I'm wondering if those that have tackled the blackened ANH tusk would be willing to share.

I perused the forum reference pics (btw- the best photo ref library I've seen anywhere) and can see the blackened tusk in many stills/scenes but it is hard to tell just how "black" it has been painted - what color, how opaque/translucent (more of a wash?), the whole tusk or just the tip?

Any advice out there on paint color and technique for most accurate result?

Thanks much for any/all input!
- 'guts

You will see in the HD screen cap section and other reference that the tusk did vary.

I think it's fairly easy to to paint because just pick a scene from the Tantive shots and go with that, aim for consistancy, look at each frame, be fussy, fussy is good. You just dab a little on a brush wipe it off a little so the brush isn't wet and apply bit by bit. You can also get Tamiya weathering sets. If you make an error just wipe it off and start again. I use Tamiya and Revell paints for those types of things rather than auto paints.

Edit...Terminology

..I spry it black with whatever black paint is laying around, the scuff it with scotchbrite once it drys..

What you are seeing are different stages of the black paint being worn off in places, leaving the silver or gunmetal exposed underneath. But when the tusk is nearly all covered in black (as in some scenes on the Death Star), you can make out some reflection so it isn't just a matt black.

I would think it is the same black color that was used either to spray paint the Vader helmet or what they used for the vocoder on the Stormtrooper helmets. Gloss black dulled down by handling and beginning to rub off at the tip and some of the ridges on the stem of the tusk.

A rough guide. Click to enlarge.

Yeah. There are no scenes when the tusk is completely black from all angles if you subtract light and angles causing an illusion unlike the chronicles repaint etc so it was an artistic thing IMO. The scenes that where filmed last show the tusk to be more silver on the tip in particular and it's highly possible they touched the tusk up with the same paint, they either did this 2 ways at first, painted all black and scuffed or deliberately painted but I doubt the initial look was due from handling at first because while it's easy to wipe paint off aluminium if you follow the pattern it doesn't make sense for it to wear on the stem etc in that fashion, plus the crew would be careful as that tusk was already hanging down a little, but eventually throughout the filming wear and tear comes into the end look. 100% agreed about it being the same paint.

Thanks all, and especially for the excellent guide darthvaderv! Really shows the wear and the difference lighting is playing.

Agree it had to be a conscious decision, doubtful mistakes like that would go unnoticed and not corrected - my guess (like was said) is either an esthetic choice or as an aging cue (like the belt box and buckle wear).

All the help is very much appreciated!
- 'guts

Actually... the Vader helmet paint job is full of mistakes that was just left as-is to give that used look Lucas wanted. There is nothing to indicate whether it wasn't just by accident that silver shone through, even from the beginning. It was a hack paint job... and I know from experience how easy it is to accidentally put your big greasy thumb on something you just painted... that's why I have more paint on myself than what I'm actually trying to paint. They did the job and just left it at that not worrying as the demand was for things to have that "used" look.

Yep and just going back to the beginning. If we are assuming it is painted as an all black tusk at the start like the chronicles with that type of auto paint I say they deliberately messed it up by one of two methods there and then. I do not believe they just left it to wear at the start because there is no evidence to suggest an all black tusk from the start apart from the occasional illusion. An all black tusk chronicles style is fairly dominant and once dried should hold the paint fairly well although it could be prone to chipping or wearing. It is possible it was painted all black but I believe they finished it to look a little battered from the get go and something that wore on, definately in the later scenes and beyond such as the Malone shots/Corbis (Although with corbis you will find the replacement or repaint of Vader's left not right tusk). This is another speculative point and something that we can only guess at but having painted several tusks myself and reading much on how an artist involved with SW gave Lucas the lived in look that's my theory based on what I see.

Chronicles

Yeah you know I never truly realized how much the helm was full of quirks until honestly I started reading this forum (feels like I'm getting the "harvard" version of Vader education ). For instance I never knew about the "worms" or "sausage" as some refer to it in the helm or the other blemishes. For that matter just the asymmetry of the helm - the pics with flips of the vader helm look completely different and show just how artful and "by eye" the original sculpt was made (just MHO). Probably why, as others have pointed out, "sanitized" versions of the helm lack a true authenticity in look.