Painting Vader as Easily as Possible, or 'Drybru-Sith' [How I Paint Things]

Darth Vader is awesome.
Probably one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable movie villains in history, brought to life by David Prowse, James Earl Jones, and Hayden Christensen on the big screen, Vader's relentlessness and seemingly limitless power fueled by the Dark Side of the Force make him a towering presence whose influence is felt throughout all of Star Wars.
Painting a miniature almost entirely in black gear can seem daunting, but it needn't be. As always, it's a case of just breaking down each step and approaching them one by one - just like all painting!
Check out the whole catalogue of SkullForge STLs for home printing on Gumroad: skullforgestudios.gumroad.com/
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00:00 - Intro
01:06 - About the Miniature
02:09 - Painting Black
10:07 - Painting the Lightsaber
16:10 - The Finished Sith Lord
Thanks to Producer Patrons Alan Nuttall, Kyrie Crawford, Trainboy, Jimmy, and Rod - as well as all the other Patrons that made this video possible, and Exit23 Games for recording equipment that helps keep the channel ticking over! Find out more at the following links:
/ sonicsledgehammer
/ sonicsledge
/ sonicsledgehammer
ko-fi.com/docwholigan
exit23.games
THE BASE: Armageddon Dust, Seraphim Sepia, drybrush Tyrant Skull and paint the base rim in XV-88. Done!
PAINTS USED:
PRIMERS:
Matt Black (Army Painter)
CITADEL:
Dawnstone (Dry)
Longbeard Grey (Dry)
Iron Hands Steel (Base)
Nuln Oil (Shade)
Evil Sunz Scarlet (Layer)
Calgar Blue (Layer)
Nurgling Green (Layer)
Corax White (Base)
Blood Angels Red (Contrast)
Contrast Medium (Technical)
Wrack White (Dry)
VALLEJO:
Black Grey
Basalt Grey
German Grey
VARNISHES:
Citadel Munitorum Varnish
Instar Varnish+

[@thetraitorguardsmen.5321]

There is an alternative universe story where he lived and become a Jedi again. his armour was white. blue lenses and brown robe's. so you didn't have to paint him black. But he looks better in black. Nice work by the way. 💯🖤👌

[@stephenrider6107]

damn, I have other projects to work on, but now...I have one more! Thanks man.

[@beatjunky101]

Looks amazing as usual. Will try this out on my Imperial Assualt Vader

[@sotbs2641]

INSTAAAAR i fuckin love these guys (this guy?). their Water+ changed my painting life

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Water+ is something you hear about and you think it has to be a joke, but then you try it and... woah, okay. It's REAL. 🤣 It WORKS.

[@sotbs2641]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio I spent so long going back and forth on whether or not to try it before biting the bullet by buying 100ml of the stuff. a single drop in all my paint pots has stopped them all separating between uses (though ofc I still shake them before opening). infamous GW whites and greys no longer misbehave. glazes are no longer tricky, as they can be with mundane water alone. it truly is a phenomenal medium

[@DarkWatch-Ian]

Hi Sonic. Really enjoyed the tutorial. It will be very handy for my 2nd box of Sisters of battle which you know that I like. You've taken the stress out of black armour, and for that I am forever grateful. Glad you are OK and back to what you do best. Keep enjoying your hobby. Take care my friend. Kind regards Ian

[@mangoman9290]

Thanks for the tip on the blood angels red over the dark grey on the eyes. I used it on some sci-fi visors and it worked really well as a nice base before highlighting.

[@red42a]

Brilliant! Also, your videos are fun to watch because your voice is perfect for instruction.

[@johnkelley9877]

One color schemes are more difficult to paint that is often expected but you did a fantastic job! The model has interest simply by using various shades of black. Thanks for sharing this.

[@irishtom30]

Perfect timing, a friend and I just ordered the legion starter set. Naturally, I chose the bad guys to paint, so I'll probably do exactly this for my Vader, so thanks! I imagine this exact method would work pretty well with death troopers as well

[@richnowak8667]

Really like the job you did with Vader, really thinking I need to grab another Vader and try your method on him

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Troy . 🐺

[@alessiodecarolis]

It's incredible what today one can achieve with 3D printers, your work, as usual is great, now it's possible with all these greys have a realistical"black" suit The semigloss effect on the armour is great, also if on my old Grenadier 's Vader I choose a gloss helmet (in the first movie was very glossy)

[@pnob69]

Thanks mate, perfect timing! This looks great! I need to get my Vader from the SWL core set painted and I’m going to be following this.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Playing the Imperial side is definitely the correct choice. ;D

[@pnob69]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio ♥️😂🤣

[@timothyyoung2962]

That turned out really nice. I like the differences in blacks as well as textures using the different varnishes. And I fully agree there's just something bad ass about Vader. Even in the new Obi Wan series, he still looks so damn menacing all these many years later. He just has this ancient aura about him, like the sci-fi version of a vicious black knight, or a cybernetic death knight, with his flaming sword and lifeless eyes. Even his voice sounds holly and void of humanity, with a hint of arrogant evil. Really enjoyed watching the process.

[@dwarrenmsp]

I have the operative Vader for Legion still to paint. I think I might try your lightsaber technique. I really like how it turned out!

