>"If you're new, you're gonna fuck up. Don't worry! If you're experienced, don't make the new people worry!"

***READ THE GUIDE***

Discord
https://discord.gg/W973BmwERB

The guide:
Part 1 (Quick Start)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSBDfE8Iz-a86DZJCR5MHRW6tjkQX-y4-ZpUc_vHjRfx_i2FB0zR1usdrgUJ4wNTs1iDFZmTQHF66X_/pub

Part 2 (Deeper Dive)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQJG2SZo1O1PjExPrdU_-GnkrYTGiGLCgBcKaL4peEWxOGB4CNbpGaJBV1oF61eNE1lEhbQHYEAXLrw/pub

And a handy guide to other types of plamo: http://www.mediafire.com/view/1vf1aw7v91pz5pa/Airfix%20Model%20World%20Specia%20(Scale%20Modelling%20Step-By-Step).pdf
http://www.scalemodelguide.com

Some line art:
https://imgur.com/user/Gundaml1neart/posts


Previous thread: >>11463238

==ARTILLERY GROUPBUILD==

Build a mecha or vehicle that uses long-range heavy-weapons such as Cannons, Missiles/Rockets, Railguns, or any other type of siege weaponry. Some clarifying rules
>The weapon can either be placed anywhere on the build (Shoulder-mounted, under-slung, etc), or in a separate side-build (Such as an artillery system utilized by a larger mech).
>Side-builds can include things like howitzers, self-propelled artillery, missile platforms, and the like.
>Alternatively, the mech can act as a spotter, loader, or some other role to support Artillery fire.
>Despite technically being a long-range weapon, Sniper Rifles are a no-go.

Send your entries to gunplaplamo@gmail.com with at least 5 photos of your finished build along with any WIP photos and a description of your entry.
START: 4/13/25
END: 7/31/25

>>11488067 (OP)
Is there a guide to mixing.

Feel like i went way too dark on my offwhite. I wish there was a retail off white, but the closest i got was tamiya deck tan

>>11488076
Forgot name

Hopefully done this week. Its all painted. Just decaling

>>11488076
Mech9 has some guides. I use tamiya insignia white on a few things. Decent off white thats not too yellow or whatever. Will say when mixing a darker color will overpower lighter colors, so mix a drop at a time. Pipettes help alot. As do disposable mixing cups.

Hey you remembered the title this time

>>11488076
>Is there a guide to mixing
Yes, it's called practice.

Best oil wash cleanup tool EVER.
Qtips, swabs, erasers etc don't even come close and no thinner is needed.(Tested with MrWeathering wash).

>>11488076
Gianotes has many off-whites. I have a shameful number of them.

>3rd party MG Kshatriya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qYElIaN7lU

holy shit
I don't even have space to display this thing but I need it

ez 8 rocks

>>11488562
wait until you see difficult8

WIP on my II Neo Zeong. Everything but the verniers and internal support stuff for the arms and lower body is painted, clear coated, and ready for decals.

I'm turning The O into a Xamel looking thing. Any suggestions for a kit that has a big ass gun I can use as the cannon? There is a Robot Spirits A.N.I.M.E Zaku who straight up comes with a 1/144 Xamel Cannon but a cheaper option would be cool. I don't want to fully scratch build a cannon although I could use brass tubing to extend the length of an existing gun.
>>11488596
Nice work anon that thing is fucking huge

>>11488875
>Nice work anon that thing is fucking huge
Thanks. It takes up so much room just separating parts before and after painting. The fuel tanks/rocket booster don't even fit inside my spray booth lol. The funny part is reading the manual showing how simple and easy it is to build until you get to the HG Shinaju Stein unit and suddenly the instructions get 10x more complicated in comparison.

HG gundam aerial

>>11489065
I do not like how the hand groups that gun.

>>11489076
Too late to change it now. Its already at hobbytown

Finished Ryujinmaru from the new Wataru show (wataru is a stremar /youtuber)
The kit look like a entry grade, No sticker and no Nippers needed. also there's no info about the scale.
Building him is simple but is a pain to remove the nubs marks on the gold parts and blue part of the arms.
The blue parts of his arm was a pain in the ass to remove the nub mark because is to close of the panel line.
The articulation of the arms allow to make the Ryujinmaru signature attack and the head dragon shoulder pad has some gimmicks

>>11489080

>>11488875
Votoms option set with the burglarydog folding cannon.

I'm so glad that the sinanju stein Ka uses the same hands as Nu Ka. I can actually buy posable replacements.

it going to be so awesome

irys and biboo building gundam coocks live right now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRXLjpcUsng

Slowly working through a zoids pteras bomber. The kit came with decals but no guide as to where to put them. Anyone know of a guid or resource for this? Google isint coming up with anything.

>>11488177
What is this, melamine foam?

>>11489437
Why would i care about beginner snap builds?

Are people so starved of content, they need to watch vtubers snap building models?

>>11489504
Nope, just a regular semi-stiff foam, the kind they use in hard case inserts.

