grey wash over colours ?

[elbo]

Cant remember where but im sure i read in a magazine of a well known artist adding highlights,or should i say lowlights! to a freshly inked colour{say yellow for example) by lightly touching desired areas with a grey wash.this added depth and allowed the colour to be seen from under the grey(although darker)almost a translucent effect.Hope you can understand what im trying to explain,maybe you could elaborate. . .

[Papa Gee]

You can color an area solid then go back and shade over it if you like. Diluting the ink would probably give you a more subtle effect than using straight black. You can also color into a shaded area the lighter color will not show through. Either way it gets gone over twice.

[Unnerving]

I do that alot. better graduality. Alot of artists work a couple of colors at a time. let heal. then on to the next color. I heard Guy Aitchison does lighter to darker. Haven't had the pleasure of meeting him yet. I know other artists use this technique. Works well for me. Especially on big pieces. I'll be updating my portfolio and website soon.

[fleshcanvas]

I saw that done with the white on a tattered american flag with the water dipping method , it gave a "grungy" look to the flag.

[BattleRoyal]

On the other-hand of this can one pump colors into a solid black area?

[SuziQ]

Thanks guys!You answered a question I had.I had wondered if...say...one were tattooing a fish and wanted to lay down a graduation of colors before then using a dark color to line in a suggestion of scales on the fish skin.Not that I will be tattoing anytime soon.I was actually drawing when it occurred to me to wonder that.I wonder no more.What a great site! :shock: (I don't know why-I just love that smileyLOL)