Not White Scars — general starterOrks · 12 models · 4 kits
1× Space Marines Lieutenant · 5× Intercessors · 1× Ork Nob · 5× Ork Boyz
How to Paint White Scars
Clean white armour with red detailing
Prices in £ for the UK
Before you commit
Painting ratings are our judgement, with the reasoning on the comparison page; prices are live and dated.
Start White Scars — boxes & paint sets
We can't price a box for White Scars in your market today, so here are boxes to start from — and the paint sets that cover most of the recipe below.
Not White Scars — general starter
Not White Scars — general starterDeath Guard · 14 models
7× Angels of Death Kill Team operatives · 7× Plague Marine Kill Team operatives
Not White Scars — general starterOrks · 33 models · 5 kits
£114.80 of contents → £87.20 (save approx £27.60)
Not White Scars — general starterUltramarines · 13 models · 4 kits
1× Captain with Relic Shield · 1× Librarian · 5× Intercessors · 5× Vanguard Veterans · 1× Land Speeder
Not White Scars — general starterOrks · 46 models · 10 kits
1× Captain with Relic Shield · 1× Librarian · 5× Intercessors · 5× Vanguard Veterans with Jump Packs · 1× Land Speeder · 1× Warboss · 1× Weirdboy · 20× Ork Boyz · 10× Gretchin · 1× Wartrakk · 4× Large Manufactorum Ruins · 4× Small Manufactorum Ruins · 1× Shock Array · 1× Capacitor Stack · 2× Rockcrete Barricades · 1× Generator Shrine · 2× Galvanic Pylons
Not White Scars — general starterDrukhari · 13 models · 4 kits
1× Haemonculus · 1× Cronos (which can alternatively be built as a Talos) · 1× Talos (which can alternatively be built as a Cronos) · 10× Wracks
Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Mega Paint Set
50 paints
£136.00
£160.15-15%
+38
· compare 4 shops· priced 1 OctCovers 10 of 12 colours in this scheme
Covers 9 of 12 colours in this scheme
Covers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
Covers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
Vallejo Model Color - American Colonial Set
16 paints
£38.39
£47.99-20%
+4
· compare 3 shops· priced 3 JulCovers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
+40
at Loaded Dice· priced 13 SepCovers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
Recommended recipe
How the scheme reads on a model
Armour — base to highlight
Base coat
Shade
Layer
Highlight
Edge highlight
Additional details
Trim
Weapons
Leather
Skin
Lenses
Basing
Red details
- TrimBright GoldArmy Painter · WarpaintsView paint
- WeaponsJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy MetalArmy Painter · Warpaints FanaticView paint
- LeatherBeasty BrownVallejo · Game Color 72.043View paint
- SkinBestigor FleshCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243View paint
- LensesScarletVallejo · Model Color 70.817View paint
- BasingEnglish UniformVallejo · Model Color 70.921View paint
- Red detailsScarlet BloodVallejo · Game Color 72.106View paint
1
Base coat
Lay the foundation colour down over primer, slightly darker than the final tone.
★ Our pick for base coat
Very Close
Exact Match
Close
CloseDiscontinued
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
Close
Close
Targor Rageshade
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Shade 99189953064
from£4.03· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
Close
Similar
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
CloseDiscontinued
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
★ Our pick for highlight
Very Close
Exact Match
Transparent White
Monument · Monument Pro Acrylic Paints MPA064
from£4.19· compare 2 shops· priced 25 Sep
Exact Match
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
★ Our pick for edge highlight
Very Close
Exact Match
Transparent White
Monument · Monument Pro Acrylic Paints MPA064
from£4.19· compare 2 shops· priced 25 Sep
Exact Match
Details & accent colours
Everything else on the model - metals, skin, leather, lenses, basing and this faction's signature accents.
Metal — trim
Aquilas, rims and ornament. Basecoat gold, wash with a brown shade, then edge a brighter gold.
Bright Gold
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
★ Our pick for metal — trim
Very Close
Very Close
Close
Close
Metal — weapons
Bolters, blades and casings. Dark gunmetal, washed black, edged with bright steel.