>what happens if you combine an alligator clip
with a neodymium magnet

>>11489587
You need to stick them to something metallic instead of pushing them into a piece of foam or similar

What is your opinion on the Gunpla general in /m/, compared to this one?

>>11489470
Check the box, but Zoids is pretty open I think. I haven't gotten around to putting the slides on mine yet. There might be some reference in the booklet

>>11489662
/m/'s gpg is controlled by the gunpla mafia and is purely a propaganda vehicle for overpriced, repurposed manicure tools and consumables.

>>11489662
/m/ is more, I want to say hostile, than /toy/. I like it here more

>>11489662
It's much faster but with lower average quality per post & more shitposting.

>>11489787
That's the thing. They arnt even on the model in any of the pics in the instructions. There's a small, what I'm pretty sure is a render, on the box with at least one decal on it. Buts it's so small I can barely make any of them out, let alone use for a guide.

>>11489969
I think you have free reign really. I did a cursory look, too. I'm not at home so I can't check my marking plus kits

>>11489969
Unless the decals have super specific shapes, I think they're supposed to be applied to taste.

Bandai should really make hg revives of all the 00 gundams. However i shudder at the though of what the markup would be. My local store has some for 15-20$. I shudder to think of a 25$ exia.

>>11489662
Theyre kinda stuck up dicks. They like to shittalk instead of post gunpla. This general is way more chill and doesnt have stupid arguments spanning multiple threads, and can get better tips and advice here.

>>11489662
I get not liking snapshitters and preferring painted up kits and all that, but geez, they really do like beating that dead horse over and over huh?

Tomorrow my Xamel cannon will arrive, along with metal spikes for the shoulders. Then I can paint them up.

Should I go back and finish up one of these long abandoned projects or should I start another soon to be abandoned project?

>>11491728
Finish one then abandon another to take it's place.
It makes karmatic sense

>new paints, thinner spouts and replacement parts all arrived early
>they just gave me the full runner for the hand I needed so now I have a spare left too
Yeah, today is off to a fantastic start.

>>11491728
this shit llooks cool. just finish your damn projects

And she's done

>>11492153
Fuzzy.

>>11492266
Yeah I used an older phone for that one

>>11492269
You misunderstand.

>>11492286
Is it because I didn't run my mini vac over my desk and there's plastic on it?

Mmmm wat could this be?

>>11492341
Noice

Which would be the better option for topcoating a build between these two? Ignore that there's three cans here, I'm just wondering between the Matte Mr Super Clear and the blue Topcoat. Assuming all I'm doing to the kit is sanding, cementing, and panel lining, what's the best one to finish it off with?

>>11492485
>Matte Mr Super Clear
Just so we're (super) clear, there is no Matte Mr Super Clear in the picture. There's UV Cut Flat.

Mr Topcoat is supposedly water-based somehow, so it is probably less likely to get your panel lining to bleed and run, as for me UV Cut Flat is the standard answer for everything.

>>11492538
>there is no Matte Mr Super Clear in the picture
Yeah, it's just the first picture that I could find that had both lines together.
Thanks for the insight.

>>11492342
enjoy you are self

>>11492485
Blue cans suck, but i forgot the reason.

I place mine on a table and do one spin, and usually thats enough. Sometimes you need a second. Generally my paint is already pretty clean anyway, so im just sealing decals.

Most people prefer matte, but i think matte is cliche. Semi gloss works well, but some people might mistake it for being unpainted.

Generally the mr. Hobby topcoats are really soft and don't cause damage even to cured acryllics. They're kind of designed not to melt paint if its fully cured.

If its enamel liner, laquer and acryllics can't even melt it (if its cured)

I just learned something i'll probably be shouted down for saying, But:

Today i learned the true difference between acryllic laquers and enamels and how they interact.

Alchohol disolves laquers because IPA is polar. Mineral spirits dissolves enamels because they are non polar. That means if you are using mineral spirits it'll be super hard to dissolve acrllic laquers, because polar solvents can't dissolve non-polar compounds and vice versa.

Now the question is can you use enamel panel liner with water based acryllics. Maybe i'll test this later. Are water based acryllics a solely polar bond?

Theres of course also the question of what is mineral spirits? I know zippo is just butane, but im worried about what is in store bought mineral spirits.

My bottle say "100% petroleum distallates" but that could mean anything

>>11492609
I only know bandai spirits

>>11492341
>>11492342
is that the bootleg RG 2.0 they scaled up to 1/100? how is it?

>>11492652
yes
honestly it is pretty high quality, the parts and runners feel as good and solid as any bandai kit, I'm really looking forward to build this

>>11492609
It depends. Look up the wikipedia page. There's like 5 different names and standards for it. I think most stuff you can buy is safe enough though.

>>11492606
Also, you can totally use panel liner over fully dried acrylic. The matte texture of bare paint acts like a sponge though and wicks it up kinda, so a gloss coat is recommended. Doing that also gives a nice surface for decals.

Saw some gunpla at Ace Hardware of all places today. They had an MG Wing Zero and an RG Epyon.

