Silly Chinese Umbrella Question

[Major Weenie]

OK,

So I'm painting up some Copplestone BOB Chinese for a chum, and I was working on the officer with the umbrella. I'd just finished the handle, and was about to paint the fabric of the umbrella.  It was going to be black, because every gentleman's umbrella is black, but then I realized that this was only true of my relatives.

So what color should I use for the fabric of a Chinese officer from the 1920's - 1930's ?

And please don't tell me something like, "Oh it's just like the tartan from the clan MacObscure."

[HerbyF]

For this period black would most likely be correct. The bright colorful umbrellas would have been completely out of fashion for just about everyone by this time.

[OSHIROmodels]

Black with dark blue highlights would be good.

cheers

James

[Svennn]

Yes, it is exactly what it is - an umbrella (or if you go by that bloody song - umber-rella) More a European import than a ceremonial parasol.

[Centaur_Seducer]

Dark green feels right too. Might fit the miniature better

[OSHIROmodels]

(or if you go by that bloody song - umber-rella-ella-ella-ella)

Get it right 

cheers

James

[Mark Plant]

An umbrella keeps rain off (otherwise you have a parasol). They are traditionally black in the West because for a very long time that was the colour of the only proper water-proof fabrics. They are black because coal-tar is black.

However colourful umbrellas were always popular, and apparently the Victorians were very fond of them. A black umbrella says "this is a utilitarian device", whereas a girl who only needs to walk a few hundred metres in the rain might find a pretty but less waterproof one does the job.

Easterners have an entirely different tradition. Their traditional umbrellas are flat-edged with more spokes (think cocktail umbrellas) rather than curved with eight or so spokes like ours. Also the Chinese are big users of parasols, so it might not be an umbrella at all.

Paint them whatever colour you like.

[rob_alderman]

(or if you go by that bloody song - umber-rella)

Umber-rella?

So they would be burnt umber?