[@JimmyCarmine]

Darth Vader and the Daleks sounds like a lot of fun

[@tk-eva72minis]

Yes yes yes! More Star Wars please 🙌🏻

[@rickyl3136]

I love it. Sorry about your week I hope it gets better soon, I also hope you do Darth Maul but honestly he's too similar for it to be something I could see you making. Anyways great video and I can't wait to see the next model.

[@robisonwells1]

Looks great! I really struggle with painting black armor so this was really useful.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

With so much black all in one place, Vader is like... the number one place to practice, I'd say. 😂 Short of busting out a whole bunch of Death Troopers!

[@smangnall]

Might finally paint my Vader models (yes multiple) on the back of this! Thank you!!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

It's inevitable we end up with a few of the miniatures we most like! :D

[@justanothercaptain6566]

OMG! This couldn’t have come out at a better time! I have a Darth Vader commission sitting on my desk. I wasn’t sure how to do him! Thank you! With light sabres, I find if you use an ink over a white surface and you’ve got the same effect. Cheers 🍻

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Excellent! :D I swear I don't have a camera poised over everyone's hobby desks...

[@justanothercaptain6566]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio I wouldn’t care if you did! 🤣👍🍻

[@nnnnnccccc]

i did belakor the same technique as you but with different highlight colors. I love it and will use your recipe for my Star Wars shatterpoint minis :)

[@jediknutt620]

You know someone has done a great job with Vader when you can “hear” the pics. The breathing, the hum of the lightsaber…

[@iangreen4572]

I just used Humbrol matt black enamel on cloth parts and gloss black on his helmet and armour parts.

[@fogh]

Ah, the Force is definitely strong in this one! Great paint job on DV. Love the way you make all of those black tones work together. You are a very bad influence on my paint budget though; so many great colours to try out 😜.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I will not rest until German Grey is in every hobbyist's collection! It's cracking stuff. :D

[@fogh]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio It has been ordered this very evening 👍.

[@simongreen4378]

superb

[@colinb9884]

Thanks for the video. I'll try this on my space marine chaplain 👍🏻

[@Daetrax]

Really a wonderful guide on painting black in general. I am surprised you didn't go high gloss on the helmet as you'd usually see reflections in it in the movies.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

The trouble in really high gloss on miniatures is that it can look extremely plastic if it doesn't settle just right. I'm not a huge fan of the effect except on glass and such, but some folks really like the look.

[@TheeMrRasmus]

That's a convienient guide... I just bought the base game of Legion yesterday :-D

[@simdoyle]

Thanks for sharing😊

[@stephenjohnston7630]

Drybrushing a home 3D print, how quality has moved on!

[@zakatkin9602]

That looks awesome! Kinda tempted to get my own and see if I can use an LED filament for his saber

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I'd seen someone suggest printing the saber in translucent resin and attaching it afterward, but your way sounds way cooler! :D

[@zakatkin9602]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio I think both ways would work well, but the led would also give ambient lighting too. Might be good for hiding the many mistakes I usually make painting.

[@mattchristensen7271]

I need this mini

[@mateuszpychynski3370]

Great black robes! I will use it on something much more evil... :D

[@marckrug]

Awesome

[@nickdavis5420]

Aww snap

[@Otherworldlyobjectives]

Hey sledge I’d really love to see you paint some bolt action Korean War stuff! I think the flag bearer from the support box would be a great subject for a video! Best wishes

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Does someone have a support box they need painting? 😂 It's honestly not likely I'll be painting any Korean war stuff any time soon, there just isn't much demand for it. Luckily, the PLA during the Korean war was wearing much the same gear as they had been during the Chinese Civil War, which I've covered here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqmai4VmfrSrfKM

[@michaelheffner7684]

For fellow people who struggle with painting black, you could always do the original comics way of drawing Vader. He was GREEN for some reason

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

That would certainly stand out! You wouldn't mistake him for anyone else's miniature, for sure. 😂

[@NeoByteNL]

These Skullforge models look amazing, any chance you can do the TaunTauns ?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I didn't realise Skull Forge did Tauntauns?

[@NeoByteNL]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio Never mind, I clicked on one of their 3D printer stores, turned out the model I saw was from Madox.

[@stephenrider6107]

You need to do a Darth Dalak!

[@alphanimetv]

Thanks for the tutorial. I love this miniature, but I don't find it on the store of Skullforge. Did you have a tip about that ?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Could be that it just hasn't been added to the store yet. One of the benefits to being a Patron is getting in there first, I guess!

[@alphanimetv]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio Oh I see. Thanks for the quick answer !

[@abcose7840]

Whats the best color to use for black grey if you only have citadel paints

[@johntailby74]

Did you consider painting the light sabre silver before applying the red?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

You could do, but I'm not sure once it's glazed that it would look all that different to white.

[@dwadland]

Just had a look at their website. Ripping off Disney IP seems like a bold strategy...

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

One of *so, so many*. Apparently Disney's less litigious about it than we'd thought, or these occupy some grey area that isn't worth pursuing listed as 'casual play' miniatures. It's fairly brazen, but it isn't as if Disney doesn't already have most of my money Games Workshop doesn't already. 🤣

[@petersaczko6192]

“All I’m surrounded by is fear and dead men.” “Dead men? No… not that one over there. I’m pretty sure that’s a woman… actually… isn’t that your wife?” “NOooooooooooooo!!!!!!!”

[@PASZCZak47]

It would be cool if light saber would glow on his glove and cape.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

"As easily as possible" does preclude getting into object lighting and all that, mind.