, but the results are different.
Colour Harmony is just colours that look good together. This is based on your knowledge of colour ranges. *Enter colour wheel*. If you ‘Google’ pictures of Colour Wheels you will see that it is always the same, Yellow stays at the top, and all the colours are where they should be.
Let’s get technical:
Look to the centre of the colour wheel – there’s a small triangle in the middle. These are ‘Primary’ colours (Yellow, Red, Blue). Now look at the points of the triangle, they point to the same colour in the wheel.
Then we get the ‘Secondary’ colours (Green, Orange, Violet). Again the central triangles of colour point to the same colour in the wheel.
Picture the wheel with just the previously mentioned colours. There are even-spaced gaps between each colour. This is where the ‘Tertiary’ colours come in; they are a mix of the two colours. Your wheel is now complete.
Complimentary colours are always opposite each other on the wheel, when placed together they have a ‘harmonic discord’ that makes the colours have the brightest contrast when placed together. Look at the rich reds of the cloth of Rohan, their dark green cloaks contrast – thus a harmonic discord.
How to choose:
When choosing colours for painting alternate schemes for your miniatures, many artists tend to stick with a Simple Harmonic range. Pick one colour from the range, this colour will dominate the miniature, either it will be the cloak colour or armour colour. Then pick the colour directly opposite on the colour wheel (following still?). This is your dominant complementary colour, so it will be either the colour you use on the armour or cloak (whichever one you didn’t choose before). When picking additional colours to supplement your secondary choice (maybe for straps, inner shirt/cloak) use the colours next to it - on the colour wheel.
If you choose the blues (for example) to supplement a violet colour, then you model will look ‘cold’ in comparison if you chose the shades of red/pink. Mixing in parts of the supplementary colours to all the other parts of the miniature will help tie it in and prove more of a harmonic look.
Choice of Palette:
There is also a Cool Palette and a Warm Palette to choose from. A Warm palette will involve reds, Oranges, Browns and Yellows, whereas a Cool palette will be Greens, Blues, and Violets in all of their shades.
For miniatures, choosing one of these palettes can change the look of a force or miniature. Basing has a similar effect, yet combining your paint scheme and basing gives an even greater effect!
Look at Frodo standing on Mount Doom – the colour of the lava gives us the sense of warmth. So when painting something with that same ‘warmth’, use the Warm Palette, whereas if you were painting someone/thing on an icy mountain, you would use the Cool Palette. This sounds simple enough, but many don’t use it.
Here's an example from the Warhammer Range (GW) of how choosing different Palette's (Warm and Cold) greatly affect the finished result.
Rules:
-A colour will cast its complementary colour onto shades or neighbouring colours.
-Mixing two complementary colours creates Black.
-Shadows contain the colour blue (it’s everywhere), the colour of the object in a darker tone, and the complementary colour.
-Primary Colours are bias towards a Seconday Colour. Look at the central hexagon, the Red and Green look good together, same with the Yellow and Violet, and Blue and Orange. Even though they are not opposite.
Conclusion:
I hope reading this article has given you a better understanding of how colour schemes are chosen for miniatures. It may not give you a steadier hand, yet for those who don’t stick to the conventional painting schemes, it shows how colour schemes are chosen and will help you when picking.
Don’t forget to vote!
Special thanks and pictures provided by Games Workshop (no permission) and CJ Cummings www.rajinggaijin.com (permission), whom without, none of this would be possible.
