Alas, only a "tiny" step away from full completion . . .
1) surface buffing
2) decaling
3) clear coat spray
Every cool stuff that come about regarding my obsession with Gundam, mecha, photography and the world.
Showing posts with label MG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MG. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
MG Exia - Trans AM mode - Phase 01
"Marina... Ismail...
By the time you read this...
I'll already be gone.
Armed Interventions to put an end to war...
I'm unable to do anything but fight for Celestial Being...
You taught me what it means to fight.
Back then, just like Gundam.
I wanted to know..
Why our world is so terminally distorted?
Where did the distortion come from?
Why there are people who are unconsciously evil?
Why people don't know that their evil hurts others?
Why is humanity an existence that only conflicts with itself?
Why are there people to rule, and those who are ruled?
Why do we wound each other?
In spite of all this, why do people go on living like they do?
I wanted to ask you.
Please think of an answer, if we may meet again.
That being the case, I will seek out the same thing on a different path than yours.
Down the path towards mutual human understanding for the answer.
I'll keep looking for it, together with my Gundam.
Together with... My Gundam..."
- quoted by Setsuna F Seiei , pilot of Exia
This work is my most painful Gundam making experience, literally. Just as I started building this one, my back shoulder is hurting like hell the morning I woke up.
Seek TCM for help but . . . Nah, let's not talk about it .
Here I gave you , the inner frame.
This inner frame assembly does make me feel full of possibilities of the poses that the finish model can have .
Although the instructions seem complicated, the parts still comes together quite easily. Anyway like I mentioned in the previous post, the major challenge is not with the assembly. It is the nip marks which I still don't quite find a good solution for it . Probably has to make do and see how it goes.
The hand of Exia is at first glance, quite standard MG design: ball joint for the thumb and index finger while the other 3 fingers are formed as a piece. Below is a comparison of hands from my Strike Gundam IWSP.
There is a rectangular extension in the palm which I can attach the weapons to . This is good because it will not be having the grip problem of holding the weapons like Strike Gundam and the rest ! Brilliant !
The GN-drive unit! My first Gundam that comes with LED blink-blink! (Batteries sold separately)
By the time you read this...
I'll already be gone.
Armed Interventions to put an end to war...
I'm unable to do anything but fight for Celestial Being...
You taught me what it means to fight.
Back then, just like Gundam.
I wanted to know..
Why our world is so terminally distorted?
Where did the distortion come from?
Why there are people who are unconsciously evil?
Why people don't know that their evil hurts others?
Why is humanity an existence that only conflicts with itself?
Why are there people to rule, and those who are ruled?
Why do we wound each other?
In spite of all this, why do people go on living like they do?
I wanted to ask you.
Please think of an answer, if we may meet again.
That being the case, I will seek out the same thing on a different path than yours.
Down the path towards mutual human understanding for the answer.
I'll keep looking for it, together with my Gundam.
Together with... My Gundam..."
- quoted by Setsuna F Seiei , pilot of Exia
Seek TCM for help but . . . Nah, let's not talk about it .
Here I gave you , the inner frame.
Although the instructions seem complicated, the parts still comes together quite easily. Anyway like I mentioned in the previous post, the major challenge is not with the assembly. It is the nip marks which I still don't quite find a good solution for it . Probably has to make do and see how it goes.
Both Gundam's hands design are 1 thumb , 1 index finger and a 3 finger piece.
Exia hand is bigger, there is an additional joint at the end of the palm to allow it to bend perpendicularly from the arm, but most notably,the 3 joined fingers, there are ball joint for each of them ! That makes a simple mode here !
With a "simple" 2 cuts, I seperated the 3 fingers piece into 3 seperate fingers !! Just wondering why Bandai don't just seperate them in the first place but I'm really happy with this design as I finally have a Gundam with 5 seperate fingers ! WOOT !
The GN-drive unit! My first Gundam that comes with LED blink-blink! (Batteries sold separately)
Stay Tune !!
Friday, January 8, 2010
MG Strike Gundam +IWSP - Final Phase
Finally after a long delay I'm putting everything together for this photoshot (This Kit is actually completed 1st Jan this year) . I'm the type who likes to do too many things and easily procastinate things, something which I wished to change, hopefully this year would be a good year.
Wonder how many of you have noticed that I did not follow exactly the color scheme that comes with this kit. Not that it is something new nor it matters much but I feel the reason of buying a model kit instead of manufactured fixation version, is the flexibility in customizing the kit to however you like, however you want, however you can dream of. Perhaps this is the real fun in Gunpla-ing .
