Level Up! Results

Thank you all for your tremendous interest and enthusiasm for this, my first modelling contest. All-in-all there were a total of 21 entries, of which 9 entrants managed to complete their builds within the deadline.

So, the time has finally come, I have spent the past week going over the entries and scoring them according to 4 different criteria, WIP (work in progress, so I can see how much work has gone into making the model), Skill Advancement (how much I think the planned skill advancement is), Success (how well the advancement turned out) and completed final model.

It was incredibly hard to choose a winner.. there were modellers of all skill levels involved and all the completed models were of a great standard. Although I can only give out two prizes, I hope that all the entries have come away with at least a new string to their bow.

I would like to take a moment to just give a few thoughts on each of the 9 entries:

Char Z'Gok by Tadych:
Tadych's aim was to remake a previous model he had painted using rattle-cans, an improvement on a previous model. Some great detailing put into this one on a crisp and neatly coloured paint job. Some very impressive weathering, paint chipping and rusting detail put in is a lifelike bonus to this highly displayable kit.

SD Kampfer by Effael:
Effael's first resin cast model is a superbly crafted little mean machine with a superb, clean paint job topped off with an ominously mean LED installation. Some real expert detailing here with some top-notch colour separation and decals. The material paintwork here is really something that stood out from me, giving a real 'feel' for different surface texture in the metallics, offset by the ceramic-esque armour parts.

Efreet Nacht by Justinius Builds:
Justin's first resin conversion is a gorgeously spiky and dangerous looking Efreet Nacht, a conversion build over a Zaku MG frame. Superb, clean paint work with some very expert shading, great detailing and some really cool metallic parts. The orange accents really make the overall piece pop right out showing off a keen eye for aesthetic balance. The Kunai-style daggers are a personal favourite part of this model.

Chromed Death by Event Horizon Gunpla
Event Horizon was looking to improve his painting skills with the legendary Death-sythe Hell. Event Horizon most certainly outdid himself in this model, advancing his understanding of metallic coatings to produce a very shiny and gorgeous reproduction of a previous model. The addition of some great decal work produced a great piece, setting him on the path to some future great works.

Sabre Tiger by Chadwokie
His first Zoids kit (and an impressive choice at that) is pretty superbly painted in a desert camoflage colour scheme, with a pleasingly complex construction. Great detailing and one mean looking cat.

Gundam 0 custom HG by Tian Hong:
This heavily modified HG model is a great example of Tian Hong's impressive scratch building skills, taken even further with the addition of one huge cannon! Tian Hong was looking to improve his modification skills, and weathering and has pulled of a great looking model. The almost classical full-armour colour scheme is very well thought out with some skilled colour separation. Great to-scale weathering and material detail.

RG GP-01 Fb by Zubaun Builds
Zubaun's first painted RG is stunningly good considering it's 1/144 scale. Some amazing masking skills shown here with a great eye for colour contrast. Great textures, perfect subtle shading and super-sharp detailing, a real work of art - setting aside my own bias for the bad-ass design of the RG GP-01fb :)

My Winners

My first prize winner is Pawces, with this superb fantasy/medieval concept based off a tallgeese. Pawces was looking to make a custom based on something he had not tried before - born out of a like for Game of Thrones. The level of modification here, and how well it has been pulled off is nothing short of great. The colour choices, the addition of the "chain mail" style shoulders, the fluffy cuff and the cape to my mind would never work on a mecha model, and Pawces has pulled it off spectacularly, and proved my thoughts entirely wrong! The addition of the exquisitely detailed white and gold paint job literally below my socks off, and has become most certainly one of my most favourite models this year so far. Pawces wins the Jehuty HD edition model. Many congratulations to you sir :)

The second prize winner goes to Tigrillo, with his awe inspiring scratch-build of the classic VF-001S. You simply can not ignore the amount of work that has gone into creating this. Tigrillo's aim was to improve upon a previous scratch build of the same model, improving its proportions, transform-ability and mechanics and has pulled it off in style. With the addition of an excellently done paint job, the detail put into the cockpit is stunning, and the overall aesthetic is a pleasure to look at. Very, very well done. Tigrillo wins a £20 Amazon voucher :)

Thank you all. 

Finally, I would like to thank everyone for your excellent support for this contest, and commiserations to those who did not win or manage to finish your models in time. It was a genuine pleasure to look at all your work, and I look forward to seeing more from you all. You are an inspiration to everyone who wants to improve in this community, and keep doing what your doing and sharing your works with the world. 

I look forward to holding another contest later this year :) 

Mid June Update

Hello folks. Just a quick update really, finally managed to get started with the painting of the Jesta HG, which if all goes to plan with most certainly the most psychedelic model I have ever created.

Here is a quick update vid:

If you are interested, the great GundamUK sale is still ongoing over on my facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/gundamUK

1 week remains before it all goes on eBay!

