EGGPLANT – INK

A dark purple ink in an eggplant tone

A deep purple with a cast toward brown, named after the skin of an eggplant. Within the ink series it belongs to the dark shades, which are used less on their own than to shift other colors into a cooler and deeper register. It is applied thinly, so that the definition of the base stays visible.

Where it fits

• Colored shadows on skin and fabrics instead of gray
• Purple clothing, cloaks and heraldic elements
• Cool deepening of dark blue areas
• Underpainting beneath a saturated red for greater depth

Shading without dirt

The classic mistake when shading is to add black to the shadow, after which the color turns gray and loses life. Purple does the same thing but stays colored: the shadow looks deeper and yet keeps its tone. Apply it only into real recesses and folds, not over whole areas. When the result is too cool, a thin layer of a warm brown tone drawn over the surroundings balances it out.

For which modelers

Painters of figures and busts who work with colored shadows will appreciate it, as will builders of fantasy subjects. On vehicles it is used sparingly, mainly where a shadow is to look cool. Try the saturation on a test piece, because dark shades forgive less. Anyone who paints in quantity will appreciate that it can be thinned into a very fine glaze and used on larger areas as well.

Store out of the reach of children, work by a ventilated window and avoid getting it in the eyes. The recommended thinning and cleaning are given in the instructions on the package.