Looking back,this is the biggest(box) and most expansive kit I've done so far. The construction is not much of an engineering challenge. The instructions is detailed, even if all the wordings is in japanese but a picture tells a thousand words. And like what I've been telling people, assembly the kit is not as challenging as compared to painting it. May be it's because there is no instruction manual for that?
I must say I quite like the flight pack. The wings are like the fighter jet one and looks really powerful. The only gripe I have for it is its weight. It could be better that if the pack provides a socket at the bottom of the pack so that the display stand can support the pack instead of the Gundam itself. Just a thought.
This is one of my best looking kit to date.
A fun kit to play with as there is a number of weapons.
The bad point is not all the weapons can be mounted on to the kit at 1 time.
Not really a difficult kit. Work is mostly wasted in trying to correct the previous mistake in painting.
The provided display stand is only basic. Due to its fixation nature, there is not many dynamic poses I can derive from it.
After thoughts : The Feeling of project completion is always good. A good sense of accomplishment and self worthiness. Or is it more like I'm sick and tired of facing the same thing and so glad that it can finally be put away ? Ironic.
Wonder how many of you have noticed that I did not follow exactly the color scheme that comes with this kit. Not that it is something new nor it matters much but I feel the reason of buying a model kit instead of manufactured fixation version, is the flexibility in customizing the kit to however you like, however you want, however you can dream of. Perhaps this is the real fun in Gunpla-ing .
Looking back,this is the biggest(box) and most expansive kit I've done so far. The construction is not much of an engineering challenge. The instructions is detailed, even if all the wordings is in japanese but a picture tells a thousand words. And like what I've been telling people, assembly the kit is not as challenging as compared to painting it. May be it's because there is no instruction manual for that?
I must say I quite like the flight pack. The wings are like the fighter jet one and looks really powerful. The only gripe I have for it is its weight. It could be better that if the pack provides a socket at the bottom of the pack so that the display stand can support the pack instead of the Gundam itself. Just a thought.
This is one of my best looking kit to date.
A fun kit to play with as there is a number of weapons.
The bad point is not all the weapons can be mounted on to the kit at 1 time.
Not really a difficult kit. Work is mostly wasted in trying to correct the previous mistake in painting.
The provided display stand is only basic. Due to its fixation nature, there is not many dynamic poses I can derive from it.
After thoughts : The Feeling of project completion is always good. A good sense of accomplishment and self worthiness. Or is it more like I'm sick and tired of facing the same thing and so glad that it can finally be put away ? Ironic.
Friday, January 1, 2010
MG Strike Gundam + IWSP - Phase 04
The Paneling and Decalling .
This is the last sprint of this project and its probably the most exciting phase .
But nonetheless this is not the easiest phase . Hence the procrastination .
First, I wanted to use the lighter fluid + black enamel wash panelling technique but I just can't seem to get it to work ! Cleaning up the mess more than getting any progress .
Switched back to 0.3 mechanical pencil + 0.05 drawing pen in the end . And wife criticized that I didn't get the thickness even for the 2 thigh plates ! Yes my dear , I know my panel lining skill sucks . Damn those youtube clips makes it look so easy !
Anyway , Not much panel lines to be drawn for this kit as compared to my Wing 0 Custom since I decide to skip the beneath armor panel lines . Who would give a damn on how it looks within the armor anyway ? Those are probably for the perfectionist with really too much free time . I'm definitely not one of them , and not aspire to be one .
Finally putting the rocket pack together. I know its gonna be big, I've seen a couple of displays. But it seems different when you put it together yourself.
Of course I can't resist the temptation of putting the pack on to the Strike Gundam when I first have it together. But soon I begin to realize the truth about what has already been written by other bloggers who wrote the review for this kit. The Pack is heavy, abit too heavy for the robot balance if it were to stand on its feet with the pack on. I put it on the stand that comes with the kit, but since the connector of the robot to the stand is behind the butt , I was really worried that the ball joint between the upper and lower torso is not going to hold up long ! Solution ? I took them apart and place a bit of blu-tac in the socket ;P The stand still seem abit wobbly, probably should get the proper Gundam Action Base ?
