At first glance, a black dog is… just black.
But when you take a closer look, you’ll notice that black is really an illusion.
Fur reflects light, has shadows, highlights, and smooth transitions—and those are never truly black.
To keep a black dog from looking like a flat dark shape in embroidery, you need many shades of gray.
Light grays create highlights, darker grays add depth, and black simply ties everything together.
In photorealistic designs, you’ll often find hints of brown, blue, or warm beige as well—just like the human eye naturally sees them.
Not because the dog changes color, but because light loves to play with fur.
Use only one “black,” and the dog disappears.
Use multiple shades, and the dog comes to life with dimension and expression.
That’s why the more realistic the black dog, the less black it actually is!