>>11492838
Did you pick up the Epyon? Because that's a good build despite it being tiny as fuck.

Can anyone recommend specific glass files?

holy shit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UgGgzgv9CE

>>11492912
Raser origin. Works great. Price isnt the best though
Dispae siren. Good and cheaper
Stedi. Cheaper and still really good.

>>11492991
I was looking at the DSPIAE Siren and the Stedi sets so I'm thankful you mentioned them.
Is there much reason to get the different grits for Stedi? If the recommendation is to just get one Stedi file instead of a set I'll probably just grab a Siren instead.

>>11493027
>>11492991
i dont like siren at all, it clogs up instantly
you spend more time cleaning it than sanding

>>11493027
The lower the grit is probably the better. The higher ones will give a super glossy finish. Either brand will do you well.

>>11493030
My raser needs cleaned alot. I just keep a couple paint brushes and an old toothbrush around to dust it out frequently. Even traditional files and sand paper tend to collect a bit of plastic dust and need wiped down from time to time. Also maybe try a lighter downforce when filing. May help with the clogging issue.

>>11493067
I'll get the 320-400 Grit, 400-600Grit, 10000 Grit Stedi set I guess then. I wish they sold the tapered end ones individually here, I'd rather not order from aliexpress.

>>11493072
That should work but you probably will use the 600 or 1,000 the most. Hope they work out for you and give you some good results. Keep a brush around to dust them out frequently and you shouldn't have any trouble.

>>11492912
>specific glass files
There's little difference (except price) between branded and generic glass nail files, so feel free to get random one from aliexpress. The only thing that may actually matter is the shape.

Behold, the Heavy Weapons Spinatia.
I'm going to paint the white parts red to match but that I'll probably be a whe since I'm out of thinner.

>>11493132
Frankly, they are probably ALL made in the very same factory in china that probably also makes nail files and just puts different names on them.

Anyone have any experience with the metal frames? My friend got me a Nu Ver Ka, and I've heard mixed things about the joints. The alloy frame supposedly helps with this, but I'm always leery about 3rd party. Wanted some insight before I root around the web for a set.

>>11493284
I got one from aliexpress some time ago for this zaku warrior and it ended up making it rock solid, as the original frame is kinda flimsy

>>11493537
imo, you end up making a metal build figure with this kind of accesory
just make sure you are buying the right thing as there are dozens of this type of 3rd party frames out there

What'll it be bros?

>>11493537
Is that where you get them? I've seen them on sale at actual online stores like USAGS. I found pic related from a Chinese site, but idk how trustworthy it is, especially since its in HK currency.

>>11493663
where do you think the USA store gets then? lol

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005004671992076.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller.2.2682EWMaEWMa4M&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40196.439370.0&scm_id=1007.40196.439370.0&scm-url=1007.40196.439370.0&pvid=74c0cf9a-a8aa-41ca-811b-fe060cde52c1&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40196.439370.0,pvid:74c0cf9a-a8aa-41ca-811b-fe060cde52c1,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238109%231935&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%224%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%2C%22sceneId%22%3A%2230050%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21MXN%21799.87%21607.90%21%21%2141.85%2131.81%21%402103241117528058735301352e3441%2112000030053129672%21rec%21MX%21721131270%21XZ&utparam-url=scene%3ApcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller%7Cquery_from%3A

>>11493663
aliexpress stores are reliable, just try to purchase your stuff from high rated stores (above 90%)

just keep in mind the frames can be a bit expensive but can improve your kits

the nu ver ka in particular has very weak shoulder joints, to the point it struggles to even lift the shield, I suspect a metal frame will solve that problem

im learning so much by doing this zoid. The wings are just bare plastic pegs into bare plastic holes. And a peg into a poly cap on the back.
I got paint peg and when I tried fitting them togeather, the peg just snapped the fuck off intise the hole. I drilled it out a bit and used some sprue goop and some extra cement to hopefully hold them togeather. Shave off the paint on the opposite wing and its fine on that connection, but forgot to do the peg that goes into one of the few poly caps on this thing and the same happened. Effectively Ive lost any kind of posibility with the wings and will have to just glue them in place. Not a super big deal but its annoying. Now I know to cover any pegs.

>>11493668
That shipping is killer. Thanks orange man. Still better than the one I saw on eBay at least. Cheers. Good to know where to look.
>>11493669
>the nu ver ka in particular has very weak shoulder joints
Joint strength was a big concern when I was checking out reviews, yea. The metal kit also supposedly has better fin connections, too, but I don't know if it stops the flop. I feel like the flop is inevitable.

Is it gonna cost me more to order a gunpla at HLJ for $35 list price and have only it shipped from their warehouse, or the same gunpla for $50 from Newtype with their $10 shipping? Never used HLJ so I don’t know what their shipping costs are.

>>11494176
HLJ shipping is pretty fair but they never have anything in stock so you can be waiting years.

>>11494185
I have a Liger Schneider on preorder and I'm actually kind of worried because shipping spiked hard thanks to orangemanbad. It's like $70 shopping for a similarly sized box. The worst part is that everyone else's preorder has been sold out for while, so I might have to just eat it.

