Stormtrooper painting session

For this model we decided to try our nGen material and see how it behaves when treated with some painting techniques.

The model was printed with a Ultimaker Original, sliced with KISSlicer at 0.2mm layerheight and some support on the outside of the model.

A small area of the model on the back was sanded with 240 grid sandpaper,  to see how well nGen sands. Definitely feels a lot easier than PLA/PHA and colorFabb XT, which might have something to do with the higher heat resistance of the material.

Vallejo surface primer was used was a first coat. After some light sanding a second primer coat was applied.

Then the skull was painted using acrylic paint by Vallejo. We used a mix of Vallejo Panzer Aces dark Rubber and Metal Color – Duraluminium. We used a regular brush for applying the paint.

After masking of the skull the outside of the stormtrooper was painted using Metal Color – Duraluminium. The metal color will show at the end when the paint chips on the final coat are applied.

In order to create the paint chips we used Liquid Mask. Basically you apply it anywhere you want the final coat the show a chipped effect. The material dries out quite quickly but stays a bit rubbery. After the final coat is applied the liquid mask can be removed, showing the metal layer underneath.

For the top coat Revell acrylic spray was used. Two coats was sufficient for a pretty decent finish, but the idea was to create some weathering and battle damage, so the finish didn’t need to be pristine. Removing the liquid mask was done using toothpicks and cotton swabs, it releases quite easily with some friction.

The final coat was some wheathering effect using Citadel Nuln Oil and Vallejo Model Wash – oiled earth.

In hind side it would have been better to choose a filament color which makes sense when it shows throught the paint slightly. So a dark grey or perhaps silver metallic would have been a logical choice.

The products we’ve used painting the model.