Gundam Plamodel Thread IV

[electric indigo]

I agree that the HGUC Victory is one of Bandai's best efforts. The only point where it's lacking is the hands, they're slightly too big, and I wish Bandai would offer more variety other than the weapon holding fist that just looks stupid if it doesn't hold anything. The kits from AGE and 00 had better offerings there. On my model, I replaced the hands with Builder's Parts pieces, they still could be a little smaller.

[Scyla]

I will be finishing the panel lines on my RG Strike Freedom. So stickering is next. Does anyone know which of the two shoulder decals is the more right one? I assume it is the ET one since it is on the box art.

[chyll2]

I will be finishing the panel lines on my RG Strike Freedom. So stickering is next. Does anyone know which of the two shoulder decals is the more right one? I assume it is the ET one since it is on the box art.

iirc, it should be ET since both Freedom and Justice (and their upgrades) were launched most of the time in Eternal (that also holds the METEOR)

[mikeszekely]

I will be finishing the panel lines on my RG Strike Freedom. So stickering is next. Does anyone know which of the two shoulder decals is the more right one? I assume it is the ET one since it is on the box art.

Well, they included the extra stickers so you could pick whatever you like best. But the "more right" one would be Eternal.

And Electric Indigo, my Victory isn't even close to looking that good. It's basically the straight build, but I added some black to vents and verniers. Did you use decals for that?

[McFly!!]

context: i've been doing straight builds but never bothered with stickers, decals, panel lines, or paint

quick questions:

1. which should go on first, panel lines or stickers/decals?

2. which is the best for panel lines: markers, felt pens, panel wash?

3. gloss coat before panel lining or not? what type of paint would be best to use?

4. are mark setter and mark soft absolute necessities?

5. if everything gets messed up and i want to start over, how do i get all of that stuff off?

thanks in advance! =)

[sketchley]

context: i've been doing straight builds but never bothered with stickers, decals, panel lines, or paint

quick questions:

1. panel lines (I'd describe panel lines over stickers\decals as something for someone with advanced skills)

2. it depends on what your putting them on. If its straight on the plastic, the panel lining pens and pencils work the snap. If its over paint, some kind of wash (currently I'm experimenting with black watercolour paint diluted with acrylic thinner. It works great on plastic, paint, and top coat, and tends to give some subtle weathering).

The panel lining pens are definitely easiest when it comes to clean up - just use an eraser, or even your thumb! (note: only on plastic. It can become hellish to clean up on anything else)

3. I've tried both. It really depends on what your using to put the panel lines on, and what those lines are going over. Take care that some materials don't react well to each other, and gloss coats are a great way to keep them separate. On the other hand, gloss coats are another layer, and tend to reduce the depth and thickness of the panel lines!

4. no

5. sandpaper. Unless if you use water soluble paint and panel lining material, or pencil.

Also, before you start putting on paint, I humbly suggest doing a little bit of filing and sanding to reduce or eliminate seam lines as much as possible. Even just a little bit of sanding with an emery stick (for polishing nails), makes a huge difference!

Edited November 26, 2014 by sketchley

[mikeszekely]

context: i've been doing straight builds but never bothered with stickers, decals, panel lines, or paint

quick questions:

1. which should go on first, panel lines or stickers/decals?

2. which is the best for panel lines: markers, felt pens, panel wash?

3. gloss coat before panel lining or not? what type of paint would be best to use?

4. are mark setter and mark soft absolute necessities?

5. if everything gets messed up and i want to start over, how do i get all of that stuff off?

thanks in advance! =)

I can only answer two of your questions (and maybe part of another).

1. Stickers. You'll need a pair of pointy tweezers and your hobby knife, but with a little practice it's pretty easy to get the sticker decals that come with HG and RG kits on. For most, I bend the decal paper so that an edge comes up, then grab it with the tweezers. Carefully place the opposite edge of the decal on the model, then roll the decal toward the edge your pinching. The idea is that you want the decal to stick to the model more than the tweezers. If the model is stable enough, you can pin it down with the point of your knife when you pull the tweezers away. Most will also slide on the model enough that you can use the knife to tweak it a little before you rub it flat. For very small ones, work the tip of your knife under the edge of the decal on the paper, then roll it back so that the decal comes off. Position the decal on the model, then carefully roll it the other way to lay it down. This may not work for waterslides.

4. Not for the stickers in the HG and RG kits. I've yet to use them, and I've built every RG except the Skygrasper. A few decals, especially the red marks on beam saber hilts, do like to peel, though, so it could be helpful.

5-ish. Very, very carefully work the tip of your hobby knife between the decal and the model. You don't want to damage the decal.

1. panel lines (I'd describe panel lines over stickers\decals as something for someone with advanced skills)

On HG kits (maybe MG) panel lines can really make the kit pop. But I think that they're totally unnecessary on RG kits. They have enough parts that there are plenty of actual seams and lines, and drawn on panel lines tend to give them a cartoonish look that, IMO, defeats the point of RG kits (that is, that they look like scale models of actual robots instead of representations of animation).

[Nekko Basara]

context: i've been doing straight builds but never bothered with stickers, decals, panel lines, or paint

quick questions:

1. which should go on first, panel lines or stickers/decals?

