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Plastic Scale Modelling |OT| Gunpla and Everything Else
- Thread starter erd
- Start date
Finally got this guy assembled, but I still have to finish building the weapons, applying the final waterslide decals, and do a top coat.
An old forum I know of for gunpla was Gundam Eclipse, but I'm not sure how active it is these days. You also have reddit.
As for stores, Amiami and HLJ are good, though if you want free shipping you'll have to wait. Gundam Planet is a specialized store that sells model kits of all kinds, though you can also find gunpla at Barnes and Noble. BBTS also sells model kits.
USA Gundam Store is great. Pretty decent prices and they're starting to stock more Kotobukiya kits too. The owner has emailed me a couple times thanking me for my purchases, which is nice too.
I've ordered from USA Gundam as well. Pretty quick shipping and yeah, the owner emails you after every purchase tho I assume that's just a template. I preordered the Metal Gear Rex Kotobukiya from there.
Pretty happy, got these in yesterday
Not sure when I'll get the the messala or Gundam mk2 I have, but may build the Sunny this weekend. Don't have a good table for the mess or delicacy of Gundam kits right now, just really wanted the big guy for my backlog, maybe when I go home at thanksgiving
Not sure when I'll get the the messala or Gundam mk2 I have, but may build the Sunny this weekend. Don't have a good table for the mess or delicacy of Gundam kits right now, just really wanted the big guy for my backlog, maybe when I go home at thanksgiving
Ok, so I got a fun one for you guys, I've decided to order the mg ball since I'll probably be home for a week at thanksgiving, and I've been wanting to try mg. Since I'm already doing the long ship, I thought I'd ask for a hg recommendation in the -25> lower range since I'd have the time and I might as well pair things. Any fun recommendations?
Any "Gundam The Origin" HGs, really. Those are really high quality for an HG. I've only done the Zaku II but I've heard good things about most of them.
Zaku 2 was my first kit and the one from that line actually. Was thinking perhaps something mid us, or perhaps even something non up because I've already been working through hguc by show air order
Oh I see. I had fun with Grimoire, and Grimoire Red Beret looks like fun as well. The Tieren Ground Type is a nice grunt as well.
Since you already got the Messala, maybe one of the following can work as complementary transformable Zeta MS:
- Gaplant
- Gabthley
- Gaza C
- Hambrabi
- Asshimar
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Hadn't gotten far enough to see it hermit but boy us the Hambrabi a cool and unique design, I'm leaning towards that although I do need to get Zeta Gundam eventually (will wait on Asshimar though I do want it eventually
Edit actually I've changed my mind, I'll just take my Gundam backlog home with me at thanksgiving (Mk2 Gundam And Messala) so I can build those 2, and save my budget for another time, with how tight things are. May give into another one piece ship or chopper mech since I can get those cheap with prime shipping
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Latest build:
My first RG. I love the finished product, but the build was a little unsatisfying at points. There were a few parts I never managed to get fully seated (you can see this on the posts coming down from the top of the head), and a few more that got stress marks from what I thought was a normal amount of handling. I wish I had taken the advice I've seen occasionally on here and trimmed the excess from the edges of the pinstripe stickers.
Looking forward to trying my hand at another RG now that I know what to expect. Is the RG Zaku II worth getting? I gather the Origin version is very well-liked.
My first RG. I love the finished product, but the build was a little unsatisfying at points. There were a few parts I never managed to get fully seated (you can see this on the posts coming down from the top of the head), and a few more that got stress marks from what I thought was a normal amount of handling. I wish I had taken the advice I've seen occasionally on here and trimmed the excess from the edges of the pinstripe stickers.
Looking forward to trying my hand at another RG now that I know what to expect. Is the RG Zaku II worth getting? I gather the Origin version is very well-liked.
Friend gifted me a clear Zaku MG. Any tipps or recommendations for it to make it look good? Apparently it was a limited model from a Gunpla Expo...
So I would really like to make it look great.
Its this one:
So I would really like to make it look great.
Its this one:
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Late response but I don't think there's anything one can do to improve the looks of a clear kit. You obviously won't paint it and even panel lining is difficult because gundam marker tends not to apply very well on clear plastic.
The only advice I could give is be more careful than usual when cleaning nubs. Clear plastic tends to be harder and slightly more brittle. Mistakes when cleaning them are more visible and more difficult to fix.
I'm afraid I could only give useless recommendations.
On another note: that terrible feeling when you find a nicely discounted MG Jegan but the euro-yen exchange rate has been going down for days and at the current price of €21.71 you are not sure that when it gets to customs it won't have gone over €22 which is when taxes and fees hit like a ton of bricks (adding €23 in taxes and fees to a €22 product is never sensible).
oh, you can definitely paint a clear kit. I did it waaaaay back in college nearly 20 years ago.
Clear MG Char's zaku II - primed the whole thing on the sprues, cut carefully, and masked/spray painted it in sections. wasn't the best job but i was just a rookie then.
Clear MG Char's zaku II - primed the whole thing on the sprues, cut carefully, and masked/spray painted it in sections. wasn't the best job but i was just a rookie then.
