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I want to use obsidian in two of my armies (Big theme for my Warriors of Chaos army and to match with the volcanic theme for my Salamanders) and I would really like some tips from anyone with experience painting obsidian or something similar. I’ve spoken to some other players about this and have gotten some ideas on highlighting and washing effects and would still be open to suggestions and speculation.

Any ideas?

someone asked this same thing not to long ago, but it seams I've unsubscribed that thread so I can't post a link.
But anyway, I normaly start by painting the subject black, then washing with the darkest blue I have, dabbing most of it off with some paper towel or napkin, wait for it to drie compleatly, then adding the darkest purple wash I have and dabbing most off again. Works great if the subject has lots of ridges, rises or edges, not quite so good on really flat or very smoth rounded subjects.
Hope this helps.

I do it in green.... start with black for the base, then apply a very dark green to the subject, next add whit to the green and apply veins or highlights then add more whit until very light green and retrace parts of the veining you already have done, this will achieve a marbling effect that I find appears as an alien or magic looking obsidian.

The Fox Lord wrote:someone asked this same thing not to long ago, but it seams I've unsubscribed that thread so I can't post a link.
But anyway, I normaly start by painting the subject black, then washing with the darkest blue I have, dabbing most of it off with some paper towel or napkin, wait for it to drie compleatly, then adding the darkest purple wash I have and dabbing most off again. Works great if the subject has lots of ridges, rises or edges, not quite so good on really flat or very smoth rounded subjects.
Hope this helps.

The problem with this is that it pretty much highlights backwards. Obsidian is translucent: As the raised parts are thinner, more light will shine through, making it seem lighter and tinted. With your method, the recesses will collect the wash, and thus be lighter and more colorful.

The method I use: Using a mix black and a dark blue, basecoat the upper half of each surface. Mixing in white, gradually highlight towards the edges, with a extremely fine highlight of pure white at the uppermost points of each edge. Turns out something like this:

Laughing Man wrote:

The Fox Lord wrote:someone asked this same thing not to long ago, but it seams I've unsubscribed that thread so I can't post a link.
But anyway, I normaly start by painting the subject black, then washing with the darkest blue I have, dabbing most of it off with some paper towel or napkin, wait for it to drie compleatly, then adding the darkest purple wash I have and dabbing most off again. Works great if the subject has lots of ridges, rises or edges, not quite so good on really flat or very smoth rounded subjects.
Hope this helps.

The problem with this is that it pretty much highlights backwards. Obsidian is translucent: As the raised parts are thinner, more light will shine through, making it seem lighter and tinted. With your method, the recesses will collect the wash, and thus be lighter and more colorful.

The method I use: Using a mix black and a dark blue, basecoat the upper half of each surface. Mixing in white, gradually highlight towards the edges, with a extremely fine highlight of pure white at the uppermost points of each edge. Turns out something like this:

Your methodes good to. Obsidian's just a giant pain to pain no matter how you do it. Another method is to paint the subject dark blue or dark purple the wash it in the other color. I've also used GW's Midnight Blue with a dark purple wash, comes out looking a little like a cross between obsidian and amythest, but it looks good.

I haven't tried it, but I thought about highlighting black undercoat with dark purple, and then using 'ardcoat on that.

Well, there's a few threads which seem to be about this subject that a quick Forum Search turned up , with a helpful link to a Reaper Mini post about the same thing.

Painting Obsidian/ Black Glass / Black Crystal

Subject: How to Paint Obsidian?

Painting obsidian

Thanks for everything you guys have put up thus far but considering how much an inked non-black basecoat scheme has come up (it came up even before I’d thought of bringing the question online) I’d really appreciate seeing an example of what it actually looks like just to get an idea in addition to any more advice on painting obsidian.

LadyCassandra wrote:Well, there's a few threads which seem to be about this subject that a quick Forum Search turned up , with a helpful link to a Reaper Mini post about the same thing.

Painting Obsidian/ Black Glass / Black Crystal

Subject: How to Paint Obsidian?

Painting obsidian

Second one's the one I was wanting to link to in my first post but couldn't remember, glad someone found it.
And Dead'ought, all you need to become a good painter of anything is to remember the words of Bob Ross, "There are no mistakes. Just happy accidents."

I agree I just wanted some suggestions on how to paint obsidian and I plan on trying out what I’ve seen suggested.

I’ve already made plenty of happy mistakes and I'm sure I'll make plenty more.