Painting Stormtroopers

[player2801864 38]

While I know Sorastro has a tutorial upcoming and there are a bundle of how to paint videos online, I was wondering if anyone has come across painting Stormtroopers as if they're in brand new, shiny armor. Would it just be using a gloss on the white, matte on the black? While dirty, battle hardened troopers are going to be fun to paint, I'd like to have some pristine rookies in reserve.

[Ailowynn 1,723]

You probably want to spray them with matte varnish, and then brush on gloss varnish in a few layers for the armor. 

[MasterShake2 5,184]

I'll be putting up a tutorial this evening on how I did it. It's easier than people think.

[Ranger421 36]

19 minutes ago, MasterShake2 said:

I'll be putting up a tutorial this evening on how I did it. It's easier than people think.

Will you be posting your tutorial in the forums??

[TryerImp 44]

Anything to help put the forces out quickly.

I'm too slow of a painter to field an army quickly (only really play with painted figures). Any speed painting tips that make the figures look good up close as well would be greatly appreciated.

[Mep 2,291]

Do it like any highlight, matt everything, then semi-gloss areas then high gloss a few highlights. I've never liked doing high gloss everywhere. Makes the whole thing look plastic.

Once you get the hang of it, stromtroopers are easy and quick to paint.

[Virgil Cain 18]

I'll probably do some layers of satin varnish on the armor. I hate gloss varnish. 

[HaranHaste 137]

Geek and Sundry did an article about quickly painting Stormtroopers. It's probably the method that I will use since it looked super easy and quick.

[Skyguard 60]

1 hour ago, player2801864 said:

While I know Sorastro has a tutorial upcoming and there are a bundle of how to paint videos online, I was wondering if anyone has come across painting Stormtroopers as if they're in brand new, shiny armor. Would it just be using a gloss on the white, matte on the black? While dirty, battle hardened troopers are going to be fun to paint, I'd like to have some pristine rookies in reserve.

Why wouldn't the original Sorastro IA stormtrooper  video work for this?  Just don't do the battle damage he does starting around 7:45 in the video . That's how I painted my IA troopers. If you want the armor glossy just add gloss varnish  (Citadel Ardcoat, Vallejo Gloss Medium,  Army Painter Warpaints: Gloss Varnish, etc) to the white after you seal it with matt. (you can water down the gloss varnish to lower the level of the effect see the end of the video)

 

Edited February 27, 2018 by Skyguard

[KalEl814 1,510]

1 hour ago, Skyguard said:

Why wouldn't the original Sorastro IA stormtrooper  video work for this?  Just don't do the battle damage he does starting around 7:45 in the video . That's how I painted my IA troopers. If you want the armor glossy just add gloss varnish  (Citadel Ardcoat, Vallejo Gloss Medium,  Army Painter Warpaints: Gloss Varnish, etc) to the white after you seal it with matt. (you can water down the gloss varnish to lower the level of the effect see the end of the video)

 

Sorastro has later Stormie videos that are a little less labor intensive. It can be tedious and potentially problematic to wash dark and then shade up to something as white as Stormtrooper armor. You can get good results that way, but there are less time consuming options.

In fact, I’m pretty sure he talks about them in his Kayn Somos / Heavy Stormie vid... though I cannot recall if it’s that one for sure.

[Mep 2,291]

Yeah, Sorastro's later technique is actually a lot better. Even something simple like stormtroopers can be revised and improved upon. Sounds like we will be getting an even more updated video on stormtrooper soon.

[Skyguard 60]

3 hours ago, Mep said:

Yeah, Sorastro's later technique is actually a lot better. Even something simple like stormtroopers can be revised and improved upon. Sounds like we will be getting an even more updated video on stormtrooper soon.

Did he really change that much? From a quick look it only major changes in ep 30 (Kayn Somos & Heavy Stormtroopers) are switching to a darker gray (german gray) and then using a lighter wash by mixing in 50/50 Lahmian Medium. I agree that it looks like that would be faster to paint as you don't have to high light up as much.

[Col. Dash 48]

I am painting white Space Marines for 40k currently and plan on using the same method for Legion troopers when I get around to it.

Primer GW white, make sure completely covered using several light coats. I haven't tried with a cheap white rattle can. Airbrush would work as well.

Wash with GLOSS Nuln Oil. Gloss is a far superior wash than regular Nuln Oil, it really does hit the cracks and crevices better than normal and I don't find it pooling as much.

Dry Brush fairly heavy white. I use a Valajo white color of some sort.

A very fine lined highlight in GW white which is a hair lighter than the VJ white, mostly on the upper and extreme edges, its almost invisible over the dry brush so you could skip it if you really wanted.

Again using GLOSS Nuln Oil some fine shading in the areas that need it with a fine brush but nothing extreme. Only if needed.

Do the eyes and needed details in black.

And for Storm Troopers some sort of gloss coat. Probably just a krylon gloss or Satin varnish. Done.

All total, each guy might take 5 minutes of actual work, not counting drying time. My marines have other details which drives the time up but not knowing what all the storm troopers consist of I cant comment on it.

BASING

Basing makes the model. Let me say that again, Basing makes the model. So much you can do from easy to elaborate. Easiest is PVC glue(elmers glue) on the top and dip it in a can of fine flock(of whatever color you want) and paint the edges of the base in a complementary but non-garish color. I tend to use colors which somewhat match the models. I am using adeptus battlegrey on my white marines(highlight color), I use mahagony on my IG(same color as their boots), dark red on my Minotaurs(space marine Spartans in bronze armor), etc.