2. which is the best for panel lines: markers, felt pens, panel wash?

3. gloss coat before panel lining or not? what type of paint would be best to use?

4. are mark setter and mark soft absolute necessities?

5. if everything gets messed up and i want to start over, how do i get all of that stuff off?

thanks in advance! =)

I'll take a crack at some of these, but I should say that I have only done fully-painted builds on historical subjects; all my gunpla are relaxing, straight builds with only detail painting at most.

1. If you aren't painting, do your panel lines first, because the marking ink or paint can run under or around any decals and stickers and make a big mess; on bare plastic it is easily cleaned off. In a "full" build, paint first, then clearcoat, then add decals, then clearcoat again, then do panel lines and weathering, then topcoat.

2. On bare plastic, I generally like Gundam panel-line markers best. While a lot of folks remove the excess with alcohol, I actually prefer to let it dry and remove it with a toothpick that is softer than the plastic. This wouldn't work on paint or a clearcoat, because the surface is too soft. In those cases, or for spots with a ton of surface detail (like the back of a Gundam's shield), I use the Tamiya washes. I've also mixed my own using ink, oil paints, or enamel paints, with varying degrees of succes.

3. If you have painted or added decals, I would add a gloss clearcoat before panel lining (and use a wash or ink). This will let the wash flow smoothly, and protect your previous work; you can just wipe off any lining you are unhappy with. I think Future floor polish is as good as or better than other clearcoat "paint" I have used.

4. Only if you want your decals to look painted-on. If you want them to silver and look like fakey decals, then go ahead and skip these ;-)

5. I'm not a pro with paint stripping, but most washes and some non-acrylic paints (including Gundam markers) can be removed with plain alcohol. Future can be removed with Windex. Acrylic paints can be removed with a specific acrylic paint remover, but it will lightly damage bare plastic.

[GU-11]

context: i've been doing straight builds but never bothered with stickers, decals, panel lines, or paint

quick questions:

1. which should go on first, panel lines or stickers/decals?

2. which is the best for panel lines: markers, felt pens, panel wash?

3. gloss coat before panel lining or not? what type of paint would be best to use?

4. are mark setter and mark soft absolute necessities?

5. if everything gets messed up and i want to start over, how do i get all of that stuff off?

thanks in advance! =)

1. Usually, panel lines go first, especially if you're doing a panel wash. Then again, you can always clear coat your decals before a panel wash.

2. A convenient way to do it is to use a fine-tip Gundam marker, trace the panel lines and immediately wipe off the excess with tissue. Produces quick and clean panel lines.

3. If you don't plan on painting the whole kit, simply panel lining on bare plastic is fine. If the kit has been painted, do it on a gloss-coated surface.

4. Never tried using them, since the Gunpla I've built usually come with dry-transfer decals and stickers.

5. Usually, the same solvents you used to thin your paint. Removing lacquers is tricky, as they tend to eat into plastic. Enamels might be dissolved using turps or lighter fluid. Acrylics usually come off with IPA or methylated spirits aka denatured alcohol, unless you thinned Tamiya acrylics with lacquer thinner.

Edited November 26, 2014 by GU-11

[Hikuro]

started building my build strike. I really dig this model kit and what you can do. it's given me some really good ideas on custom HG kits even though I'm working in a MG.

for instance you can mix other equipment like the Gundam X's satellite cannon, Wing Zeros pack or something I'm just saying this is pretty neat!

[McFly!!]

^ thanks, GU-11! those're great tips! acrylic sounds like it's an easy type of paint to use, when it comes to cleaning up. is it advisable for beginners? i don't plan on investing on an airbrush yet. i'll probably use spray cans first, when the weather's better.

[close313]

Mr Hobby Mark softer (or any decal softening solution) is essential for waterslide decals so that they can conform to the shape of the surface they are placed on. Mark setter isn't that necessary and you can do away with it.

[SchizophrenicMC]

context: i've been doing straight builds but never bothered with stickers, decals, panel lines, or paint

quick questions:

1. which should go on first, panel lines or stickers/decals?

2. which is the best for panel lines: markers, felt pens, panel wash?

3. gloss coat before panel lining or not? what type of paint would be best to use?

4. are mark setter and mark soft absolute necessities?

5. if everything gets messed up and i want to start over, how do i get all of that stuff off?

thanks in advance! =)

1. If I'm not painting a kit, I panel line, then apply stickers. Stickers will float over panel lines regardless of anything, and if you use a wash for lining, the wash will accumulate around the stickers. If I'm painting a kit, I apply decals, hit clear coat, then panel line.

2. I use the panel wash almost exclusively. I find it's easier to get a realistic color depth, and where the paint spills over and doesn't clean up perfectly, usually adds a light weathering effect. I've tried using Gundam Marker for panel lining, but I was less-than-impressed with the results, and it was especially hard to control in thin or shallow lines. Also, I've found that the finish is too hard to clean with a dry q-tip, but it's too soluble in alcohol to just clean the surface.

