I'm demonstrating on a Pat Godin Study-Kast, mainly because I didn't have anything carved that had a large area of black suitable for this demo. It is a canvasback hen side pocket, but let's pretend it isn't...the feathers are large enough that the method can be demonstrated more easily than on small feathers.

I use this on any size feather, from breast feathers to head feathers. The technique is exactly the same, no matter what size the feathers in the area.

I don't apply gesso to my carving, but paint directly on my sealed wood. If you choose to use gesso, then use it in place of Titanium White to make a medium-dark value of the "black" mix for a base coat. Don't apply it thick because you will fill in your texture. And don't use white gesso...you will have to use more base coats of the medium-dark base color in order to bring the area to the proper value. This will also fill in your texture...not good.

Also, on most birds, the black feathers have a "sheen" to them. You may want to add a small quantity of matte or satin medium to your mixture if you are using Jo Sonja's Acrylic Gouache paints, as these paints are formulated to dry flatter than "regular" acrylics. Another note: even "matte" medium will have some sheen to it. I generally will experiment with a mixture of satin and matte mediums mixed into my paint and apply it to a scrap board to determine the proper amount of mediums needed for the specific effect I'm after.

For your information, I am using the "black" Mix #2 shown in Part 1 ~ the 50/50 mix of Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber.

Before posting the pics, here's a quick run-down of my method...I will go into more detail after giving the overview.

When painting blacks, I first lay in a medium-dark value made from the "black" mix and about 20-30% Titanium White (PW 6).

Next highlights are applied in a lighter value than the base-coat.

After that, shading is introduced using the "straight" black mix (it being a darker value than the medium-dark value base coat).

Next, detailing and toning washes...the 3 values used in the basing in steps are used for this. It may take several applications of detailing and toning washes to achieve the look I'm after.

Finally, accents of the appropriate tube black finish the area. Which tube black depends on the overall color scheme of the black area discussed in Part 1.

Sometimes, I'll mix another toning color into the tube black to help tie it to the rest of the area...most of the time, this will be phthalo blue or phthalo green, but sometimes even a magenta or purple...it all depends on the particular color scheme of the piece.

So we are using 4 values on this demo. Often there will be more than 4 values, but I'm trying to keep this demo as simple as possible.

These values are:
Medium-dark...base-coat, accents, detailing
Light...highlights, accents, detailing
Dark...shading, accents, detailing
Darkest...finishing accents

If you adopt this technique and become familiar with it, you will no doubt find yourself using several more values.

It is the variation of values & the way they're applied that make for interesting black areas.

You are creating the ILLUSION of black, not a solid, "side of a barn" flat black.

When applied to your carving - particularly if there is the contrast of light areas next to the black - the viewer's eye will "see" black.

Straight tube black tinted with white limits you...plus there's the very real possibility of "dead" looking blacks & an area that does not harmonize with the rest of your carving.

From here on out, I will refer to my mixed black as "black".
"Tube black" refers to the manufactured black straight out of the tube.

PHOTO #1

The first thing is to base-coat the area with a medium-dark value of my "black".
I'm tinting (lightening) my black with Titanium White as it is a somewhat neutral white...perhaps a little on the cool (blue) side, but not enough to worry about here.
You could tint with Jo Sonja's Warm White & it will yield a slightly different color because Warm White has a slight yellow bias.
It just depends on what you want, and the color scheme of your piece.
My medium-dark value is 70% "black" & 30% white.

I'VE PHOTOGRAPHED THESE PROGRESS PHOTOS IN STRONG LIGHT IN ORDER TO SHOW THE SUBTLETIES OF DETAIL DEMONSTRATED. THEREFORE, THE COLORS ARE LIGHTER THAN IN "REAL LIFE".

PHOTO #2 Jump to Photo 3

Make a lighter value of 50% "black" + 50% white and apply random highlights.
Then, with full strength "black" apply random shading.

Here's my key to softness & interest:
DO NOT lighten (or darken, as the case may be) every feather base & DO NOT darken (or lighten) every feather edge.

This often results in a scaly, too even appearance.
Randomness is the key here.
In real life, light hits the feathers in different areas & in different ways.
Also, some feathers are naturally different values than their neighbors.

What this step is doing is recreating this light play in the initial basing in of color. Establish this randomness & variety early in the painting process. This looks really weird now, but it will all be pulled together in the next steps.

Right now, there is no delineation of individual feathers...aside from that done in the carving phase...and you don't WANT color delineation of the feathers right now. This delineation will be done in the last step.

You can see, though, how this randomness is already creating the illusion of softness. Look closely, & you will see that the lights and darks don't follow any particular feather edge or base. Also, each feather does not have light & dark patches in the same places, nor in the same quantity as the others.

It is difficult at first to resist creating order and pattern, but it's a vital part of this technique to avoid order.

The highlights & shades were applied with an airbrush. You could use a Wet-blending technique to achieve the same effect. This is the only stage I'll use an airbrush.

From here on out, all details and accents are done with a wash brush and a Series 7020 Loew-Cornell Ultra-round brush.

The highlight color appears to be a simple "grey", but it is not. It is a tint of the two-color "black" mix discussed in Part 1 - Understanding "Black". As stated earlier, straight tube black + white makes for dead looking blacks and greys.

PHOTO #3
Back Photo #2

With the medium-dark value and a #4 brush paint random detail lines throughout the entire area to bring the values closer together.

"Detailing" is pulling accent lines through the feather, following the flow of the barb lines.
Work quickly & use a light touch. You want the detail lines thin.
If you try to make each stroke deliberate, you run the risk of applying too much pressure, which will make a thicker stroke.

Try to use just the tip of the brush, and just "kiss" the surface with it.
Also, don't paint every barb, and vary the lengths of the strokes. In other words...
Some strokes won't go all the way to the base or edge, & / some should extend slightly past the edges.

It helps to pick up a little flow medium on your brush prior to loading it with paint.
The paint consistency should be a little thinner than cream.
Remember...random.

Compare this photo closely with Photo #2. The detail lines are not obvious,but still visible...beginning to subtly tie the values together. You can see that the patchiness is still evident, but not as strong.