But basing is stupidly important if you want good looking models. You can have basic 3 color models with a decent(not even good) base and they will look better at tabletop distance from a level 5 paint scheme and no basework. I have done it and had people pick up the models and comment they thought the scheme was more elaborate than it was because the basing creates an optical illusion.

I see people comment on here about basing not matching the terrain. Its almost not important. Whats important is they match each other. I have my Minotaurs on snow and rock basing and I don't ever notice even when placed on desert or urban boards. They fight side by side with my guard who are on generic brown rock/dusty bases. Both use the same color bushes which tie them together.

 

[ScummyRebel 5,346]

Looking forward to seeing his Legion stormtrooper tutorial. Otherwise, I think I’ll do something like his later video.

prime white, dark gray (gunmetal gray?) the black spots of them, dark wash, selectively dry brush white back over some of the armor.

I want my guys to be battle hardened veterans, so matte varnish for me.

[Skyguard 60]

6 minutes ago, ScummyRebel said:

Looking forward to seeing his Legion stormtrooper tutorial. Otherwise, I think I’ll do something like his later video.

prime white, dark gray (gunmetal gray?) the black spots of them, dark wash, selectively dry brush white back over some of the armor.

I want my guys to be battle hardened veterans, so matte varnish for me.

Sorastro uses Vallejo German Grey 995 in his later trooper videos for the dark points, when he switches to a less dark wash.

I would still add some gloss over the matte varnish on the armor but you could water it down 50/50 or more to lower the shine to get the used look. Even the ROJ troopers fighting in the field had a bit of a shine.

[Hoffburger 209]

I like this method if you want dirtier style troopers. Super easy.

 

https://youtu.be/q7K3NZc7pGA

Edited February 28, 2018 by Hoffburger

[C3POFETT 833]

I painted my Stormtroopers for Imperial Assault in two ways.

Of course the traditional shiny white armor Stormtrooper and also as a Shadowtrooper. (They can be seen in the Imperial Assault Forums)

I too wanted that shiny Original Trilogy (except for some scenes on Tattooine) appearance of my Stormtroopers. I am not knocking it because I have seen some great looking troopers posted by other members but I didn't think washes were the way to go for my troopers.

How I achieved the look of my Stormtroopers was a watered down semi gloss paint applied in layers as it dried it gave a smooth NO BRUSHSTROKE appearance. (I also used the same process when applying flesh tones to my miniatures after seeing how the armor came out.) This is a little time consuming but if you decide to tackle all your troopers at once you can start on the first trooper and by the time you reach the last one the first one should be ready for the next coat. A few coats should do the trick. Using semi gloss paints once done the miniatures were ready to be handled without applying any other finishes.

[Jabby 1,042]

Just prime white, block in black, wash with 1:4/1:5 nuln oil:lahmian medium

[azavander 150]

I think its great all the different varieties of options people have posted.  Just goes to show there is no wrong option on how to do it. One thing that has stuck out to me is Priming black and painting / dry brushing white and the reverse Priming white and painting black.   Is there some pro's or cons to one way or the other?  I am new to this and trying to figure out whats best for me.

[KalEl814 1,510]

13 minutes ago, azavander said:

I think its great all the different varieties of options people have posted.  Just goes to show there is no wrong option on how to do it. One thing that has stuck out to me is Priming black and painting / dry brushing white and the reverse Priming white and painting black.   Is there some pro's or cons to one way or the other?  I am new to this and trying to figure out whats best for me.

If you prime white then paint the black bits black... you just need to work to get the shadows and stuff done. You could wash with a thinned dark wash and call it a day, etc. You could wash with undiluted dark wash and then layer back up to white if you’re not opposed to doing several coats of white. This might make your edges / shadows really pop. That method is similar to priming black and then drybrushing up to white.

Really the main thing I’d ask is if you feel up to a few coats of white to bring a darker mini up to white? That will probably get you the most contrast, but it’s potentially a lot more work. If you’re worried about doing a lot of detail work, you could prime black, then drybrush grey and then drybrush again up to white. You might lose a little of the shading shadows that way, but you’re doing less fine work and it’ll be less time consuming.

Also... you’ll have a bunch of Stormies from the core set. Do your first with one method, your second with another, and pick your poison. It’ll be easy enough to paint any differences away with a thin wash, some edging, or just say that one of them has more battle damage. Role play that noise!

[Hidatom 503]

WHITE PRIMER! 
why add a completely unnecessary step by priming it black?
 

 

[Hidatom 503]

Necromancer cloak from Army painter is a perfect "dark grey" for the first layer of black. (not sure what the GW paint would be...Eshin grey?) 

[Mep 2,291]

6 hours ago, Skyguard said:

Did he really change that much? From a quick look it only major changes in ep 30 (Kayn Somos & Heavy Stormtroopers) are switching to a darker gray (german gray) and then using a lighter wash by mixing in 50/50 Lahmian Medium. I agree that it looks like that would be faster to paint as you don't have to high light up as much.

It seems like a small change but really cuts down on the amount of work needed to go back and highlight everything.

[Skyguard 60]

6 minutes ago, Hidatom said:

Necromancer cloak from Army painter is a perfect "dark grey" for the first layer of black. (not sure what the GW paint would be...Eshin grey?) 

This paint conversion site say it would be Dryad Bark but the picture to me shows that to be much browner.

[Drasnighta 26,832]

The fact that they also compare Matt black to dryad bark instead of... yknow... BLACK like Abaddon black... .  That just makes me worry that Army painter Matt black isn’t.... black...

 

 

For Dark Dingy grey, go Eshin Grey or Skavenblight Dinge... preferably with a drop or two of black in it... it’s a great off-black