3. I tend to gloss coat before lining, with an acrylic gloss. The clear coat acts as a sacrificial layer that can be burned up by the cleanup process without affecting my paint and decals. After lining and cleanup, another clear coat will create whatever uniform finish I'm trying to achieve with a kit, so it doesn't matter what happens to the clear between paint and lining. It does take out some of the panel line depth, but I don't lay it on thick, and it works well with the wash method- perhaps better than with pens.

4. Setter and softener aren't strictly necessary, but softener can make it easier to make a decal contour or fall into panel lines, and a setter can make decals sit more smoothly on the kit's surface. I personally don't use either. I tend to use enough clear coats that the decals don't appear to stick out or silver too much.

5. Sandpaper is the only sure shot, but chemical options depend on your paint. I've found that isopropyl takes off the paints I work with, without affecting the plastic. I use Tamiya Acrylics almost exclusively, and I line with Testor's Enamel. With that said, I once stripped an entire MG kit, that was painted with Tamiya Aircraft Spray Lacquer and Tamiya Spray Enamel nearly a year previous, by letting it sit in a small tub of 91% isopropyl. The plastic's surface color was affected after I got the parts out, but I think it was just some of the primer that wouldn't dissolve. I've had a lot harder time getting primers off of parts. That said, the surface was still smooth and the plastic's strength unaffected. (Isopropyl does not react with polystyrene or ABS) When in doubt, start with rubbing alcohol, and work your way into harsher chemicals from there.

[GU-11]

^ thanks, GU-11! those're great tips! acrylic sounds like it's an easy type of paint to use, when it comes to cleaning up. is it advisable for beginners? i don't plan on investing on an airbrush yet. i'll probably use spray cans first, when the weather's better.

Glad to help.

Yeah, acrylics are probably the best medium for beginners, as they're the easiest to clean and remove. The thing is, acrylic's strongest point is also it's weakest. It's the least toxic compared to lacquer and enamels (not to mention automotive paints), but that's because it's solvent has the least "tooth". I've had year-old, cured Tamiya matte acrylics scratching off with just a fingernail. Clear coating and priming go a long way in strengthening its durability, though.

Just a word of caution in case you plan on using Tamiya's acrylics. They're horrible when hand painted, but are a joy to use in an airbrush. If you do choose to use acrylics when painting with a paint brush, try Vallejo-- I've heard good things about the brand, and you can actually thin them with water.

Spray cans are fine if you're not planning on getting an AB yet. Unless you're planning on doing fine details, pre/post-shading and blending, a spray can will suffice. And even if you want to do the aforementioned stuff, there are "cheats" for them without using an AB. IMO, an airbrush's greatest plus point is that, coupled with the ability to control paint flow, it produces such a fine mist that you can save up to twice the paint you'd waste through overspray with a rattle can. Of course, the point is moot if you're painting really large surface areas like RC car bodies or larger scale Star Trek Enterprise model kits.

You probably already know this, but do wear a respirator when spraying anything. The damage is cumulative, and many of the chemicals in paints are carcinogenic.

[McFly!!]

^GU-11, you sir, are a a gentleman and a scholar! thanks very much! =)

[SchizophrenicMC]

Glad to help.

Yeah, acrylics are probably the best medium for beginners, as they're the easiest to clean and remove. The thing is, acrylic's strongest point is also it's weakest. It's the least toxic compared to lacquer and enamels (not to mention automotive paints), but that's because it's solvent has the least "tooth". I've had year-old, cured Tamiya matte acrylics scratching off with just a fingernail. Clear coating and priming go a long way in strengthening its durability, though.

Just a word of caution in case you plan on using Tamiya's acrylics. They're horrible when hand painted, but are a joy to use in an airbrush. If you do choose to use acrylics when painting with a paint brush, try Vallejo-- I've heard good things about the brand, and you can actually thin them with water.

Spray cans are fine if you're not planning on getting an AB yet. Unless you're planning on doing fine details, pre/post-shading and blending, a spray can will suffice. And even if you want to do the aforementioned stuff, there are "cheats" for them without using an AB. IMO, an airbrush's greatest plus point is that, coupled with the ability to control paint flow, it produces such a fine mist that you can save up to twice the paint you'd waste through overspray with a rattle can. Of course, the point is moot if you're painting really large surface areas like RC car bodies or larger scale Star Trek Enterprise model kits.

You probably already know this, but do wear a respirator when spraying anything. The damage is cumulative, and many of the chemicals in paints are carcinogenic.

I want to add to this by saying, I've thinned Tamiya acrylic successfully with water, 70% and 91% isopropyl (always leaves a matte finish), Model Master Aztek Acrylic Thinner, and a very small amount of lacquer thinner. I had the worst results with the lacquer thinner, which left a paint finish that would come off if parts rubbed together at all, but I didn't get strange chemical reactions. I get the best results with dedicated thinner, of course, but I also found that water acted as a retarding thinner that preserved the paint's natural finish, while isopropyl acted as a fast-drying thinner that would leave a matte finish, regardless of the natural finish of the paint. (This isn't a problem for me, because I clear coat)

I always use dedicated thinner with my primer and clear coats, but my base coats will take a 50-70% alcohol solution for thinning, if I don't have enough money to buy more acrylic thinner. You can thin Vallejo (I use their primer exclusively) with water but I find it retards drying too much for my taste. At least for airbrushing. I don't hand-paint anything bigger than details or panel lines. I lack the patience.