>>11494176
main advantage of hlj is the ability to consolidate shipping on multiple items by shoving them in a box together. if you're just paying for one thing it's probably not price competitive to local stores

Is there a good hobby primer for POM plastic ? I feel like even metal primer that I usually apply on anything that isn't PS or ABS doesn't work well. I considered car primers, but I'm not knowledgeable enough about it

>>11493284
They're ok, I like them. I have several chink kits with metal frames. They can be annoying to put together if they don't come pre assembled. Sanding metal is not fun and there's no easy fix if you overdo it. Most come pre assembled. Also if you want to paint it you'll need a proper primer, usual surfacer doesn't stick to metal. I used mr primer 1000 on my last metal frame, worked well

Day 2 of the P-Bandai US summer drop, and pretty much just all the same shit all over again. I really don't understand who likes clear color kits, especially HG kits that are badly color-separated but you don't have the option to color correct it with paint.

>>11494603
Do these preorders go out of stock quickly? I'm not in the US but I have a friend who might be interested in the Devil Gundam, or any Devil Gundam for that matter.

>>11494649
Orders start on the 21st, and honestly you'll probably have at least one full day to order what you want unless it's one of those super rare and popular kits, of which Clear Color is not. Odds are the G-Self, Tolro, Moon Gundam, Sazabi and Efreet will sell out fast, but most of the rest can probably be bought at leisure.

The Devil Gundam is actually a pretty good kit despite being so ancient (back in the days when 1/144 didn't even have HG grade). I built one back in around 200-2003, it's better than the old-ass 1/144 NG kits from the 90's but still requires a decent amount of work to match today's standards. Not something I would pay more than fifteen bucks for though, and I'm honestly surprised it hasn't gotten a Revive in all these years. Though with all of the Shuffle Alliance getting P-Bandai Revive kits, we might actually see one for Devil as well.

Does Mr Leveling Thinner work for their weathering color products, or do I have to get the weathering solvent specifically?

>>11494685
>Does Mr Leveling Thinner work for their weathering color products
No, because Mr Leveling Thinner is a lacquer thinner and weathering color products are oil based.

>do I have to get the weathering solvent specifically
No, you can use odorless turpenoid from your local art store (because weathering solvent is basically the same thing).

>>11494749
Ah gotcha, didn't realize they were oils. Thanks anon.

>>11494662
It looked pretty aged, even if it was spruced up, but I sent the information along to my friend, thank you. It'd be nice to own some p-bandai thing at some point, even if low in demand, just to have literally just one cool exclusive and transparent thing. 53 trillion overpriced transparent kits, not so much

Finished my Dra-C.
Thanks for the advice about liquid mask last week, worked great.
This mobile suit is so cool, but the kit is kinda awful. It is literally like 5 small runners and the entire torso is just two pieces clipped together. Without paint it genuinely looks terrible, which forced me try a full paint-job for the first time. Worked pretty well despite some mistakes, and now it looks as great as it should.

>>11494934
Yeah the liquid masking does help a ton. The other anon that does the crazy detail work won me over with the liquid masking.

>>11495364
Where's you're Scopedog anon

WIP on Zeta Ka.
The other half comes tomorrow.

Anyone got experience buying off Japanese Mercari through Buyee? Saw some good deals for kits I want and the seller ratings look alright but I can't help but be a bit apprehensive over whether I'm actually getting New-in-box product as listed.

I know people say to use cheaper cutters to first get things off the main body of the sprue and then use your expensive God Hands and the like to remove the rest of the sprue from the part but whenever I use my Xuron or Master Tools nippers it always ends up torquing the part slightly and putting stress marks on the rest of the joins. Am I just fundamentally doing something wrong?
It's not a major problem but I'm just annoyed right now at some of the gate placements on this Front Mission kit that are either hard to get to or straight up placed between raised surfaces on the part so I'm even more aware of it.

>>11495531
No those just really suck.

Get 10$ nippers.

>>11494934
Everything but the reverse wash and scope are perfect. Excellent work.

Buy the ali express jewels for the scope, and use a darker gold next time.

>>11495582
Yeah, the scope really sucks right now. It and the eye are both the default shitty stickers that came with it.
I painted the sleeves stuff by just painting it all black and then painting silver over the raised parts and using some accent color to blend the edges and nooks.
I don't know what you mean with gold, I didn't use any.
It has more problems than that though. I never painted this much, so some of the layers I did were so thick that I kinda lost some detail and even got some pooling. It's mostly on parts you don't see much, but it's still there. Plus I failed in welding the seams on the legs. This models is actually an aliexpress bootleg, and it has the worst tolerances. None of the parts fit together well.
Plus the bullet holes look kinda shit. I got some milliput to fill some hollows in the legs and just couldn't resist giving it a try.

>>11495444
Not finished yet. Have to apply more weathering and a touch up a few spots with paint.

>>11495644
Turned out good, just learn from what you didnt like or could do better and apply it to the next project you work on.

