Minmay guard decals on VF-1J Max/Milia?

[Daysleeper]

(BTW, hello, I'm new! Both to these forums as to Macross collecting. Anyway..)

Once I discovered Twin Moons Anime, I was instantly drawn to the Minmay guard decal set created by the local Anisazi37. It was quite unique, amidst all the more conventional Macross decal sets available.

However, I am also currently considering buying either the Max or Milia version of Yamato's 1/48 VF-1J Valkyrie. So now I'm trying to decide on whether or not this decal-set could possibly look good on either of them.. Max I'm most skeptical about; it'd only work if the various blues would contrast enough to be visible. But with Milia I'm worried the colors will clash.

So I guess I'm looking for some input. I couldn't find any reference of anyone actually ever trying to slap these decals on these particular toys - or anything other than a variety of 1S Valkyries, actually - let alone pictures of it.. Perhaps I should fire up my laptop and try to create a composite image .. a virtual model, if you will. But before I go through the trouble, I thought I'd ask.

If it doesn't end up looking good.. I might have to consider removing the decals off my second-hand 1/48 VF-1J TV-style Hikaru (which got me started on Macross collecting).. which I'd really rather not do.

Any help would be appreciated.

Edited August 28, 2004 by Daysleeper

[Anasazi37]

Welcome to Macrossworld (and to collecting the toys)! And thanks for the interest in my set MG set.

The Minmay Guard set was designed specifically for a completely white 1S (i.e., stripped, primed, and repainted for customizing). The decals wouldn't work with either the Max or Miriya 1J. I made these particular designs semi-translucent so they'd blend into the white paint job REALLY well. As a result, if you try to put them on a darker surface the bluish purple wouldn't show up correctly (perhaps not at all). I can make an opaque set for you, but I am not sure how it would look against the paint schemes on the 1Js. My aesthetic gut instinct says it's not the best idea, although definitely a creative one.

If you're looking to trick out your 1/48s with some custom decals, drop me a PM with what you have in mind and I'll what I can do to help.

[Daysleeper]

Welcome to Macrossworld (and to collecting the toys)!  And thanks for the interest in my set MG set.

Thanks a lot! I simply must, above all else, start with commending you on the excellent work on the set in question, and all the other sets you've created. I've created simple stickers for an old Transformers G1 Overlord once, and the difficulty I had with that really makes me appreciate the kind of work that had to have gone into creating a set that actually neatly wraps around so many features on the valk..

In addition, the second-hand valk I have clearly demonstrates the need for custom decals: some of it's stickers really do not look that great.

The Minmay Guard set was designed specifically for a completely white 1S (i.e., stripped, primed, and repainted for customizing).  The decals wouldn't work with either the Max or Miriya 1J.  I made these particular designs semi-translucent so they'd blend into the white paint job REALLY well.  As a result, if you try to put them on a darker surface the bluish purple wouldn't show up correctly (perhaps not at all).  I can make an opaque set for you, but I am not sure how it would look against the paint schemes on the 1Js.  My aesthetic gut instinct says it's not the best idea, although definitely a creative one.

Trust me, it's more a question of convenience than creativity! A local import-store - I live in the Netherlands - just happens to have a stock of these two 1J aces. So I was simply pondering my current options. And I suppose my sense of aesthetics tends to be as skeptical as yours; hence why I posted this thread in the first place.

It is rather a shame, though. I absolutely adore the look. I just do not possess the neccesary skills, at this time, to properly prepare a valk for a "true" Minmay Guard custom. I mean, I've seen the pictures you've posted of the set applied to an uncustomized VF-1S Roy, and despite that being mostly white, the standard decorations do get in the way. In that way, the two colored 1J's actually seemed like more viable options, for a total customizing-noob like yours truly.

I think, if the blues would contrast enough, it has the most chance of looking half-way decent on the Max version, because of the conformity with his color-scheme. But the chance that some of the blues would simply not show, even if made opaque, would be very present..

I suppose my only other option would be to commission someone on this forum with more expertise in customisation to strip my Hikaru for me, but I can't say I'm looking forward to the cost and hassle that'd be involved in shipping my valk half-way across the world for that.

If you're looking to trick out your 1/48s with some custom decals, drop me a PM with what you have in mind and I'll what I can do to help.

A very tempting offer. The possibilities are virtually limitless.. In any case, thank you so much for your reply. I was a very pleasant surprise to see it show up. Who could possibly be more qualified to answer these particular annoying questions, after all? :>

Edited August 29, 2004 by Daysleeper

[Daysleeper]

I've given this some thought, and - with your permission, of course - I'd like to try an alter the Minmay Guard set in such a way as to make it work with the Max 1J colorscheme.

Mostly, it occurred to me that if the traditional guard is blue on white, then perhaps for Max they ought to be white on blue.. an Inverse Minmay Guard, if you will. That won't work for all the nuances of course, or for the Minmay-graphic, but I want to play with the concept a bit.

Ideally, I'd want to extend the theme to the FAST-pack at least somewhat, too.. but that will probably be aiming too high at the moment.

[Anasazi37]

I've given this some thought, and - with your permission, of course - I'd like to try an alter the Minmay Guard set in such a way as to make it work with the Max 1J colorscheme.

Mostly, it occurred to me that if the traditional guard is blue on white, then perhaps for Max they ought to be white on blue.. an Inverse Minmay Guard, if you will. That won't work for all the nuances of course, or for the Minmay-graphic, but I want to play with the concept a bit.