If you want to get into airbrushing, TCP Global sells fine compressors by Master, but I recommend skipping the Master line of airbrushes completely, in favor of an Iwata brush, like the Eclipse HP-CS. The Master G23 is actually a great brush when it's new, but the seals wear out very quickly and can't be easily replaced, plus parts are only carried by TCP Global, which can really hamper a project. Nearly any hobby store will carry Iwata components. The Eclipse HP-CS is around $120.

I do have to say, it can be a bit difficult to get even coverage on large pieces with an airbrush. If you need to paint something big, I'd play with retarding thinners and higher brush pressures to get a wider spray. Alternatively, use rattle cans. One thing I've noticed is, Tamiya has very tight quality control. Batch to batch, paints will be incredibly similar, even across product lines. TS4 and XF63 German Grey both come out identical, which was a big help when I switched from cans to airbrushing midway through painting an MG frame.

I do recommend ventilation, regardless of the paint you use, and if you paint with lacquers or spray enamels, I definitely recommend an OV/P95 respirator as well. I built a paint booth out of a discarded kitchen range hood fan and a $4 rubbermaid bin. It's not fancy, and it could be more effective, but the theory works. The next iteration is probably going to use an entire range hood and plexiglass sheets. That just depends on me finding another range hood lying around.

Man I need more gunpla money now.

[GU-11]

^GU-11, you sir, are a a gentleman and a scholar! thanks very much! =)

No problem, man.

BTW, if and when you decide to get an airbrush, another thing to consider is the compressor. I recommend getting one with a reservoir air tank--less taxing on the motor, which should help it last longer.

I want to add to this by saying, I've thinned Tamiya acrylic successfully with water, 70% and 91% isopropyl (always leaves a matte finish), Model Master Aztek Acrylic Thinner, and a very small amount of lacquer thinner. I had the worst results with the lacquer thinner, which left a paint finish that would come off if parts rubbed together at all, but I didn't get strange chemical reactions. I get the best results with dedicated thinner, of course, but I also found that water acted as a retarding thinner that preserved the paint's natural finish, while isopropyl acted as a fast-drying thinner that would leave a matte finish, regardless of the natural finish of the paint. (This isn't a problem for me, because I clear coat)

I always use dedicated thinner with my primer and clear coats, but my base coats will take a 50-70% alcohol solution for thinning, if I don't have enough money to buy more acrylic thinner. You can thin Vallejo (I use their primer exclusively) with water but I find it retards drying too much for my taste. At least for airbrushing. I don't hand-paint anything bigger than details or panel lines. I lack the patience.

I do recommend ventilation, regardless of the paint you use, and if you paint with lacquers or spray enamels, I definitely recommend an OV/P95 respirator as well. I built a paint booth out of a discarded kitchen range hood fan and a $4 rubbermaid bin. It's not fancy, and it could be more effective, but the theory works. The next iteration is probably going to use an entire range hood and plexiglass sheets. That just depends on me finding another range hood lying around.

Man I need more gunpla money now.

Out of curiosity, did you use Tamiya's own brand of lacquer thinner? Their official website stresses that you should thin with their own brand of thinner.

I think Tamiya's acrylics react negatively to "generic" lacquer thinner, like how Vallejo acrylics tend to gum up when thinned with anything other than water and their own brand of thinner.

There's probably some sort of proprietary additive inside that causes it. I mean, if you thin their gloss paints with alcohol, it turns out matte.

As for spray booths, kitchen hoods probably perform better than a lot of the hobby booths out in the market. BTW, do you use a filter for the overspray?

Edited November 26, 2014 by GU-11

[McFly!!]

I want to add to this by saying, I've thinned Tamiya acrylic successfully with water, 70% and 91% isopropyl (always leaves a matte finish), Model Master Aztek Acrylic Thinner, and a very small amount of lacquer thinner. I had the worst results with the lacquer thinner, which left a paint finish that would come off if parts rubbed together at all, but I didn't get strange chemical reactions. I get the best results with dedicated thinner, of course, but I also found that water acted as a retarding thinner that preserved the paint's natural finish, while isopropyl acted as a fast-drying thinner that would leave a matte finish, regardless of the natural finish of the paint. (This isn't a problem for me, because I clear coat)

I always use dedicated thinner with my primer and clear coats, but my base coats will take a 50-70% alcohol solution for thinning, if I don't have enough money to buy more acrylic thinner. You can thin Vallejo (I use their primer exclusively) with water but I find it retards drying too much for my taste. At least for airbrushing. I don't hand-paint anything bigger than details or panel lines. I lack the patience.

If you want to get into airbrushing, TCP Global sells fine compressors by Master, but I recommend skipping the Master line of airbrushes completely, in favor of an Iwata brush, like the Eclipse HP-CS. The Master G23 is actually a great brush when it's new, but the seals wear out very quickly and can't be easily replaced, plus parts are only carried by TCP Global, which can really hamper a project. Nearly any hobby store will carry Iwata components. The Eclipse HP-CS is around $120.

