Geara Zulu Angelo Sauper use - WIP 1

Hello strangers! Yes, Its been a little while, but i have been working on the Gera Zulu Angelo Super use. As you can see form the below, I have primed, base coated and in some cases highlighted, quite a bit to go though. 

The purple parts turned out a little strange, in mixing up a supposed "lighter" shade of purple to highlight with,  it somehow turned out darker, resulting on a quite bizarre 2-tone purple effect. The alclad turned out marvellous as it always does, and the blue on the shoulder pad parts and waist armour turned out pretty nifty too. My only drawback is the royal blue I was using for the torso and feet turned out no so royal blue.. more just blue in fact and not all that different from the normal blue I used for the shoulder armour.. perhaps I will highlight, not sure yet. Gunmetal and masking the weapons, as well as that tricky trim all to be done next weekend. 

Anyways, that's all from me. More soon. :)

Mid-January update

Hello!

After completing the Rick Dias MG I thought I should take the pace down a bit with a HG model, and decided to build the "Geara Zulu Angelo Sauper use". I say take it down a bit.. in fact this is probably going to take some time, the trim on this kit is very detailed so no doubt i'll be frustratingly hand-painting the detail on this kit. Progress to follow in later posts.

Still having a think about what to do for the chaos GB. I have a model in mind, the Kagasuchi-kou from Kotobukiya (with some additional modifications in the shape of missile launchers, and "AA" style guns, still being planned). I have bought the model but unfortunately it's on backorder form HLJ so I am in for a bit of a wait..so having some thoughts about a possible diorama. I should also probably consider another model in case this one has troubles getting to me.. hmmmm.

Anyways, here's a vid of my latest update:

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!

2012 in review

Hello! It has been some time I know and as you may have noticed it has been the festive time of year (again, I don't know how it happens every year around this time its weird..). Thought I would take this opportunity to say I hope you all had a nice Christmas, and to have yourself a awesome new year.

I have been spending lots of time with the family, and working steadily on an MG Rick Dias (WIP will eventually be posted, probably next weekend or something).

2012 has been a special year for me, it's the year I think I have learned the most about the art of Gunpla. This year I have learned how to airbrush, learned about paint types, thinners, modifications and seam line removal and am of course, still learning with each experience. Most of what I have learned has come from the awesome people in the gundam community across the world, so here are a few youtube channels I would like to mention who have helped me (and could help you too if you don;t know about them already!) along in some way this year:

deezipp3011
TheGunplameister
vegeta8259
crapmunky99
enensis
NigelTehTianHong
Kamniks
sneeper1980
mokanaman

I would also like to thank everyone on the mecha lounge who's advice has been invaluable :) I also completed watching nearly every Gundam anime that has ever been made, apart form superior defender which is just a steaming pile of shit. Patlabor next.. :)

Heres a quick vid update, the last of 2012!

Happy new year to you all and see you in 2013!

Ryurai Kai Suppression Vanguard custom

Took around 5 weeks to complete, on and off of course interspersed with family life and activity. All-in-all I really like the design of this model, it has a real chunky, thick-armour feel and is the closest match to what I can only describe as a walking tank!

The addition of the gatling gun was a bit of a whim, but it did give me the idea to call it the "suppression vanguard  with the idea of this machine being a pure, frontline mech with artillery and ballistics combined. Its heavy armour would make it ideal for initialising battlefield operations by laying down a spray of gatling cannon bullets along side long-range artillery, enabling other forces for drive forward with less challenge.

In summary, assembly was easy and straightforward, the inner frame gets very loose, very quickly and the model does suffer a lot from "droop". The additional armour bits are really cool, although I kind of ran out of steam to detail those parts properly so they returned to the box where perhaps future frame arms will utilise them. Would I get another frame arms model? Yes, if i like the design of course. Some final pictures below:

Chaos - a new mecha lounge contest for 2013!

Quick one everyone - The mecha lounge have just announced the details for next years competition, off the back of the massivly huge and awesome mecha 2012 this year.

Something a little different this time - not a competition but a "group build", this taken from the mecha lounge:




CHAOS GB
Collectively Hoarding Astronomically Over-priced Styrene

The world plunges into war as the fight for resources becomes too great. As chaos descends upon humanity two factions were formed those who would choose to inhabit the air and space, those who would choose to inhabit the land and sea. The colony's prepare for what will come to be known as the Great War, in which only one colony will survive and lay claim to Earth's resources. We would like you to choose your side and build your own personal war machine for the Great War and aid your colony to victory. The rules follow!:

GROUNDED COLONY OR SKY COLONY

- First choose your side (Grounded or Sky)
- You may build any kind of model kit for your chosen side for example. You may choose the Grounded Colony and build a Zoid, Gundam, Tank, Boat, Figure etc.
- All we ask is you try to paint / modify / build your model kit to match your chosen Colony. E.g. for the Sky Colony you may build your model with numerous thrusters etc.

- This is not a competition. This group build is for fun and we will be announcing prizes for lucky winners and participants throughout the event! We want to encourage everybody to take part regardless of skill level and just have fun together. You may build models for more then one colony and again this event allows for almost any kind of build so if your looking for an excuse to work on your back log! now is the time.

- Deadline will be January 1st 2013 - June 30th 2013
- You can enter More then one model into the group build and dioramas are accepted!
- Prizes will be announced during the GB to keep the excitement rolling.

So what will it be!? who will you choose to fight for? and what will you choose to fight with!? (more information will become available over the next two weeks)

So.. what are you waiting for? Check out the mecha lounge now, sign up, and get ready for the biggest plamo and gunpla ruck ever! Waaaarrrr!!

http://kamm-mecha.com/mechaloungeforums/index.php?topic=1536.0