Clear as in completely transparent or clear red? And painting it with normal paint or clear colors? I cannot see what painting it opaque would improve.
it was a transparent kit. i hate those things, but i bought it because it was dirt cheap. so i just simply primed it and painted it like normal.
I think the one posted by Chairmanchuck might be clear green. The clear Seven Swords posted by wenis was definitely in clear color for the red and blue parts and the "white" parts were translucent.
So I rest my case where I think that painting the kit is doing it a disservice. Why ruin a limited edition when getting another normal MG Zaku if you want to paint it is both easy and cheap?
So I rest my case where I think that painting the kit is doing it a disservice. Why ruin a limited edition when getting another normal MG Zaku if you want to paint it is both easy and cheap?
My MG Tallgeese Ver. EW 1/100, I painted some of the inner frame along with gold accents. I love the legs on this kit. The spring in the dober gun makes it that much cooler!
If it wasn't for customs it would so much cheaper (and easier, since they're generally better stocked) to get kits. Alas, I'll have to keep waiting for the HG Moon to appear in a local shop/website.
Wow, that looks great! Nice job.
My MG Tallgeese Ver. EW 1/100, I painted some of the inner frame along with gold accents. I love the legs on this kit. The spring in the dober gun makes it that much cooler!
Thanks, I finally got around to getting a uniform background, I think it helps with the pictures
Uniform backgrounds really help make the model pop-up.
After saying that one does not need a light-box and a chair and bed-sheets are a make-do solution, I ended up buying a relatively affordable light-box myself. :P
These are the first photos using it with the Master Grade RMS-106 Hi-Zack with Jerid Messa markings (the kit also includes markings for Kacricon Cacooler).
By the way, which lighting do you prefer in these two similar photos? In the first one the skirt looks better but the head, chest and the shoulder are a bit too shiny while in the second the top parts look ok but the skirts not so much.
After saying that one does not need a light-box and a chair and bed-sheets are a make-do solution, I ended up buying a relatively affordable light-box myself. :P
These are the first photos using it with the Master Grade RMS-106 Hi-Zack with Jerid Messa markings (the kit also includes markings for Kacricon Cacooler).
By the way, which lighting do you prefer in these two similar photos? In the first one the skirt looks better but the head, chest and the shoulder are a bit too shiny while in the second the top parts look ok but the skirts not so much.
I like the first one better, for reasons I can't articulate lol. The light box looks amazing though, the kit looks like it's standing on an infinite surface.
Built the Unicorn Gundam. Definitely one of the most complex builds I've done so far. Moreso then the MG I did last month. It's a pretty cool kit, but yeah.......really stiff limbs.
New team shot!
New team shot!
The light-box makes everything easier. Without it, one has to rely on having some nice daylight, curtains to diffuse the light and choosing an adequate position in the room to have even lighting that doesn't com from a single direction. All these conditions aren't always easy to meet.
The backgrounds that are included with the light-box are quite nice as well. They are very uniform and come in 4 different colors so that you can chose one that goes nicely with the subject.
A poster of a starry space background would also be nice for some action poses but I need to look for a place where I can get that at an adequate size.
The backgrounds that are included with the light-box are quite nice as well. They are very uniform and come in 4 different colors so that you can chose one that goes nicely with the subject.
A poster of a starry space background would also be nice for some action poses but I need to look for a place where I can get that at an adequate size.
If your camera does it, focus stacking helps out too. Especially if your subject has a dynamic pose and you cant quite get everything in focus.
I'm thinking of buying a semi-decent camera. Right now I'm using my mobile phone's camera and it's less than ideal.
might i suggest a Fuji X-t2. used can be had for around 700 bucks, latest firmware gave it focus stack capability. I have one and its great.
Man it's almost been a month and still no sign of my Hi Metal R Ostrich and RG Sazabi. I wanted to build it this weekend :x
That's more decent than I was thinking. :P And I'm not too fond of getting used equipment.
I'm more inclined to get something in the €300-400 range which should still be a nice upgrade from the camera on my phone. The thing is that I know myself and I would probably use it mostly for getting pictures of gunpla (I'm not much into activities like tourism or hiking) so it's difficult to justify the cost. The price of some DSLR is eyewatering even if their photos look stunning.
you can get an x-t1 or an x-pro1 or the previous gen fuji ILC mirrorless cameras for like 200-300 USD nowadays. Cheap as shit and takes great photos! Its used gear yeah but absolutey no reason to pay full price for something like a camera which literally has a lifespan of hundereds of thousands of shutter clicks. Like buying a used car really.
Am I right in thinking I can take all the paint off plastic with alcohol? Perhaps a soak? Or is sandpaper my only option?
While I believe it depends mostly on what type of paint you want to take off, water based paints should come off with alcohol.
Guntanks tend to be very a different experience to most gunpla. The lower part can be a bit underwhelming during the build but they are a nice visual break on the shelf from the typical humanoid shape.
Oh, I've been wanting that. Fantastic news.