I do have to say, it can be a bit difficult to get even coverage on large pieces with an airbrush. If you need to paint something big, I'd play with retarding thinners and higher brush pressures to get a wider spray. Alternatively, use rattle cans. One thing I've noticed is, Tamiya has very tight quality control. Batch to batch, paints will be incredibly similar, even across product lines. TS4 and XF63 German Grey both come out identical, which was a big help when I switched from cans to airbrushing midway through painting an MG frame.

I do recommend ventilation, regardless of the paint you use, and if you paint with lacquers or spray enamels, I definitely recommend an OV/P95 respirator as well. I built a paint booth out of a discarded kitchen range hood fan and a $4 rubbermaid bin. It's not fancy, and it could be more effective, but the theory works. The next iteration is probably going to use an entire range hood and plexiglass sheets. That just depends on me finding another range hood lying around.

Man I need more gunpla money now.

Awesome tips SMC! Thanks very much! Hehehe gotta win the lotto now! XD

No problem, man.

BTW, if and when you decide to get an airbrush, another thing to consider is the compressor. I recommend getting one with a reservoir air tank--less taxing on the motor, which should help it last longer.

Thanks! Hmm... This is sounding quite complicated. I don't know how I would've researched this on my own. You guys are awesome!

[joppewo]

Part 2 of HobbyLink PG Unicorn build!

[GU-11]

Thanks! Hmm... This is sounding quite complicated. I don't know how I would've researched this on my own. You guys are awesome!

Well, you can always count on the modeling community (not the cat-walking, "I'm Too Sexy" kind, mind you) for advice and help. I've posted my fair share of questions at the Workshop forum.

[Nekko Basara]

If you want an easy start that will (I feel) significantly improve the look of your model, I'd suggest just grabbing a gundam marker and panel lining your next build. It's really easy to do, and anything you aren't happy with its completely reversible. Gundam kits are generally made with easy panel lining in mind.

[chyll2]

If you want an easy start that will (I feel) significantly improve the look of your model, I'd suggest just grabbing a gundam marker and panel lining your next build. It's really easy to do, and anything you aren't happy with its completely reversible. Gundam kits are generally made with easy panel lining in mind.

nothing beats panel lining in terms of the cheapest and easiest way to bring out the detail. I would advise though, that Gundam being generally white, stay away from Black panel lines. Gray is a good start.

Of course next would flat or satin coat after all the decals and panel lining are done.

(the only thing hard with flat or matte coat is knowing if it is a good time/place to do it)

Edited November 26, 2014 by chyll2

[Nekko Basara]

I actually love the stark contrast of full-on black panel lines on a white Gundam, but I think it's purely a matter of aesthetic preference. It's certainly a less "realistic" look than gray, but I dig the more animated feel where giant robots are concerned. I might feel differently if I were weathering my models and going for more of a real-world look.

At any rate, I'd suggest picking up both gray and black to get started (those things last for ages by the way). You'll at least want the black for pieces that are medium colors like red and blue. I'd suggest leaving dark colors (black, dark gray, dark blue) unlined to start out; these can look very striking when lined in white or a light gray, but you'll need to use a panel wash or paint for that - the gray marker is too thin and dark.

[SchizophrenicMC]

No problem, man.

BTW, if and when you decide to get an airbrush, another thing to consider is the compressor. I recommend getting one with a reservoir air tank--less taxing on the motor, which should help it last longer.

Out of curiosity, did you use Tamiya's own brand of lacquer thinner? Their official website stresses that you should thin with their own brand of thinner.

I think Tamiya's acrylics react negatively to "generic" lacquer thinner, like how Vallejo acrylics tend to gum up when thinned with anything other than water and their own brand of thinner.

There's probably some sort of proprietary additive inside that causes it. I mean, if you thin their gloss paints with alcohol, it turns out matte.

As for spray booths, kitchen hoods probably perform better than a lot of the hobby booths out in the market. BTW, do you use a filter for the overspray?

I agree on the tanked compressor. I use a 2-piston 1/3gal 1/6hp compressor from TCP Global. It'll put out a steady 70psi at brush CFM, which means it doesn't run constantly at more normal pressures, what with the store tank. I will say, I had it running near-constantly when I painted my MG GM Sniper (nearly every part is one color, which I wasn't convinced I could mix a new batch of, if my supply dried out) but it never got hot enough to cause concern.

I've actually never used Tamiya's thinner. Of all the things to carry at my local hobby store, Tamiya's thinner isn't one of them. I just had some generic lacquer thinner in the garage that I figured I'd experiment with. It didn't gum up, it just left a weak finish. I also haven't used Vallejo's thinner, but I haven't had any gumming issues with Aztek thinner in either paint. Actually, the only real issues I've had are blow-by problems due to bad seals on my brush. This G23 is now relegated to dusting. I was using my dad's old Iwata, but somebody stole it. Now I'm saving up for an Eclipse HP-CS.

