Exploring Colors: White (How to Paint White) - HC 442

Summary

In this hobby video, Vincy V explores the challenges and nuances of painting with the color white. Starting with the historical and emotional significance of white, the video covers the complexities of white pigments in art, including their larger, chalky texture and difficulty in achieving smooth layers. Vincy emphasizes that pure white should be used sparingly, suggesting that near-whites and subtle hues can create more compelling, visually interesting results. The tutorial demonstrates various painting techniques with real-world examples, showing how different tones of white, when used alongside other colors, can enhance the overall composition and visual appeal of miniatures.

Takeaways

• 😀 White is a challenging color to paint due to its unique properties, such as the large, chunky pigments that make it chalky and difficult to blend.
• 😀 White has a long history in art, dating back to prehistoric cave paintings and is often associated with purity, cleanliness, and neutrality.
• 😀 Many cultures have multiple words for 'white' that describe its various nuances, such as warmth, coldness, dullness, or shininess.
• 😀 True white (pure dead white) should be used sparingly, primarily for reflective highlights like the glint of light on non-metallic surfaces, eyes, or gems.
• 😀 In the real world, most things that appear white are influenced by surrounding colors, making pure white rare and difficult to maintain.
• 😀 To make painting white easier, avoid using pure dead white and instead opt for near whites with slight hues, such as warm or cold tones, which add visual interest.
• 😀 Using different tones of white, such as warmer yellows or cooler blues/greens, in your miniature art will make the work more visually compelling and believable.
• 😀 When painting something like a white cloak, using a combination of tones (e.g., warm reds and cool greens) can create more dynamic shadows and highlights.
• 😀 The context in which white is placed (the colors surrounding it) influences how pure or white it appears to the viewer, so the surrounding tones are essential.
• 😀 To achieve a smoother application of pure white paint, mixing it with gloss varnish can help it reflect light more consistently, making it look cleaner and more vivid without appearing glossy.

Q & A

Why is painting the color white particularly challenging?

Painting white is challenging because the pigments used to create white paint, like titanium dioxide, are large and chunky. This makes the paint chalky and harder to blend, resulting in an uneven and inconsistent application.

What is the historical significance of the color white in art?

White is one of the oldest colors in art, with its usage dating back 18,000 to 20,000 years, found in prehistoric cave paintings. It is often associated with purity, cleanliness, honesty, and neutrality, and is used in religious practices, such as in wedding dresses and formal attire.

What is meant by the term 'chromatic' when referring to white?

When white is described as 'chromatic,' it means that it has no hue and reflects all components of light equally. This results in white not showing any color until imperfections on the surface cause it to take on slight tones, such as green or red.

Why does pure white paint often not appear as 'pure' in real-world settings?

Pure white paint is easily affected by the surrounding environment. Factors like lighting, shadows, and nearby colors cause the paint to reflect different tones, making it appear not purely white. This environmental influence is why most things in the world don't look like pure white.

What is the main reason for using near whites instead of pure white in miniature painting?

Near whites are preferred because they are easier to paint with, have more visual interest, and are less chalky compared to pure white. They can still appear white in context but are more compelling and provide a better overall painting experience.

How does the color temperature of white affect its use in painting?

White paint can be categorized as warm or cold based on its tone. Warm whites have yellow or brown undertones, while cold whites have blue or gray undertones. The temperature of white affects how it interacts with other colors in a composition and can be used to create different moods and effects.

Can you explain the concept of 'color pollution' when it comes to white?

Color pollution occurs when white paint is influenced by its surrounding environment. For example, a white wall may look gray or blue because of the shadows, the color of the light, or the nearby objects, resulting in the white looking different from its original, pure form.

Why is using pure dead white paint discouraged for most miniature painting tasks?

Pure dead white is difficult to work with because it tends to be chalky, difficult to blend, and creates a flat, lifeless appearance. It should only be used in small areas where the glint of light is needed, like on non-metallic metal highlights, eye reflections, or gems.

How do complementary colors enhance the appearance of white in miniature painting?

Using complementary colors like green and red can make white highlights more visually interesting. For example, using a green-infused white as a highlight next to a red shadow makes the composition more dynamic and balanced, as the complementary colors create a natural contrast.

What is a helpful tip for painting with pure white to avoid a chalky texture?

Mixing pure white paint with gloss varnish (in a 50/50 ratio) can make the white apply more smoothly and evenly. The gloss helps reflect light in a controlled way, making the white appear cleaner, more consistent, and brighter without looking glossy.