I also have a few gashapon items for sale over on my ebay, one such listing is here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130929946162?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

All the best! :)

May Update

Yes, I know, its been ages right? Well, if you have been following me on my facebook or on youtube you will know I have actually been pretty busy of late, working on the Kagustuchi Kou frame arms model for the mecha lounge's CHAOS group build. In a nut shell, I am around 40% done, and with a fast approaching deadline It's looking tight but doable.

So, here's how its all going so far:

Part 1

part 2

part 3, uploaded today.. 

More progress coming next week, as well as (hopfully, if i can think of something..) a response to mokanamans awesome 2000 subscriber vid where he has asked people of the mecha universe to vid response a tutorial of some kind.

There is also some news I would like to share in regards to the awesome first ever English translated mecha-building guide from Monoeye press. An unfortunate setback in regards to images has meant the book has been slightly delayed, but fear not, its on it's way and having seen a same of the said publication I can honestly say its looking rather marvellous.. and I am looking forward very much to reading it. My thoughts on it shall be shared of course.

More later!

Gundam F91 - WIP#2

Having completed the inner frame parts of the legs (well, mostly bar some additional things I would like to do once the whole inner frame is completed) I worked on the inner frame parts for the torso and head.

This complete, I thought I should start working on the armour parts for the legs. Unfortunately they did not turn out as expected, but none the less are mostly done.

Having applied the primer a little thick on some parts (and regrettably not sanding them smooth as you are supposed to), adding the first base coat of white created a bit of a mottled finish, so I added another layer of white to smooth it out a little. Worked to a degree - then I decided to do a little pre shading - a technique I am new to. This to, resulted in a bit of a mottled finish but much smoother. All that remains now it to add a top layer of white to smooth it all out, hopefully this will fix it because right now it looks terrible..

Sorry for the lack of video this week.. I did film some but today's and yesterdays work took a ridiculous amount of time.. so much in fact I did not have time to cut a video, so next weeks will (hopefully) be a kind of "double" WIP.

Anyway, a pic below of the pre shaded parts :)

Rick Dias MG

The festive period provided me with lots of time to get the Rick Dias done, all in all taking only 6 days to complete on and off :)

Things that turned out well: The red armour parts I was very pleased with, initially I thought I had mixed up the highlighting red too pink, but it was thin enough to not cover the red entirely, so the final effect was a nice "char" style highlight.

Things that went OK:  The grey and black parts. The finish could have been a little better but that was down tot he primer mainly :)

Thanks that did not go so well: The thrusters.. I have no idea why I thought spraying alclad II chrome, over a matt finish primer would result in a chrome finish.. I neglected to add a coat of gloss enamel and thus it took several hours for the alclad to dry, in a more "brushed steel" look than the chrome I was after. Hey ho, you live and learn. I also primed some gunmetal parts in white, resulting in some gunmetal parts coming out very silvery. Did not matter too much however due to it being on the inner frame, and the silvery-ness of the gunmetal actually looked pretty good on the models piping.

The result: Pretty happy actually, once the matt topcoat was added it all came together. The MS design itself is incredibly sturdy, and although one of the right arm joints was loose it did not really pose a problem when it came to attaching the clay cannon. Really enjoyed this build, and would totally recommend it to anyone else looking to build an MG. Definitely one of my favourite builds so far.

Enough talking, here's some pictures!

I also took the liberty to film this build from start to end, so if you like here's how I did it!

Plans for 2013

Hey all, following my recent review of everything that went down in 2012, I thought I would share a little with you of what my plans are (gunpla wise) for 2013.

On my shopping list I am looking at getting:

The Rosen Zulu, despite is apparent sticker hell. 

The Zee Zulu

This will complete my neo-zeonic Zulu style collection I think, having already built a Geara Doga and still having the Angelo Sauper custom Geara Zulu.

I will also be getting this:

The Kotobukiya type 48 Kagusuchi-Kou Frame arms. If it ever comes off "back ordered" on HLJ.com. It is my intention to use this for the chaos GB as my entry in the ground forces team :)

Which leads me neatly (without mentioning the 50 odd other kits I may be getting, not forgetting the Nu-gundam of course) onto one of my main plans for this year, and that is to better my modelling skills by attempting my first diorama. 

I have not really avoided making one as such, just due to time and space constraint I did not really deem it necessary to do, but with this group build starting off I thought I should step it up a little and challenge myself with something a little more advanced. Planning is in progress, and updates will of course be shown though the youtube channel, or on my facebook page. There will also be a WIP thred started in the lounge when work starts. 

Anything else? Well, I will also at some point, perhaps in the latter half of this year (after the arrival of our second child due in July) be getting hold of a resin kit, preferably a 1/60. Again, purely to challenge myself and push my current skills to their limits and hopefully beyond. I think there will be tears.. :) 

And so begins a year of more learning, cock-ups, triumphs and breakages. My passion (obsession) for this hobby thankfully persists and with more discoveries of kits and imaginative creativity from the community around me I am sure it'll persist for many years to come :) 

Straight up start to end build and paint of the Rick Dias MG coming soon, this Sunday I think. 

Have a good one everyone!