I don't use a filter, but I do use a dryer vent tube to funnel paint fumes outside. It works well enough, and I only spray acrylics (cost and such; I really want to get into lacquers for metallics) so I don't worry about it. Version 2 will incorporate a filter though. I'll be able to provision better for a filter, and with the whole range hood intact, airflow should be good enough that a filter won't impede the booth.

On the note of panel lining, I like a black wash to create a good panel shadow effect. It works really well on medium colors, and in thinner lines. In thicker lines, a dark grey is better looking, but I tend to use even more reduced black because I'm cheap.

Part 2 of HobbyLink PG Unicorn build!

Well that's exciting. Lots of undergating makes me happy.

[chyll2]

Well that's exciting. Lots of undergating makes me happy.

I got curious when you mentioned undergating so I had the time earlier to watch it. There sure are lots of undergate. It makes lazy painting more easier

(I am referring to painting all the parts while still attached to runners)

[Scyla]

Awesome tips SMC! Thanks very much! Hehehe gotta win the lotto now! XD

Thanks! Hmm... This is sounding quite complicated. I don't know how I would've researched this on my own. You guys are awesome!

You can always learn how to do stuff by self education. My preferred form: youtube videos:

Like this:

(I really shouldn't go back to mini wargaming. Building Gunpla is just so much easier than painting squadrons of miniatures )

Edited November 26, 2014 by Scyla

[mikeszekely]

And... now I'm done with V2. I guess I don't have a lot to say about. It's got a lot of the engineering improvements that regular Victory has, and like Victory it's a fairly simple kit. The only thing that stands out as being very different is the backpack, but even that's cake after building RG Freedom's. I was a little disappointed, though. While regular Victory included black stickers for the large verniers on the front of the skirt armor and the shoulders (but not the ankles or knees, which got a little paint), Victory is back to the F91 route of being all but stickerless. So V2 took a little longer than regular Victory because I had to wait for paint to dry enough to handle different parts, but overall wasn't as bad as F91.

Here's a pick of all three. They're mostly straight builds... there's no gloss clear coat or anything like that. The only paint is black vernier spots on Victory and Victory 2 (knees, hips, elbows, and ankles on both, backpack and crotch on V2), black vernier lines with yellow trim on F91's shoulders and front skirt armor, black lines on F91's midsection and feet, little dabs of black on the cheek vents of all three, yellow paint on F91's head vulcans, gold Sharpie on V2's head vulcans, green sights on F91's VSBRs, yellow thrusters on F91's backpack, and blue on the canopy of Victory's Core Fighter. Note the sloppy application, poor technique, and how the light yellow on F91 doesn't really match the yellow on the triangle stickers. (In all seriousness, I'm actually pretty satisfied with V2's head vulcans...)

[electric indigo]

And Electric Indigo, my Victory isn't even close to looking that good. It's basically the straight build, but I added some black to vents and verniers. Did you use decals for that?

I bought a stash of the HGUC Unicorn decals that I can use at leisure on Katoki designs.

[GU-11]

I agree on the tanked compressor. I use a 2-piston 1/3gal 1/6hp compressor from TCP Global. It'll put out a steady 70psi at brush CFM, which means it doesn't run constantly at more normal pressures, what with the store tank. I will say, I had it running near-constantly when I painted my MG GM Sniper (nearly every part is one color, which I wasn't convinced I could mix a new batch of, if my supply dried out) but it never got hot enough to cause concern.

I've actually never used Tamiya's thinner. Of all the things to carry at my local hobby store, Tamiya's thinner isn't one of them. I just had some generic lacquer thinner in the garage that I figured I'd experiment with. It didn't gum up, it just left a weak finish. I also haven't used Vallejo's thinner, but I haven't had any gumming issues with Aztek thinner in either paint. Actually, the only real issues I've had are blow-by problems due to bad seals on my brush. This G23 is now relegated to dusting. I was using my dad's old Iwata, but somebody stole it. Now I'm saving up for an Eclipse HP-CS.

I don't use a filter, but I do use a dryer vent tube to funnel paint fumes outside. It works well enough, and I only spray acrylics (cost and such; I really want to get into lacquers for metallics) so I don't worry about it. Version 2 will incorporate a filter though. I'll be able to provision better for a filter, and with the whole range hood intact, airflow should be good enough that a filter won't impede the booth.

On the note of panel lining, I like a black wash to create a good panel shadow effect. It works really well on medium colors, and in thinner lines. In thicker lines, a dark grey is better looking, but I tend to use even more reduced black because I'm cheap.

My compressor's a smaller Sparmax TC-610 that stops at 40 psi by default (it can go up to 90), but I rarely go above 15 psi (actually, I've been only using 7-10 psi so far) so the air in the tank doesn't need much refilling. Since I always paint in small batches, paint sessions usually don't take longer than 15-20 minutes.

As for Tamiya, I guess that confirms it. Their acrylics can only be thinned with their own brand of lacquer thinner. I wonder if you can thin their acrylics with Mr. Thinner. I remember someone blogging about experimenting with thinners from different hobby brands, but don't remember the results.

I've got an Eclipse HP-CS myself, but I'm a little "intimidated" by it. It's not a cheap piece of equipment, and I find myself gravitating back to my old Spray Work basic trigger-type airbrush for base coats and other "grunt work". I'll have to give it a try one of these days--I mean, what's the point of buying something if you're not going to use it? Just gotta be super careful when cleaning it up.

