X-Wing: Kath Scarlet Firespray Repaint

Following up on my Krassis Trelix repaint (see here) I have now completed the repaint tutorial for another iconic bounty hunter, the fiery vixen, Kath Scarlet.


The Repaint

Scarlet pilots a wicked looking red and white patterned Firespray-31 patrol and attack craft. The colour scheme is much simpler compared to Krassis but the pattern is much more complex.

Being a lazy git I didn't bother working out the scheme and once again borrowed it from the X-Wing master painter Mr. Tuz. See his blog for the original repaint at Hobby Before I Die. I really like his version due to the symmetry of the red patterns.

Read on to discover how mine turned out.


Undercoat

I didn't bother with stripping the factory paint job as it was not worth the effort. No details would be lost by painting over the existing layer.

With my trusty airbrush, I undercoated the Firespray with VJ Model Air White. I went over it twice as I wanted a clean looking white finish.

White tac used to cover the clear plastic nub

White undercoat using an airbrush

The Basic Colours

The paints used

The Red Bits

Using a standard brush, I carefully painted in the complex red pattern using GW Mechrite Red. This is a very thick paint and it provided a very good coverage.

This stage took a really long time but it was important to get right. Any sloppiness here would show through.


The Grey Bits

I painted the back machinery and the areas along the fins with VJ Base Grey. I then picked out a few details with GW Fortress Grey and VJ Plague Brown.

The guns were then painted using VJ German Grey.

The Washes

Once all the base colours have been applied I wash the model with several generous coatings of GW Badab Black.

The Black Bits

I then followed up with a more precise application of the same Badab Black wash along the joins between the panels. I painted the cockpit window with several coats of GW Abaddon Black.

The Highlights

The guns were highlighted with the base colour German Grey followed by another lighter highlight of 50:50 Sombre Grey and VJ White.

The orange bits were highlighted with the base colour Plague Brown followed by 50:50 Plague Brown and VJ White. For the bits that looked like energy coils I applied a generous coating of GW Lamentors Yellow glaze. The grey parts were drybrushed with Base Grey.

The outer edges of the red panels were highlighted with VJ Fire Red followed by a glaze of GW Bloodletter.

The next step was to highlight the white sections. I considered this a necessity as it helps define the white panels. I highlighted the edges of each panel with VJ White.

This step took a really long time but it was well worth it. The panels really stand out now.

The Engine Glow

I didn't have any masking or painters tape so I improvised with cling film to block most of the ship from potential over spray.

Using the airbrush, I started with VJ Model Air Blue and gradually added white to the mix until I was only spraying white in the middle of the engine. I adjusted the pressure to around 10 psi to get that hazy look to simulate the energy glow. There was some over spray but overall I was very happy with the result.

Varnish

All that was left was to protect the paint job with VJ Matt Varnish. I used GW Ardcoat gloss varnish on the cockpit window for that nice shiny effect. I'm not entirely happy with this bit given how I can't for the life of me get rid of the visible brush strokes.

The Reveal

Behold Kath Scarlet and her red hot ride!

Scarlet and her bounty hunter colleague apprehending a potential rebel scum breaking the speed limit

This was a much harder repaint compared to Krassis or the YT-1300 due to the complex patterns. I'm really proud with how it turned out. Definitely my favourite repaint so far.

With my table-top miniature gaming background I sometimes take for granted my painting. Painting is a skill which means it can be developed and improved upon over time. Some obviously have more talent than others in this area but nearly everyone is capable of developing their painting skills to a certain level. I have been learning how to paint miniatures for over a decade now. For those that are new to miniature painting i.e. those that are coming into X-Wing from boardgames or card games there are many free resources on the internet to teach you how to paint. The only thing needed is patience and the motivation to learn new things. I hope my repaint articles help in this regard.

Next up in the repaints pipeline is the Millennium Falcon and the Phantom cloak/decloak effects. Until next time. Stay calm and keep painting! :D