>>11495502
>Anyone got experience buying off Japanese Mercari through Buyee
If I remember correctly pic related was bought that way (or maybe it was Super Cub 50). Either way, it's a perfectly legit site.

>>11495531
>then use your expensive God Hands
$300 Erem tungsten carbide cutters are expensive, God Hands are just good tools that are not so cheap as to be disposable. You really don't need to use 2 nippers to cut parts off the runner if you know what you're doing, just be careful how you cut thick plastic and GodHands will work perfectly fine.

>>11495668
Is that the HG? That's not the HG
Saw someone got a larger version of some Fatty, wish I had more Votoms kits that weren't just variations of the HG Scopedog, affordably I mean. Was given a tiny Choi-Pla of the Red Shoulder Custom and it is microscopic

>>11495739
That is the HG turbo custom. The HG on the instruction book is obscured by the weathering colors.

>>11495754
Ah my bad, I only have the default, no idea whether I should get the Burg, Turbo Custom, or just wait
>Burg seems like it has a bit more, like the big shoulder cannon as well as the feet for ramps and stairs
>Turbo Custom has better shoulders and the jets on his feet, and some of the shared accessories look a bit nicer

>>11495457
Is it in the mail?

>>11495792
Burglarydog has a bit more and costs a little less. I do agree that would be nice to have a fatty or bloddsucker or standing turtle of anything aside from a dog variant.

Since Zeta was mentioned earlier in the thread, I might as well make my first post here something Zeta related. I usually post on /smg/ but since it's gunpla gotta post it here. Been working on a diorama depicting the Karaba/AEUG attack on the Titans base at Kilimanjaro with an HG Nemo and GM II. Both kits are painted and I'm still working on weathering the Nemo. It's part 1 of a two part set which I'll be calling "Storm Over Kilimanjaro". It's not finished but the general set up is there,

Speaking of Votoms

>>11495856
another view of the diorama and I fucked up since the Nemo should be part of Karaba but the decals for it were unfortunately too big. Part two will be the Titans side defending with a Hizack and Marasai whenever I get to those

>>11495856
noice chipping

Asking in both generals:

Say that I have some clear Chinesium parts, and I used a pin vise to drill a couple holes into the void and plan to fill it with melted sprue goo (made from the same runner that the parts came from). What kind of tool would work best for the purpose if I plan to clean and re-use it? In this particular case, since it's runner goo that's been melted down using MEK substitute, I don't want something made of plastic that would melt upon contact with the goo. I don't need something high volume, so 1-2 mL is perfectly fine since this is for modeling purposes. The tip also doesn't need to be super long, but something made of metal would be nice (again, so it doesn't melt upon contact with sprue goo) and thin enough to fit into the hole I drilled with the pin vise.

>>11495916
>What kind of tool
>proceeds to describe a syringe
I'm not so sure the tool should be your worry here.

So you plan to fill a void in a clear part with melted clear plastic through 2 holes and you expect what exactly as the end result?

>>11495929
I know that a syringe is what would work, but I'm wondering if there are purpose-designed arts and crafts syringes that aren't made of plastic, and with an easy-to-Google name so I can buy it on Amazon or whatnot. Because just searching for "glass syringe" gets me medical equipment that's of the wrong size and that costs too much.

As for the purpose, I'm hoping to make the void less noticeable, or at the very least strengthen the plastic by filling in the air bubbles that might make it easier for the piece to break if too much stress is applied. At this point it's largely experimental but if it does work then it has some implications for future projects I'm working on.

>>11495931
Do you expect the clear part to remain transparent after the injection?

>>11495931
>I'm wondering if there are purpose-designed arts and crafts syringes that aren't made of plastic
Just for the record, regular single-use medical syringes are made of PET, same stuff they make lacquer thinner and airbrush cleaner bottles of and they are designed to handle far nastier stuff than your sprue goo. I doubt you can actually get your hands on a substance that can melt a plain old single-use medical syringe. But that's not the issue here.

>>11495916
I assume youre the guy with the voids in his action base thing? Just don't bother. Your plan won't fix it. I'm not sure if that transparent stuff even melts down, and I doubt you could drill a hole in it without cracking it. That shit is like glass.

>>11495931
Steel dental syringes

>>11495931
Why are you worried about the syringe melting and not about the part melting/deforming?
You are injecting the part with the dissolved plastic hoping that it will fill the void, but where do you think the solvent is going to go? Surely you don't expect it all to evaporate through those little(?) holes you drilled before it diffuses into the part and makes it soft and/or opaque.

>>11495825
It was a freak beam saber accident.

>>11495863
Best girl in the background.

I made a dent in my backlog in the sense I made about three kits I've been sitting on.

Problem is that I ended up buying four more...

>>11496387
lmao, that's the norm for this hobby innit?

>>11496391
Yeah, they're just fun to build. I love it.

We have legs

>>11495668
The best advice I picked up from weathering videos and guides is "if you can see it, stop". So tried to be subtle with it, but heres the results. The sundy wash I applied only on the lower legs. Did rust irange over any of the exposed metal color, and went light with the dark brown around the feet and low legs a bit.

