I just started getting into painting my figures and only have a handful done. However I have decided that choosing a color scheme for a figure is the most annoying part of painting. Do you guys just go with whats on the packaging or do you already have a theme in mind when you choose your next figure to paint?

I either go with the card art or if it is one that has been in the movies. I will try to go with that. You should look at sorastro on YouTube. He has done some decent color schemes on some of the figures. I also used reapers power palette before I found sorastros videos.

25 minutes ago, supersayian said:

I either go with the card art or if it is one that has been in the movies. I will try to go with that. You should look at sorastro on YouTube. He has done some decent color schemes on some of the figures. I also used reapers power palette before I found sorastros videos.

Thank you. I have seen some of the Sorasto videos. I dont want to copy them because my quality wont be in the same realm

4 minutes ago, Trudem said:

Thank you. I have seen some of the Sorasto videos. I dont want to copy them because my quality wont be in the same realm

If that's the part you're worried about, start from video number 1 and work your way forward - you might be surprised at the results you can get. I had never painted anything before when I started that first stormtrooper video, and my results were... nowhere near Sorastro's. But still way better than unpainted!

Now I'm able to paint the new miniatures on my own using techniques that he's shown, and when I do follow along with him my results are... still nowhere near as good as Sorastro's . But they're much better than they used to be, and there are a few that I'm really proud of.

I just started. I have completed my Hired Guns and my IG and my wife did the Jawa. I prefer my IG to my Hired Guns. I struggled so much with the color scheme I decided to wing it and go with a Florida Gator theme lol

I love it! Nothing wrong with showing a little hometown pride

If it's a canon character I tend to go with how they looked on screen/in comics or whatever.

If it's a generic character I tend to go with how they should look in the case of Imperials and just kind of do whatever I think looks cool in the case of Mercs and Rebels.

If it's one of the IA specific characters (Gideon, Mak, Vinto etc) I someitmes try and match the character art and sometimes just do my own thing.

So far mostly done according to the movies with the imperial but the heroes and scum I have done a bit of my own by taking inspiration from the Expanded Universe that is non-canon.

His eyes were the toughest part but I really enjoyed this one. I wanted his belly to be a little lighter in color but overall I am happy with this and afraid to tinker too much lol

First off let me just say great work. I watched Sorastros videos and was very impressed with his work. There are some truly brilliant techniques that create fabulous results. I have been painting miniatures on and off for decades and IA along with Soratros videos got me back in the hobby. I have some of what I have done posted in this forum under C3POFETTs Miniatures. I have 2 sets of all boxes so it is taking a while.

I based my style of painting on the Black Series 6 inch figures and the Original Trilogy Vintage Colletion action figure line. Also a lot of going back and re-watching the films for reference. For the IA heroes I try to stay close the character cards. I painted my Han Solo and Boba Fett from TESB. Since most character packs fall in the ESB time line I may as well stay consistant. I will most likely paint another Boba Fett from RotJ as well.

On 7/12/2017 at 6:12 AM, Trudem said:

Thank you. I have seen some of the Sorasto videos. I dont want to copy them because my quality wont be in the same realm

What I've found to be personally helpful and rather freeing is to give myself permission to be awful when starting something new. This is especially true when it comes to painting minis. I'd recommend, as others have, starting with the first Stormtroopers video Sorastro released. However, rather than batch paint, complete one Stormtrooper at a time so you get an idea of what the process is. Prep > Prime > Base > Wash > Highlight > Finishing Touches > Varnish. It'll also help you see where you need to focus for improvement, and you'll have 8 more identical minis that you can get more practice with. The best thing you can do to improve is just paint. You'll make progress, even if it's slow progress.

Generally I go with packaging, particularly with unique figures.

With the non-uniques, I usually make sure at least one deployment group (I make sure all units in a delpoyment group match) fits the original color scheme, while other can- but don't have to- deviate.

For example, a common tactic I and many others use is to give the Stormtroopers colored shoulderpads to differentiate groups. For mine, I have one "White" group with no colored shoulder pad (the generic group based on the original art), one "Blue group", and a "Red group" for the elites.

A slightly more creative approach is how I handled my Trandoshans. The regulars have blue jumpsuits, while the elites have red ones. Also, the rNexu has light black stripes, while the eNexu has light red ones.

I'm sure by now it's obvious that I like to use red to denote elite status...