The second nightmare, Bandai scratch-on decals! I have read from others some of the blunders with these decals but I still must complaint about it . Why Why Why Bandai want us to use these ?? With wet transfer decals, modellers has the luxury of slowly "pulling" the decal from its base paper to the kit surface , slowly adjust the decal to the correct position ( as long as the surface is wet ) then finally dry the sticker. Scratch-on ? You accidentally asserted force on the sticker to the surface? bye bye. You scratch half way the sticker accidentally slip? bye bye.
I painted the little knuckles on the hands gold.
Ok, more or less done.
The kit provide a couple of choices of the decals for the wings of the IWSP pack.
Decals on the shields. This is where the major disaster happens.
A close up face shot.
At this point the kit is finally left with a top coat and off it go to a photo shooting session next !
Finally putting the rocket pack together. I know its gonna be big, I've seen a couple of displays. But it seems different when you put it together yourself.
Of course I can't resist the temptation of putting the pack on to the Strike Gundam when I first have it together. But soon I begin to realize the truth about what has already been written by other bloggers who wrote the review for this kit. The Pack is heavy, abit too heavy for the robot balance if it were to stand on its feet with the pack on. I put it on the stand that comes with the kit, but since the connector of the robot to the stand is behind the butt , I was really worried that the ball joint between the upper and lower torso is not going to hold up long ! Solution ? I took them apart and place a bit of blu-tac in the socket ;P The stand still seem abit wobbly, probably should get the proper Gundam Action Base ?
The second nightmare, Bandai scratch-on decals! I have read from others some of the blunders with these decals but I still must complaint about it . Why Why Why Bandai want us to use these ?? With wet transfer decals, modellers has the luxury of slowly "pulling" the decal from its base paper to the kit surface , slowly adjust the decal to the correct position ( as long as the surface is wet ) then finally dry the sticker. Scratch-on ? You accidentally asserted force on the sticker to the surface? bye bye. You scratch half way the sticker accidentally slip? bye bye.
I painted the little knuckles on the hands gold.
Ok, more or less done.
The kit provide a couple of choices of the decals for the wings of the IWSP pack.
Decals on the shields. This is where the major disaster happens.
A close up face shot.
At this point the kit is finally left with a top coat and off it go to a photo shooting session next !
My Gundam assembly on my study table
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| From My Gundam Collection |
What better way to start a new year other than a total celebration of all my gundams together. Joining them the newly completed strike Gundam.
2009 has been a fun year for my hobbies .
First I got my dream camera the Nikon D90 , and then I revived my old hobbies of Gundam making !
2009 it all started with watching Gundam 00 anime , bought SD Exia and 00 Raiser. And then started reading blog post and youtube videos on Gundam modeling techniques. My first experiment with the surfacer and soon fallen in-love with it. Suddenly painting is fun again ! My 30th Anniversary SD RX-78 is a huge confidence booster. So as you know , next I painted the SD Exia and Wing 0 Custom. To close the year, I completed the Master Grade Strike Gundam IWSP .
I have not really decide what's the next project I will be taking on yet . SD Strike Freedom ? Or get new MG Kits ? I thought since I am going to use the amount of time and energy for this hobby anyway, might as well use them on Master Grade kits ? They are really satisfying I think.
The start of the year is always hopeful , a new beginning where we can anticipate good things coming ahead of us . After all , what's life without hope , fun and laughter ?
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
MG Strike Gundam + IWSP - Phase 03
Inner Frame snapshot
The assembly of the inner frame gives me the rough scale of how big this scale model turns out to be . The wonderful thing about joining up the limbs and torso pieces is that they can be disassembled for future purposes such as painting , transportation , posing(unlikely) etc.
I was fascinated with the big long sword that comes with this kit which is part of the reason I got this kit out of so many choices . The sword is probably shown in one of the side anime of the Gundam Seed Series and I have never seen it in action before . The sword can be folded backward but it does not seem to fit into any part of the IWSP system nor any other parts of the mecha itself other than carry it in the gundam's hands ....
Feet Assembly
The One gripe I have for these feet is that they can though the assembly seem very flexible, it is really only a 1 direction thingy : tilting the toes upward , no downwards . That's already some limitation in pose already .
Hands
The hands are at MG best , movable thumb , index finger and the rest of the fingers as a whole . Only 1 plane of movement here . Only the Perfect Grade features the full movement of a real hand I think . I'm so getting those . . .
Still , the seperation of hand guard and the hand itself is a boon for painting .
Leg Assembly
Pretty sturdy legs I must say . 2 ball joints for the ankle to allow a teenee weenee bit more movement than the classic common HG single ball joint feet to leg. The biggest gimmick IMHO is the thigh armour plate inner frame assembly . The front plate sorts of slide "open" from the hind plate when the leg is bend at the knee .
