Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

what is "warm black" (paint)?

2110 views
14 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 93 posts
what is "warm black" (paint)?
Posted by fisker4jc on Monday, February 8, 2021 9:34 PM

what is "warm black" (paint)?

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Monday, February 8, 2021 9:40 PM

It is my understanding that warm black paint is not black yet.  Still towards flat a bit if you will, as flat paint is a little grayer in lighting.

It is getting warm to the idea of being black but not quite yet.

Just like warm blue is not blue yet.  But fortunately a little deeper in the hues and tones than Robin's egg blueYes

Well known as medium blue but unfortunately there is no such thing as medium black.

Black is black, otherwise it's a variation of dark gray.  Unless you start talking midnight black, which is a whole complete different story.

 

And mind You, Foreigner had a song called Midnight Blue.

 

 

 

WhistlingTF

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Monday, February 8, 2021 9:55 PM

Track fiddler
It is my idea that warm black paint is not black yet....

So whatcher sayin' is that it ain't the paint I left on the window sill this mornin', and thet the dang sun warmed 'er up?

I woulda thunk that yer warm black paint started out blacker 'n' black, then sumbuddy started a-tinkerin' wif it, an' went'n dumped sum udder colour in der, makin' 'er not quite so blackish.  A little bit o' yer red paint'll do that, I t'ink...takes da edge off 'er.

Wayne

 

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Monday, February 8, 2021 10:03 PM

York1 John       

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Monday, February 8, 2021 10:14 PM

Exactly Wayne!

Finally someone who understandsYes

 

 

 

TF

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, February 8, 2021 10:27 PM

fisker4jc
What is "warm black" paint?

I first became familiar with the term "warm black" from Paint Shop articles in Model Railroader magazine back in the 1980s when I first became interested in painting a fleet for my private roadname railroad.

I use a formula for warm black paint from one of these articles, 4 parts black, one part white, and one part red.

In figure painting I have seem the term "Warm Black" used to describe the way that pitch black looks to the eye when illuminated by a bright light in the 3,000 K temperature range. I think the chart provided by John shows this.

Pitch black illuminated by a bright 5,000 K light source will reflect neutral gray.

Following this logic, I should not be painting my locomotives warm black, because I am trying to simulate coloring in natural sunlight, which is near 5,000 K, but it looks right to me.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Monday, February 8, 2021 10:27 PM

Quite a few huffs of the sheen certainly takes the vibrancy out of the equation.  But kids do not try this at homeLaugh

Testors dullcote definitely works better and takes the headache out of the process for you to feel better in the morningWhistling

LaughLaugh kidding ofcoarse!

 

 

 

TF

  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 2,775 posts
Posted by snjroy on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 8:15 AM

I would define it as being midway between dark black and grimy black. So a very dark grey, so to speak. BTW, I really like Protopaint warm black for my Canadian steam engines. It's pretty close to what we see in the historical pictures of CN steam engines... Grimy black is probably closer to what one would have seen in the dry and dusty southwest. 

Simon

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 9:14 AM

Red warms, blue cools, that goes for anything in the warm or cool family. Wow I had to go way back for this one.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 10:37 AM

York1

 

Source?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 10:43 AM

doctorwayne
 
Track fiddler
It is my idea that warm black paint is not black yet.... 

So whatcher sayin' is that it ain't the paint I left on the window sill this mornin', and thet the dang sun warmed 'er up?

I woulda thunk that yer warm black paint started out blacker 'n' black, then sumbuddy started a-tinkerin' wif it, an' went'n dumped sum udder colour in der, makin' 'er not quite so blackish.  A little bit o' yer red paint'll do that, I t'ink...takes da edge off 'er.

Wayne 

Wayne, I totally agree, and I would remind TF that Foreigner does not have the final word on color. AC/DC does, as expressed in Back in Black. Nowhere does it mention Back in Warm Black.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 8,173 posts
Posted by Track fiddler on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 10:58 AM

richhotrain

 

 
doctorwayne
 
Track fiddler
It is my idea that warm black paint is not black yet.... 

So whatcher sayin' is that it ain't the paint I left on the window sill this mornin', and thet the dang sun warmed 'er up?

I woulda thunk that yer warm black paint started out blacker 'n' black, then sumbuddy started a-tinkerin' wif it, an' went'n dumped sum udder colour in der, makin' 'er not quite so blackish.  A little bit o' yer red paint'll do that, I t'ink...takes da edge off 'er.

Wayne 

 

 

Wayne, I totally agree, and I would remind TF that Foreigner does not have the final word on color. AC/DC does, as expressed in Back in Black. Nowhere does it mention Back in Warm Black.

 

Rich

 

LaughLaughLaugh 

Rich!,  You are exactly right!  I have no idea what I was thinking with Midnight Blue? Laugh

 

MusicWell I'm back!  And I'm back in Black!Music

 

 

 

LaughTF

 

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 11:28 AM

Too many people follow the Rolling Stones advice and just Paint It Black, when they should be more like the Greatful Dead and use a Touch Of Gray.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 1,855 posts
Posted by angelob6660 on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 12:25 PM

York1

 

 
So where does Imitation Black be located on this chart? 

Modeling the G.N.O. Railway, The Diamond Route.

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

  • Member since
    January 2013
  • 1,034 posts
Posted by PM Railfan on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 9:42 PM

fisker4jc

what is "warm black" (paint)?

 

Coffee.

 

PMR

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!