Friendly Mod Note:

This thread will not turn into a “to use black or not to use black” debate.

If you use black great.
If you prefer to mix your own, great.

Either way can result in good paintings.

Man I just saw some of the most awesome beautiful paintings and the artist did every one of them on totally black canvases, they stood out with a presence that trumped all of the normal white canvas paintings!

Do you use black paint?

Yes, I surely do. I use it to effectively darken secondary colors (Reds, Greens, Blues), without a noticeable hue shift. Black paint is also useful to create neutrals, or near-neutral colors. And, since most of the colors in the natural world are primarily neutral, with just enough presence of hue to indicate, or suggest the nature of the object, the use of neutral grays (Black, mixed with White) is quite helpful.

There are those who often elaborate upon the various hue biases of black paints, indicating that some tend to be cooler, and some warmer, but personally, I will use any of them that may be available.

The only obvious difference I’ve experienced with any black is that Lamp Black seems to have about twice the tinting strength of any other black. I can easily accommodate for whatever the slight hue differences may be apparent among the Blacks.

I also realize that there probably a bazillion ways to create Black by mixing combinations of other colors, but I find it much easier to use a tubed Black. However, when you wish to shift your “neutral” tastefully, from “cool” to “warm”, as you paint along…. the combination of Burnt Umber, and Ultramarine Blue can’t be beat!:thumbsup:

Wow Nancy: that really pops. Love it.

Yes, I use black and I find it important in portraits and figures for flesh tone.

I had a terrible Art teacher in High school. She would not let us use black in any form because she said the Impressionists never used it. OY VEY!.

I think the use of Black is like many other things…..One must use it appropriately, and if done that way, it is quite effective.

I believe that many art teachers feel that since beginners often tend to over-use black, in an inappropriate manner, it may just be “easier” for them to dismiss the use of Black paint with some sort of rationalization, such as insisting that the beginner not use it, “because the impressionists didn’t use it”. I’ve always preferred to teach students how to use it appropriately, instead of demanding that they don’t use it, as some other teachers do.

I have taught classes in oil painting, and I teach the appropriate use of Black, I think. However, once in awhile I’ve had a student over-use Black, and when that occurs, it is painfully obvious, I’ll have to say!

There is no specific appearance to a painting in which Black has been used inappropriately, except to say that it appears lifeless, and dull–hence, the concept that “Black will kill your colors.”

Of course, the actual fact seems to be that Black is likely to create a disappointing painting, but only if used improperly.

Another, very positive concept for the use of tubed Black is that one should not be hesitant to use Black mixed with White. Black is not only used to “darken colors”, but also to neutralize colors–even lighter ones.

And, I’ve used the characteristic that causes the addition of Black to a primary color, such as Magenta, to shift its hue, in creating some of the most subtle, and tasteful, light lavender colors one could imagine. Some artists can hardly believe that I actually employed a tubed Black to create the beautiful lavenders in my flower paintings, when they view my paintings.

When used in such an application (making use of the hue shift when Black is mixed with a primary color), the operation of obtaining the color seems much more controllable, than when using a more high chroma color to create the effect, as well.

Beautiful painting, NancyMP!!
I also use black paint, like many others. A painting instructor once told me the areas we see that are so dark they are appear black, are much darker than anything you’ll get in a tube, so it’s fine to use them.

I am interested to know whether you use black paint in your work?

Everybody uses black, they just don’t realize it. All mixtures of other colors that make black are still black. Black doesn’t care if it is already black, or if you mix it from a blue and a orange/brown, a red and a green, or whatever else makes black. These colors are on most all palettes, and they can make lots of black mud. The result is that there is some black in most all paintings.