>>11496587
I don't know if I would call it subtle.

>>11496641
Yeah youre not wrong. I did go a little heavy with the chipping, and weathering.

I have some parts that have gaps too large to cement and I forgot to bring putty on holiday with me. Time to do something with sprue that I'm going to regret.

Any recs for good videos/sites that describes all the common paints, thinners, and topcoats and how they interact with each other?
Looking to get into painting and I'm worried I'm going to fuck up all my work.

>>11496680
>I'm worried I'm going to fuck up all my work
You will, but that's okay, that's how you learn. The important part is how you recover from failure.

>>11495869
Thanks, I tried not to go too overboard but wanted to show it's survived a few battles though I focused more around the legs

>>11496680
There's very few fuck-ups that a bath in isopropyl won't let you fix.

>>11496508
And that's the wings.
Still have to do the weapons and decals but that can wait. Gotta say it was on the easier side of the Ver Kas I've done.

Began the work on this MG Rick Dom
I love the hugeass beam bazooka

>>11497661

Love me Psycho Mk2

I bought the contrast colour epyon and wing gundam as well as the SD G3 gundam.

>>11497516
Nice. I was actually eyeing that myself. I haven't taken the plunge into building, but I have a Nu ver ka in my backlog. Currently working on my own this one:
>>11497851
It's such a wonderful kit. I'm enjoying the build. Also, that's not how the MA flies, which is hilarious.

>>11498193
>Also, that's not how the MA flies, which is hilarious.
I know, it's just that it reminds me of the G Fighter.

>>11498193
>but I have a Nu ver ka in my backlog
I did that one not too long ago myself. The main body is fine but when it comes to the funnels they're floppy as hell.

>>11498421
Not surprising. The RG Nu is the same way. I'm debating getting an alloy frame for it. Just haven't pulled the trigger. Not sure what to do about the flop, though

I've build the HG Char's Z'gok
good
>cheap
>easy build
>fast build
>it looks goofy (in a good way)
>it's a big boy

bad
>boring build
>mono eye doesn't move
>only one eye sticker
>weird plastic

I would say it's worth the 10 bucks, might buy the normal version too later.

Waiting on new mask filters and paint to do the Stein and Psycommu units.

>>11498582
>mono eye doesn't move
you just didn't want it to move bad enough

Wanted a Xamel looking thing but have zero modelling or painting skills. Ta da
>>11498694
fuck that's coming along really nice man

>>11498735
Cardboard?

>>11498745
2 ends of an old sanding stick.

>>11498750
Truly amazing work. Kind of makes me want to try and make an Anf from 00

>>11498582
>>only one eye sticker
Hey, on that topic what do you guys think I should do with the eye on this Gyan I just got? I really hate the idea of his eye sticker peeling or outright falling off over time, so what can I do to prevent that? Will spraying a topcoat over it once the sticker is nice and good on there help prevent it from going bad? Or am I just better off doing his eye another way? I haven't found any water slide eye sets to replace it, and I dunno about freehand painting a circle like that. I mean, I guess I could try...

>>11498765
Top coat will help but its just a $15 gunpla. If you are still into the hobby by the time the eye sticker somehow fails you should have the skills to replace it or adhere it again.

>>11498765
2mm drill bit, pin vise and 2mm rhinestones if you are brave enough.

>>11498765

>>11498582
Its literally one of the greatest kits ever released, that still is better than most kits released today.

It has the build of an entry grade, but the detail of an older master grade. It only has a couple of small runners with big pieces, which makes it ideal to paint.

The z'gok is one of the greatest kits to ever be released, and complaining about it, shows you don't paint or customize. There is a reason it, the guntank, and gogg get endless waves of reprint, but i've only seen a gm reprint once.

If the got rid of the seams on the legs, and added a clear monoeye, it'd 100% be elligible to be an entry grade.

>>11498765

>>11498963
>shows you don't paint or customize
but he doesn't have to

>>11499077
Up until the 2010's it was expected that MOST people would paint their kits, and the z'gok is the perfect jumping off point for that.

When you keep in mind that HG's were originally meant to be painted most flaws go away. Theres only a few egregious exceptions, which never get reprints or got 2.0s.

Even modern kits advertise simple detail painting.

It is an essential part of the hobby.

I really like these pages, and think every kit needs them

>>11498906
Add some chinese led sets, some more drilling into the body and you can even make it glow!

