Vallejo Xpress Color Black Lotus 
Paint deep shadows, dark robes, sinister armor, and mysterious fantasy details with fast, dramatic contrast.
Vallejo Xpress Color Black Lotus is a transparent matt acrylic color designed to flow naturally over miniature surfaces, creating lighter raised areas, saturated mid-tones, and intense shadows in the recesses with a single expressive layer. It is ideal for fast tabletop painting, dark fantasy schemes, and powerful shadow effects.
 
What it does
Creates a deep black-violet shadow tone with instant contrast and strong visual depth.
Works especially well over white or grey primer, where the color naturally separates into highlights, mid-tones, and darker recesses.
Excellent for dark robes, cloaks, armor, monsters, undead skin, shadow creatures, leather, weapons, and gothic fantasy details.
Can be used for glazes, filters, soft shading, contouring, and blending transitions.
Can be mixed with other Xpress Colors or diluted with Xpress Medium to create softer shadow tones and custom shades.
 
How to use
Prime or basecoat the miniature in white or light grey.
Shake the bottle well before use.
Apply with a brush and let the paint flow naturally into the recesses.
Avoid overworking the surface while drying to keep the contrast smooth and clean.
For softer or more controlled results, dilute with Vallejo Xpress Medium.
It can also be used with an airbrush for tinting, filters, and smooth color effects.
 
Best for
Dark robes, cloaks, hoods, tabards, and gothic clothing
Black armor, shadowy leather, weapons, shields, and equipment
Vampires, necromancers, cultists, undead, demons, and sinister characters
Deep recess shading, lining, smoke effects, and magical darkness
Fast tabletop painting for Warhammer, D&D, Pathfinder, skirmish games, and board game miniatures
 
ChalkyDot Tip
Use Black Lotus over a zenithal prime when you want dark areas that still keep visible highlights and surface detail. For black robes or armor, let the Xpress Color create the shadows first, then add a soft grey, blue-grey, or purple-grey edge highlight to make the shapes stand out on the tabletop.