IMO, the only use of a filter in the case of DIY booths is to catch paint pigments, so they don't end up clogging the fan's gears and whatnot. In any case, I'm not even sure if generic filters are capable of catching organic vapors. Even with my current hobby spray booth, I still vent the exhaust outdoors just in case.

I started out using a soldering-smoke absorber as a spray booth before getting a proper one. It works as a spray booth as long as you stick to airbrushing, and vent the exhaust outside--I swapped the active carbon filter with a sheet of kitchen hood filter cut to size to catch the overspray. Rattle cans will choke it out in no time, though.

Edited November 27, 2014 by GU-11

[Hikuro]

And... now I'm done with V2. I guess I don't have a lot to say about. It's got a lot of the engineering improvements that regular Victory has, and like Victory it's a fairly simple kit. The only thing that stands out as being very different is the backpack, but even that's cake after building RG Freedom's. I was a little disappointed, though. While regular Victory included black stickers for the large verniers on the front of the skirt armor and the shoulders (but not the ankles or knees, which got a little paint), Victory is back to the F91 route of being all but stickerless. So V2 took a little longer than regular Victory because I had to wait for paint to dry enough to handle different parts, but overall wasn't as bad as F91.

Here's a pick of all three. They're mostly straight builds... there's no gloss clear coat or anything like that. The only paint is black vernier spots on Victory and Victory 2 (knees, hips, elbows, and ankles on both, backpack and crotch on V2), black vernier lines with yellow trim on F91's shoulders and front skirt armor, black lines on F91's midsection and feet, little dabs of black on the cheek vents of all three, yellow paint on F91's head vulcans, gold Sharpie on V2's head vulcans, green sights on F91's VSBRs, yellow thrusters on F91's backpack, and blue on the canopy of Victory's Core Fighter. Note the sloppy application, poor technique, and how the light yellow on F91 doesn't really match the yellow on the triangle stickers. (In all seriousness, I'm actually pretty satisfied with V2's head vulcans...)

B3Zo5UVIcAAYh0l.jpg large.jpg

Good straight build, now get those suckers lined

I didn't think V2 was really all that hard to even paint, it was pretty easy for me but I guess it's cause I'm so use to painting 1/144's. But That stuff was NOTHING compared to all the detail I had to add just on a MG Double Zeta.

Now the F91 that's a different story cause a lot of that is missing paint. Shoulder thrusters, front skirt, ankle bits have both yellow outline and gray inside! Holy crap was that hard! and the bazooka!!!

[SchizophrenicMC]

My compressor's a smaller Sparmax TC-610 that stops at 40 psi by default (it can go up to 90), but I rarely go above 15 psi (actually, I've been only using 7-10 psi so far) so the air in the tank doesn't need much refilling. Since I always paint in small batches, paint sessions usually don't take longer than 15-20 minutes.

As for Tamiya, I guess that confirms it. Their acrylics can only be thinned with their own brand of lacquer thinner. I wonder if you can thin their acrylics with Mr. Thinner. I remember someone blogging about experimenting with thinners from different hobby brands, but don't remember the results.

I've got an Eclipse HP-CS myself, but I'm a little "intimidated" by it. It's not a cheap piece of equipment, and I find myself gravitating back to my old Spray Work basic trigger-type airbrush for base coats and other "grunt work". I'll have to give it a try one of these days--I mean, what's the point of buying something if you're not going to use it? Just gotta be super careful when cleaning it up.

IMO, the only use of a filter in the case of DIY booths is to catch paint pigments, so they don't end up clogging the fan's gears and whatnot. In any case, I'm not even sure if generic filters are capable of catching organic vapors. Even with my current hobby spray booth, I still vent the exhaust outdoors just in case.

I started out using a soldering-smoke absorber as a spray booth before getting a proper one. It works as a spray booth as long as you stick to airbrushing, and vent the exhaust outside--I swapped the active carbon filter with a sheet of kitchen hood filter cut to size to catch the overspray. Rattle cans will choke it out in no time, though.

I use this model compressor because I got it on special 2 or 3 years ago. It's been overkill for everything I paint, and it allows me to paint in big batches, which is great. Running around 10psi it can go for days. Even at 20psi, it's fine for extended use. I love it.

Like I said, I've thinned Tamiya acrylic just fine with Aztek Acrylic thinner. It comes out with the same finish as the unthinned paint, and it doesn't gum up. With that said, using lacquer thinner, as in automotive paint reducer, has had weak results. I'm sure other acrylic thinners will also work with Tamiya. I personally use Tamiya almost exclusively because they have good quality control between batches, the paint is a good price, I like how it acts in the brush, and I'm used to its nuances. It's also readily available in a lot of places. I tend to use ModelMaster for more exotic colors (like hot pink for example) just because it thins with the thinner I use, and it's available anywhere I can get my normal Tamiya.

