Star Wars 1/12 Clone Trooper

Inspiration:

I always considered myself a casual Star Wars fan: I watched the original trilogy on VHS multiple times and every movie in the prequel and sequel series in theaters. It wasn't until Episode II: Attack of the Clones came out alongside the original Star Wars Battlefront I and II that I took a deeper interest in the story, especially the Clones themselves. The Clone War is my favorite era - full scale campaigns with sides of comparable power fighting against the other. The Clones' stories as individuals trained to be soldiers without the freedom and choice in the matter. In trying to absorb as much media as possible, I read the Star Wars: Republic Commando series twice, because it finally told the story from the Clone perspective. I am currently watching the Star Wars Clone Wars animated TV show which is giving me a similar sense.

I was ecstatic when Bandai announced their intention to make the Clone Trooper. Their design has always spoken to me, especially their Phase I helmet and gear. The kit being a blank slate also gives us modelers the opportunity to customize it as we see fit. One of the issues when it was first released was actually getting the kit though - no American/US shop seemed to sell it and the import of it (and many other Bandai Star Wars kits) seemed to be banned for a while. It wasn't until a few years after its release that I found one at Discount Hobby Warehouse in San Diego, CA

In my curiousity about the kit, I looked up reviews online and found a few modelers. The one that got me most excited was IC Model Kits and Sculpts's "How to make your Bandai Clone Trooper Look Like a SideShow Figure" video (unfortunately, he has taken down the video). After watching this multiples times, looking at the process and techniques, I was ready to tackle my own.

Now, while I had the option to pick one of the many trooper designs and color schemes, I elected to keep the Clone Trooper in Phase I with no decoration, because I wanted this to represent the Trooper's first sortie in the Battle of Geonosis.

Process:

This kit looks great out of the box. Bandai made an amazing job with the gloss on the armor and I knew it would be a shame to paint over it. Regardless, I wanted to fully paint the figure myself and try to get some of the gloss back using clear coats. Using IC's process above, I bought some black panty hose and wrapped it around the joints and chest area to mimic the undersuit of the soldier. The pantyhose is attached to the figure using Superglue (CA Glue).

The entire figure was airbrushed using the Badger 105 Patriot with a Central Pneumatic 100 PSI, 3 Gallon Air Compressor. In order to represent the environment of Geonosis, the base and weathering on the figure were handbrushed with reddish sandy colors and hues. I also added a few scorch marks from glancing phaser fire. You can follow my progress on my Twitter @chetario starting on January 30, 2019.

Colors:

• Mission Models Mecha Acrylic Primer - White
• craftsmart Acrylic Paint White
• craftsmart Acrylic Paint Black
• craftsmart Acrylic Paint Grey
• Vallejo Model Wash - Black
• craftsmart Acrylic Paint Light Blue
• Future Floor Polish
• craftsmart Acrylic Paint Red
• craftsmart Acrylic Paint Orange
• crafsmart Acrylic Paint Tan

Basic Shots:

 

Accessories:

Action Shots:

Verdict:

Overall, I'm glad I took the time to work above the basic plastic of this model. It is unfortunate that there is already some fraying on the under suit, which I will need to correct in the future. I am proud of the work I did on this model kit and I will be using what I learned here towards my next Clone Trooper or First Order figure in the future.

Although it is a little limited in poseability, due to the bands on the knees and elbows, it is still a good figure that can get you the stances you need. Although I kept mine in its basic white, I can see how easily it would be to paint it in different colors schemes and configurations.

The pictures above were taken with a Canon 5D Mk II Camera, with a Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. All pictures were post-processed using Adobe Lightroom.

Thank you for reading this post and the support. Constructive criticism is always welcome and I will respond to each comment. Advice on how I can improve is also appreciated.

Keep Building, My Friends!

To Our Fallen Brothers