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Tutorial 97 - The Color Black
🕑 Added 2016-04-08 05:20:08 +0000 UTC Keywords: Mystery, Infinity, Death, Formality, Power, The Unknown, Elegance,Sophistication.
The color black primarily represents mystery, the unknown, and the concept of infinity.
For ancient Greeks and Egyptians, black was used as the color of the Underworld, where souls go after death. It is similarly the color of mourning.
Black was a popular color in fashion for European nobles in the Middle Ages, when it was worn to denote authority and power, but also secrecy, as in the concept of the “black knight” from medieval poetry.
The use of black as a symbol of authority, judgement, and retribution can be observed in the traditional garb of a court judge, in antiheros like Batman and The Punisher and through archetypes like Death, and sometimes Satan or hellish beings.
Black has been used to represent fear, as humans have always feared darkness and what it might be concealing. It is commonly used to depict villains in popular entertainment, such as Darth Vader or evil Disney queens.
Black began to take on a sinister meaning in the 17th century, during the height of the witchcraft paranoia in Europe and the colonies. The devil was said to appear at midnight in a ceremony known as a “black mass” or “black sabbath” in the form of an animal. This is where the superstition about black cats arose from.
Alchemists believed black or "Negrido" to be associated with the first step of four on the path to the philosopher's stone.
Black is representative of the unconscious state, we have the idiom "blacked out" to described someone who is unconscious.
In Jungian and somewhat esoteric terms, black is associated with the darkness within, experienced as despair when confronting our darkest inner shadows on a path of personal progression.
Black is one of the boldest and most powerful colors you can use, and it can be utilized to deliver a powerful graphic effect.
Using the color black deliberately in our images we can:
- Add an element of mystery to our characters by dressing them or otherwise concealing them in black clothing.
- Create vast empty space and play on the fear of the unknown.
- Denote an imposing or authoritative figure.
Important to note: Painters and graphic designers often mix blue or red into black to add richness. Especially important when creating digital art for print. Black alone tends to appear grey and dull otherwise.
Comments
Nathan Aardvark
Thanks Spiros! For sure, you're right. Black, especially when applied on it's own (without blue or red mixed in) tends to feel "dead" with painting, anyway. It seems to reflect white light really well, which then feels neutral or dull grey, even if it's completely matte. I think if it can be applied in a really solid opaque way, with good skill, it can give a piece a very strong graphic feel, which is great, but you have to experiment a lot with composition, design and materials if going traditional or making something to be printed.
Spiros Mouzakitis
Wonderful tutorial and wonderfully written! Another thing i have heard about black is that usually beginners use it to avoid details and think it looks more artistic, but black if not used properly it could create something linke an ugly "hole" in the painting.