>>11499111
I get that a lot of older kits needed a lot of color correction, but I also don't get painters doubling down and saying that parts separation with more colors is somehow worse and for snapshitters only. I'd imagine it helps for painters as well so they don't need to paint as many layers. Some kits look fine out of the box or after wiping a marker on it, some kits are going to be disappointing without painting unless you didn't care about those details anyway. It's always been baffling to see someone be happy with snapshitting and then immediately get hit with how painting is essential. I know some anons mean well but I've seen others say that gunpla should come in a single color so it would force people to paint. Ridiculous.
>>11499116
If it's essential then how come I don't need to do it to feel satisfied with the result

>>11499150
>I'd imagine it helps for painters as well so they don't need to paint as many layers
primer coat turns everything gray though, so color separation is kinda irrelevant

>>11499116
>Even modern kits advertise simple detail painting
except they don't, did you read the page you posted?

the page talks about "weathering" with real touch markers, which is just a shameless marketing plug because markers is the last thing you would use for weathering if you want it to look good, and it's certainly not "essential" to weather (poorly)

you might want to build and paint a couple dozen more kits before you start pushing your opinions my dude

>>11499153
>have to prime everything first
That sounds like hell, and different people said primer was necessary/unnecessary

>>11499168
The only part you could gat away without priming are the White/gray part
And thats debatable

Also color separation is good because it reduces the need for masking and its easier to paint some part.
Like the vulcan on the HG F91 are annoying to paint and to mask

>>11499116
They advertise you to buy gundam markers for obvious reasons

Well, I did it. Found a meta frame for my Nu Ver Ka for a good price. Hopefully that wasn't a mistake.

>>11499150
More color separation as well as more detailed flexibility stuff kinda does add to the parts you need to prime and paint separately. And the layer thing is kinda irrelevant, cause unless you're painting white or yellow 1-3 layers will always do.
So for painters, older and less detailed sets can be kinda better. I don't think there's any need for elitism though.
Though I also don't get the point of just assembling without panel lining, decalling or weathering just a little…

>>11499168
For large areas it's pretty necessary if you want an even coat.

>>11499174
>I should even paint the parts that I'm fine with, that don't have any swirly plastic
I'm willing to believe that topcoat does make things look nicer however
>vulcans
There are some things that seem like they'd be frustrating to paint regardless of how you do it, this is one of them.
>>11499270
I just assumed e.g. having green pieces made it easier to paint it green than if it was orange or black.
>without panel lining
I think it's a bit concerning if you won't even color in the little mouths that Gundams have. Just get someone a marker for their Gundam mouths and they're sure to go down the autism rabbit hole of finding all the panels they can line. Didn't find having too many decals to be something that looked nice, and damage annoys me as-is, let alone intentional and stylistic damage I'd have to get just right. I'd like them to look fully restored out of the hangar.

>>11498963
I think you're just mad that I have fun building kits, while you can't enjoy it anymore.

>>11499168
Like any thing or process, priming can be helpful or unhelpful depending on the circumstances, there is no one size fits all rule.

You might want to prime when
>you have resin and/or metal
>the surface has defects that need one or more rounds of fixing (including defects you created yourself while seam welding etc)
>you want to simulate shadows in recesses and hard to reach areas
>you are using non-lacquer paint

You might want to skip priming when
>the surface has intricate detail that primer can fill in
>the surface is already perfect and you plan to paint shiny metallics like chrome
>the surface is the right color that you want to use as is to match the part you can't paint (e.g. skin tone to match the face plate with pre-applied eyes)

>>11499280
A-anon I just have bare Bandai plastic, and at best I'd color-correct some parts or maybe get some parts chromed if the process wasn't arduous, I appreciate the detailed advice but this is frankly daunting
The only thing I know is that marker will love embedding itself eternally in nub marks and the only way to perfectly rectify this is outright painting it, what misery

>>11499274
A bit of weathering can make a huge difference. It gives things scale.
Frankly, panel lining is already a type of weathering. You're simulating the tendency for dirt to gather in ridges.
By sponge dabbing and drybrushing you're simulating how dirt is scraped onto protruding edges and how paint chips from them.
I don't think most people that weather actually damage the models. That usually looks kinda cheap…

>>11499280
Another reason to use primer is when you want a nice clean white without airbrushing…

>>11499274
>There are some things that seem like they'd be frustrating to paint regardless of how you do it, this is one of them.

If they are part separated they are easier to paint !

>>11499283
>but this is frankly daunting

Eeeeeh its not really. I paint some kit with a handbrush it just take time and a lot of thin coat. its not perfect but I like them.
But you can start by weathering first via dry brushing It is quite fun.
Personnally I think that panel lining is the absolute minimum.

>>11499290
I thought I was just panel-lining shadows which aren't as prominent? The EG Nu had it for the eyes with just parts separation, but I would have had to marker that
>dirt and paint being scraped off the metal
But they always fix that when they come home, I want them to look pristine...
>>11499298
>If they are part separated they are easier to paint !
Don't worry, they're not!!!!!!!!!!! :(
I generally just put a little black dot of marker in the hole and call it a day, the vulcans blend in more with the head and surprises enemies that way.
If I had a cheap and wide range of colors and a few handy brushes that could get kits to consistently look nice, I'd be satisfied. It's neither physically nor financially feasible to get an airbrush setup, and I could get a GM that isn't as blue.