The headless warrior
I must apologized as I am now skipping forward through the details of waist , chest , shoulders and arms assembly as I am practically losing patience . I am so tempted to see how all these actually turns out and man the number of parts are quite a killer.
Although I have organized them over and over countless times , hundreds are still hundreds (ok , sorry I exaggerated here) . It is tough trying to spray paint and saving paint at the same time .
Still I'm far from being done . There is only like 2 weeks left till 2009 is over and I really doubt I will be able to finish this kit by this year .
The chain gun shield + beam boomerang attachment
Kudos to the kit designer. The chain gun shield seems quite overwhelming in terms of size (it is nearly up to the shoulder of the gundam's height itself in length and pretty bulky ) . But the strike gundam hold up the gun with ease . It is really unlike any of the HG Kits that I have gotten before this . I must say it is even better than that of the MG RX-78 kit that I've got before this.
The assembly of the inner frame gives me the rough scale of how big this scale model turns out to be . The wonderful thing about joining up the limbs and torso pieces is that they can be disassembled for future purposes such as painting , transportation , posing(unlikely) etc.
I was fascinated with the big long sword that comes with this kit which is part of the reason I got this kit out of so many choices . The sword is probably shown in one of the side anime of the Gundam Seed Series and I have never seen it in action before . The sword can be folded backward but it does not seem to fit into any part of the IWSP system nor any other parts of the mecha itself other than carry it in the gundam's hands ....
Feet Assembly
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 |  |
The One gripe I have for these feet is that they can though the assembly seem very flexible, it is really only a 1 direction thingy : tilting the toes upward , no downwards . That's already some limitation in pose already .
Hands
 |  |
The hands are at MG best , movable thumb , index finger and the rest of the fingers as a whole . Only 1 plane of movement here . Only the Perfect Grade features the full movement of a real hand I think . I'm so getting those . . .
Still , the seperation of hand guard and the hand itself is a boon for painting .
Leg Assembly
 |  |
Pretty sturdy legs I must say . 2 ball joints for the ankle to allow a teenee weenee bit more movement than the classic common HG single ball joint feet to leg. The biggest gimmick IMHO is the thigh armour plate inner frame assembly . The front plate sorts of slide "open" from the hind plate when the leg is bend at the knee .
The headless warrior
I must apologized as I am now skipping forward through the details of waist , chest , shoulders and arms assembly as I am practically losing patience . I am so tempted to see how all these actually turns out and man the number of parts are quite a killer.
Although I have organized them over and over countless times , hundreds are still hundreds (ok , sorry I exaggerated here) . It is tough trying to spray paint and saving paint at the same time .
Still I'm far from being done . There is only like 2 weeks left till 2009 is over and I really doubt I will be able to finish this kit by this year .
The chain gun shield + beam boomerang attachment
Kudos to the kit designer. The chain gun shield seems quite overwhelming in terms of size (it is nearly up to the shoulder of the gundam's height itself in length and pretty bulky ) . But the strike gundam hold up the gun with ease . It is really unlike any of the HG Kits that I have gotten before this . I must say it is even better than that of the MG RX-78 kit that I've got before this.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
MG Strike Gundam + IWSP - Phase 02
Ran out of black metal and steel colour spray . Dang . Bought another steel spray can and the shop don't have the black metal spray ! Sigh .
Flat black will have to do for now .
The spraying job seems never ending . Happily I thought I am done with the steel parts. And then I went back to the room and open the kit box and find more !!!
This is like the pain when running 2.4km .
The Tamiya P400 sand paper is good . Try it on the feet parts and seems to remove the nip mark pretty well .
Re-coated the red colour on the feet parts .
Shall finally able to assemble the full inner frame tomorrow .
Flat black will have to do for now .
The spraying job seems never ending . Happily I thought I am done with the steel parts. And then I went back to the room and open the kit box and find more !!!
This is like the pain when running 2.4km .
The Tamiya P400 sand paper is good . Try it on the feet parts and seems to remove the nip mark pretty well .
Re-coated the red colour on the feet parts .
Shall finally able to assemble the full inner frame tomorrow .
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Plan and Plan
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| From My Web Album |
Scope of my projects : SD strike freedom (above) vs MG Strike Gundam (below)
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| From My Web Album |
Black Metallic spray can level seems low . Probably should spray the MG first . . . . .
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