50 paints
Covers 10 of 12 colours in this scheme
How to Paint White Scars
Clean white armour with red detailing
Prices in $ for the US
Before you commit
Painting ratings are our judgement, with the reasoning on the comparison page; prices are live and dated.
Paint sets that cover this scheme
All paint setsOne box of paints instead of 12 pots. Each card says how many of this scheme's colours it holds.
71 paints
Covers 9 of 12 colours in this scheme
69 paints
Covers 9 of 12 colours in this scheme
16 paints
Covers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
29 paints
Covers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
24 paints
Covers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
General starter boxes
All boxesWe can't price a White Scars box in your market today, so these are general starter boxes, and each card says so.
Not White Scars — general starterOrks · 12 models · 4 kits
1× Space Marines Lieutenant · 5× Intercessors · 1× Ork Nob · 5× Ork Boyz
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 starterUltramarines · 13 models · 4 kits
1× Captain with Relic Shield · 1× Librarian · 5× Intercessors · 5× Vanguard Veterans · 1× Land Speeder
Recommended recipe
How the scheme reads on a model
Armour — base to highlight
Tap a colour to change its paint.
Additional 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.
Suggested
★ Our pick for base coat
Exact Match
Close
Matt Cexwish Heavy Titanium White
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
Suggested
Close
Close
Targor Rageshade
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Shade 99189953064
from$6.63· compare 6 shops· priced 13 Sep
Close
1-Step Bright Slate Grey
Monument · Monument Pro Acryl 1-Step
from$5.40· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
Similar
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
Suggested
Very Close
Matt Cexwish Heavy Titanium White
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
Very Close
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
Suggested
★ Our pick for highlight
Very Close
Exact Match
Transparent White
Monument · Monument Pro Acrylic Paints MPA064
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
Suggested
★ Our pick for edge highlight
Very Close
Exact Match
Transparent White
Monument · Monument Pro Acrylic Paints MPA064
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
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.
Suggested
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
Balthasar Gold
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950310
from$3.87· compare 6 shops· priced 13 Sep
Close
Metal — weapons
Bolters, blades and casings. Dark gunmetal, washed black, edged with bright steel.
Suggested
John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic
$4.55at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
★ Our pick for metal — weapons
Very Close
Close
Close
Adepticon Magnesium
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S42
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
Similar
Leather & pouches
Straps, holsters and bare wood. Mid brown, shaded, then drybrushed a lighter tan.
Suggested
★ Our pick for leather & pouches
Very Close
Flameon Dark Green Brown
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S25
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
CloseDiscontinued
Skin & flesh
Faces and hands. Basecoat, a flesh wash into the recesses, then build the highlights back up.
Suggested
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from$4.55· compare 5 shops· priced 5 Jul
★ 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.
Suggested
★ Our pick for eyes & lenses
Very Close
John Blanche Masterclass: Bloodmoon Red
Army Painter · Speedpaint 2.0
$4.75at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
Very Close
Very Close
Wild Rider Red
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951304
from$4.55· compare 7 shops· priced 5 Jul
Basing — earth
Groundwork. Earth basecoat, drybrushed bone, finished with your choice of grass, sand or snow.
Suggested
★ Our pick for basing — earth
Very Close
Red details
Shoulders and markings - bold red against the white.
Suggested
★ Our pick for red details
Exact Match
Evil Sunz Scarlet
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951303
from$4.55· compare 4 shops· priced 5 Jul
Very Close
John Blanche Masterclass: Fiery Vermilion
Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic
$4.25at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
Exact MatchDiscontinued
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: Rotten White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
- not stocked: Light Grey, Rotten White, Cold White, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Scarlet, English Uniform, Scarlet Blood
$6.99 US delivery, 3-5 business days
- not stocked: Brigade Grey, Light Grey, Rotten White, Cold White, Bright Gold, Beasty Brown, Scarlet, English Uniform, Scarlet Blood
$10 US delivery, 4-8 business days, free over $75
- not stocked: Light Grey, Rotten White, Cold White, Bright Gold, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Bestigor Flesh, Scarlet, English Uniform, Scarlet Blood
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Bright Gold
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic
$4.55at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from$4.55· compare 5 shops· priced 5 Jul
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.