Ideally, I'd want to extend the theme to the FAST-pack at least somewhat, too.. but that will probably be aiming too high at the moment.

I have a white version of the Minmay Guard set in 1/48 and it includes the optional decals to extend the theme onto an armor set. The Minmay and sponsor logos are still purple and blue, but everything else is white. There's no need to ask my permission. It's not like I own a copyright on the designs. They first showed up in Model Graphix about two years ago and all I did was recreate them for 1/72, 1/60, 1/55, and 1/48 valks. Making them on your own would be a big headache, though.... Here's the set (shown in black for ease of visibility):

[Daysleeper]

Awesome! You just had that lying around, huh? This could definately work out, I think.. I'll just have to determine whether or not the Minmay figure and logo's would look good, or would perhaps require a white border..

That, and I rather fancied the alternate Minmay graphic used on an older Minmay model, which you posted at some point. She was humorously dressed up as a Valk.. I saved it somewhere .. *looks* Here:

Having that on one of the boosters - probably on top of the booster-engine-cover - would provide even more eye-candy. If this is possible, then I would definately want to order this custom set from you!

(And as for asking for permission: it was a simple gesture of respect.)

[Daysleeper]

Hmmm.. I just realized that, for a set for Max, some minor adjustments to the all-white scheme might be neccesary.. his shoulders are white, so the decal intended for that should not be - it could remain it's original blue. The same goes for his tailfins. Likewise, the logos that go on the front of his lower-legs would also end up on white plastic, and could remain unchanged. Hmmm.. that's about all, that I can see.. Well, apart from the fact that the hollow sextagons(?!) included in the patterns for the legs/ankles would have to be filled with blue..

I hope I'm not being overly imposing, here. ^^; I'll pay you?

[Daysleeper]

Just figured out another adjustment that might be neccesary:

(since the left portions folds over another area that is white on the Max 1J)

Yup, I'm officially being nitpicky, now.

Edited August 30, 2004 by Daysleeper

[Anasazi37]

Just figured out another adjustment that might be neccesary:

(since the left portions folds over another area that is white on the Max 1J)

Yup, I'm officially being nitpicky, now.

Some of those changes won't be easy to make because of how the set is designed, but they are possible. I have the Valk Minmay already sized for 1/48 Yamatos, so that's not a problem.

[Daysleeper]

I've PMed you about this custom set, Anasazi.

[Daysleeper]

Well, I went ahead and ordered the Max 1J. Gotta have the 'raw' material.

Sold some Transformers stuff I didn't need anymore to finance this endeavour. (Just to give you an idea, an import toystore in Amsterdam is asking 125 euro, which amounts to a good $150, for a VE-1 Elintseeker or a VT-1 Ostrich. Or, if that strikes your fancy, the modest price of $176 - give or take a dollar; probably 'give' - for a Q-Rau.. Fortunately I know a better place to turn to..)

Anyway, I digress. Just letting anyone who's (mildly) curious as to how this will end up looking know, I will be posting pictures once I finish this little pet-project. Since this will also be the first time I'll be working with waterslide decals, this might get embarrassing.

[Daysleeper]

The results of this experiment (after many nights of adding a handful of decals between sleeping and the next day of work):

(My apologies for the poor lighting in the pictures. It's already night on my little corner of the globe, and the flash on this camera doesn't seem to be able to handle it.)

I'm not actually sure it's finished. There's many small decals still left. But I'm rather thinking I'll add very little, now.. don't want it to get too 'full up.' Most of what I'll still be doing is patchwork, probably.. I already slightly damaged a decal just by assembling the Valk. -.-;

Thanks goes out mainly to Anasazi for the awesome custom decal-set, but also to Takatoys for his helpful all-round sticker-set, which helped me out greatly in customizing this thing appropriately. ('VF-1J'-designations, 'pilot: M. Jenius' texts, white versions of some decals I needed to contrast with the blue, etc.)

Edited December 12, 2004 by Daysleeper

[Anasazi37]

I was wondering how your 1J was going to turn out. Very unique. Nice work!

[aaajin]

Wow ...that looks so cool...any pics in battroid mode? please..

Edited December 14, 2004 by aaajin

[Neova]

Looking really good there Daysleeper!

Post some Battroid, Gerwalk and bigger pictures! In the toy forum too!

Greak work!

[EXO]

I'm curious as to why you put Minmay in that direction... she would be upside down in Battroid mode. Otherwise it turned out very well.

[Daysleeper]

Thanks for the comments, people. I'll try to churn out some decent pictures eventually, whenever I find time..

>EXO<: The reason for that is simple: I intend to display this thing in fighter-mode.

[Daysleeper]

Yeah, I know.. I'm not exactly quick in updating. Everytime I actually found time to take some pictures, they turned out blurry as all hell.. dunno what I did, but the last picture I took this attempt actually ended up looking presentable. Hence, I offer it for your "enjoyment"..

Here you can at least see the legs, and some of the small creative things I attempted with some of the decals I ended up not being able to use; like the white edges intended for the knees ending up gracing the little leg-"wings," and the fact that I ended up cutting the sponsor-logo's in half to divide them equally over the seperate legs, so as to not run into the red stripe.

Gerwalk:

(Damn. Already slightly damaged some of the decals. I seriously need to go back and give it a better protective coating, before I dare handle it more..)

[zeo-mare]

very nice , do not worry about the extra pictures right jow, i know alot of people want to see it, you should do the coating first to protect it then do the transformation so you will not wreck anymore decals.

chris