★ Our pick for metal — weapons
Very Close
Close
Close
Adepticon Magnesium
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S42
£4.29at Loaded Dice· priced 13 Sep
Similar
Leather & pouches
Straps, holsters and bare wood. Mid brown, shaded, then drybrushed a lighter tan.
★ Our pick for leather & pouches
Exact Match
Very Close
Flameon Dark Green Brown
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S25
£4.29at Loaded Dice· priced 13 Sep
CloseDiscontinued
Skin & flesh
Faces and hands. Basecoat, a flesh wash into the recesses, then build the highlights back up.
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from£2.33· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
★ Our pick for skin & flesh
Very Close
Barbarian Flesh
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Very Close
Very Close
CloseDiscontinued
Eyes & lenses
Lenses, eyes and energy. A bright spot colour that pops against the armour - dot it on and add a white glint.
★ Our pick for eyes & lenses
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Wild Rider Red
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951304
from£2.33· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
Very Close
Basing — earth
Groundwork. Earth basecoat, drybrushed bone, finished with your choice of grass, sand or snow.
★ Our pick for basing — earth
Very Close
Very Close
Very CloseDiscontinued
Close
Red details
Shoulders and markings - bold red against the white.
★ Our pick for red details
Exact Match
Evil Sunz Scarlet
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951303
from£2.33· compare 4 shops· priced 1 Oct
Very Close
Exact MatchDiscontinued
Very Close
Buy It as a Box
Paint sets that cover this recipe - a set is usually cheaper than buying pots one by one.
Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Mega Paint Set
50 paints
£136.00
£160.15-15%
+38
· compare 4 shops· priced 1 OctCovers 10 of 12 paints in this scheme (83%) — shade, layer, highlight, edge highlight and more.
Your paints
Tick off what's already on your shelf — whatever's left is your shopping list.
11 paints in this scheme
Price this recipe
11 paintspostage per seller
- not stocked: John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh
free UK delivery over £20
- not stocked: Light Grey, Rotten White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
£4.99 UK delivery, 1-2 working days, free over £65
- not stocked: Rotten White, Cold White, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
free UK delivery over £75, from £2.66 below that
- not stocked: Brigade Grey, Rotten White, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh
free UK delivery over £75, £3.99 below that
- not stocked: Rotten White, Cold White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Scarlet, English Uniform
- not stocked: Rotten White, Cold White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh, Scarlet Blood
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
- not stocked: Brigade Grey, Light Grey, Rotten White, Cold White, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Scarlet, English Uniform, Scarlet Blood
- not stocked: Brigade Grey, Light Grey, Rotten White, Cold White, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Scarlet, English Uniform, Scarlet Blood
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Brigade Grey
Army Painter
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctLight Grey
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepRotten White
Vallejo
at Jadlam · eBay· priced 5 JulCold White
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepBright Gold
Army Painter
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter
No price tracked yetBeasty Brown
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepBestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctScarlet
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepEnglish Uniform
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepScarlet Blood
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 Sep
Every White Scars kit and box, priced
Prices compared across the shops that stock them — boxes ranked by cost per model.
White Scars are white armour with red trim and tribal markings - a fast, high-contrast scheme once you understand that "white" is really a ramp of greys finishing in white, not a single flat colour.
The signature look
Bright white armour, bold red shoulder trim and weapons, gold detailing, and black-and-white tribal patterns. The white needs subtle shading to show form, or the models read as flat blobs.
Painting white
White straight from the pot over recesses looks chalky and shapeless. Instead:
- Undercoat grey or use a zenithal (black up to white from above).
- Glaze or wash a thin grey/blue into the recesses to define panels.
- Layer clean white on the raised areas and edges.
A grey contrast or a thin grey wash over a white undercoat is the quick route - it shades the recesses for you.
Red and tribal markings
Red shoulders and weapons pop against the white. The lightning/tribal markings are freehand but simple - thin red or black lines following the armour shapes. Practise on a spare model first.
Tips and common mistakes
- Shade white, don't leave it pure. Some grey in the recesses is what makes white look painted.
- Keep recesses cool. A blue-grey shade looks cleaner than a brown one on white.
- Two thin coats. Thick white is the chalkiest finish of all.
Recipes are generated by perceptual colour matching against our cross-brand paint database. Use them as a strong starting point and test paints in person when precision matters.