I've never been concerned with gumming up my booth fan. It's a direct-drive range hood fan from the mid 1980s. You would not believe how much grease I cleaned off and out of this thing. I'm even considering scratch-building another booth with this same fan, using an automotive airbox as the base fan and filter mount, with additional panels attached to make the booth.

[Nekko Basara]

That's a really cool trio, Mike! I think your experiments with detail painting look great. I'd say it's normal to be your own harshest critic, because you know everything in the build that didn't turn out how you wanted - but from the picture, all I see is three cool mobile suits.

I will make one suggestion on the photo, though: get those legs moving! The suits are doing cool stuff above the waist, but below the waist they're just standing up straight. Legs that sexy deserve to do some posing, too!

[SchizophrenicMC]

Action bases cost $8. They grant so many more possibilities for your gunpla's legs. And since legs often make up more than half of a mobile suit, that's a lot of added display impact. For example:

You can spread the legs and focus the center of mass on the torso of your kit

Note the splay in the legs, the slight bend in the knees, and the downward point in the feet. They're not huge movements from static, but they add a subtle effect of movement in freefall.

For that matter (and in a relevant recent vein) here's the pose from the end of Unicorn episode 3. The legs are pointing in different directions, bent at the knee. There's a sense that it's moving with thrusters in the legs. Note also that the action base makes it possible to pose the Gundam leaning back. You might also notice that the skirts all sit at slightly different angles, like they've been moving with the legs.

But, even without an action base, you can accomplish some good effects just by using the mobility of the legs on a gunpla to your advantage. There are a lot of joints down there. Like these:

Angling your feet perpendicular to each other, with the forward foot in the angle of shooting adds to the perception of stability. The rifle arm, head, and forward foot all point in the same direction, while the rearward foot bears the weight across a wider cross-section.

Even less steep angles work, especially in bulkier mobile suits like this Zaku S. Matsunaga. Even with the limited mobility of this space-type MS, the knees are bent slightly, taking a rigid stance and turning it into a stable one.

I really like this pose because it works. If you don't have an action base to accommodate fancy flying or freefall poses, this is an easy pose that nearly all gunpla can accomplish.

But if you have 2 gunpla that suit each other, you can really get some good results. The feeling of movement is really strong in this set. The Ez8 charges forward with its left knee raised, while the Gouf Custom staggers backward, catching its heat sword. Not bad for a $12 HG and a $25 HGUC.

The way I pose my gunpla, generally, is to emulate a pose I like with my body first, and see where my limbs fall. I find that if I have an actual feeling for how the joints need to be positioned, I can make the gunpla fall into a much more natural-looking pose. There's a subtle difference between rigid and natural, and it can often come down to a small bend in a knee, or a slight twist to a hip. Experiment, play around. Find a happy medium between the mechanical nature of these giant robots, and the organic nature of fighting. And consider investing in action bases. They're super cool.

[GU-11]

I use this model compressor because I got it on special 2 or 3 years ago. It's been overkill for everything I paint, and it allows me to paint in big batches, which is great. Running around 10psi it can go for days. Even at 20psi, it's fine for extended use. I love it.

Like I said, I've thinned Tamiya acrylic just fine with Aztek Acrylic thinner. It comes out with the same finish as the unthinned paint, and it doesn't gum up. With that said, using lacquer thinner, as in automotive paint reducer, has had weak results. I'm sure other acrylic thinners will also work with Tamiya. I personally use Tamiya almost exclusively because they have good quality control between batches, the paint is a good price, I like how it acts in the brush, and I'm used to its nuances. It's also readily available in a lot of places. I tend to use ModelMaster for more exotic colors (like hot pink for example) just because it thins with the thinner I use, and it's available anywhere I can get my normal Tamiya.

I've never been concerned with gumming up my booth fan. It's a direct-drive range hood fan from the mid 1980s. You would not believe how much grease I cleaned off and out of this thing. I'm even considering scratch-building another booth with this same fan, using an automotive airbox as the base fan and filter mount, with additional panels attached to make the booth.

That's some pretty good specs on that compressor. What's "air-on-demand", though?

Speaking of compressors, I'm unsure if I should buy a second moisture trap for the airbrush. While the compressor has its own moisture trap, there's still the hose itself. That said, I always paint with the AC unit on, which lowers the humidity to somewhere between 50-60%.

Yeah, I haven't cleaned my kitchen hood for ages, and (knocks on wood) it still runs. The last time cleaned it, there was so much grease in the that I had to soak the fans overnight in detergent.

Cool idea, using an airbox as a mounting frame.

[Nekko Basara]

Speaking of compressors, I'm unsure if I should buy a second moisture trap for the airbrush. While the compressor has its own moisture trap, there's still the hose itself. That said, I always paint with the AC unit on, which lowers the humidity to somewhere between 50-60%.

Just from my own experience, the moisture trap attached directly under my airbrush used to collect loads of water when I was using a compressor without a trap, but once I changed to a different compressor with an attached trap, this practically stopped. While in theory the air cooling as it passes through the hose can precipitate moisture, in practice I haven't seen enough to matter; I still use the secondary trap because I have it, but I never see fluid in it.

This is in New England summertime weather, so reasonably humid. Humid enough that airbrushing with no trap at all turns to spitting and cursing in minutes.