>panel lining is the absolute minimum
I generally think so too even though it's annoying to do (I should just buy panel-liner and not use my trusty marker for everything). But if you're somehow unbothered by that, if your Gundam not having a visible mouth doesn't bother you at all, then like, wow you're satisfied with the kit you built with its imperfections, when some people have difficulty being satisfied with the mistakes in the custom job they made. If you're coming out of it with more joy and less effort, I think the low-effort guys are the ones who come out on top.
t. someone who's trying to talk a friend into getting a singular marker

>>11499290
>when you want a nice clean white
Or nice gray, or nice black (pic related).

>>11499330
>not use my trusty marker for everything
kek

yes you should anon yes you should.
You should buy a pour type Grey panel liner. Go with everything and cost 3.50 ? Or something.
And depending on how poor you are I saw some Ray studio handbrus on Aliexpress for 18€ or so the 3 small one he have done.

>I think the low-effort guys are the ones who come out on top.

May be quite the controversial opinion if I believe /m/ but I d'ont care about how people do their gundpla.Someone snapshitting his model don't take away my few painted one or make me miserable

>>11499353
>supposed to use qtips or whatever
>just wipe away excess marker with my fingers for better control, after applying some hand sanitizer
>if my hands get bad enough that trying to wipe away marker will just smear more marker from my fingers, I use different fingers or different parts of my hand
I should just get a pour-type, but I worry it'll somehow touch ABS and instantly turn it into dust.
>could get a nice big HG or pay a bit more for The O with that money, without having to figure out a sort of tube system that'll work for my window (the fumes will just blow back into my room)
>May be quite the controversial opinion if I believe /m/ but I d'ont care about how people do their gundpla.Someone snapshitting his model don't take away my few painted one or make me miserable
I appreciate this very uncommon sentiment
>people say it doesn't count as a hobby if you just build it
>says painted stuff always look better than unpainted kits, but will also never show their work
Good painting skills are enviable, but if I spent time and money on paint to make a kit look worse, I'd probably destroy it and cry

>>11499150
You don't paint for color correct. You paint to make the surface look nice, flatten out the shine, and improve the main kits color to be more saturated or desaturated. The z'gok doesn't need color correction, but it benefits alot from just changing the colors and taking away the plastic finish.

>>11499180
They advertise markers because they assume the reader is a child. They expect you to use an airbrush, especially on early high grades.

>>11499270
Thats exactly why the z'gok is one of the best kits ever. Low part count + color seperation. The only bad part is the arms and legs.

But saying the z'gok is bad for any reason, completely ignores the best part of the hobby. The kit is a perfect 10/10 for learning painting.

>>11499283
Its not that hard to paint a monoeye. You're acting like its a sissiphian task. Just use an pink paint, and dab a circle, and if you mess up, erase with thinner.

>>11499372
>I should just get a pour-type, but I worry it'll somehow touch ABS and instantly turn it into dust.

You'll be fine 99% of the time. Beside I believe the type of plastic is written on the runner

>I spent time and money on paint to make a kit look worse, I'd probably destroy it and cry

Good thing with painting is that its easy to correct mistake. And gunpla are full of large flat surfaces so it's harder to fuck up. Its just take time because you have to mask stuff. and also it's not a sprint. They are guys who spend month airbrushing a normal sized HG.
And people joke about spoon for a reason

After you’re done painting with lacquer paints, how long does it have to be before you can be around the paint and touch it without a respirator and gloves? I can’t find any info about this at all besides “wear a mask when you spray or it’ll give you cancer and kill you” and “let it dry for 24 hours” but nothing about whether or not you can be around the pieces without PPE an hour or two after painting. I left the pieces to dry outside overnight and they got hit by a surprise rain shower; probably could’ve been avoided had I known more about how to deal with this stuff

>>11499523
>before you can be around the paint
1-15 min depending on the size of the part. I recently paint a 2`x2` square, it stopped smelling after about 30 min, but that's an extreme case indeed. Also smelling it doesn't equal immediate damage.

>and touch it
I would wait at least 2hrs before touching, but leaving it alone for 24hrs is a sure way to avoid repaints.

>>11499523
>left the pieces to dry outside
That's just not smart.

>>11499523
15 minutes is generally the dry time for lacquer. Can give off the smell for mayve 30 minutes to an hour. Once lacquer is dry it is cured, no cure time. So safe to handle. You can at least remove them from the clips without worry. And wait to assemble and handle the parts with pressure if you are worried about that.

>>11496587
I'm sitting on a Burglary dog, I might give your paintjob a try.

Decided I'd try handpainting a kit with vallejo acrylics because it came all as grey plastic. Having a uprising amount of fun. Reminds me of when I used to get warhammer models in the 2000s.

>>11499581
Go for it. I used black surfacer, then mr color gun chrome as a base coat. Then did tamiya gray green and mr color khaki green. I did mix the gray on the backpack and hip gattling. Gun is mr color shine silver and tamiya gunmetal on the stock and magazines. I wouldnt say any color is 100% match but pretty damn close. I cant get the votoms paints here in the states, or would have used them. I would go a little lighter with the chipping in hindsight.

>>11499715

>>11499785
I would normally but I chose not to.

Thanks for the tips guys. I think I'll just buckle down and just paint my Gyan's eye ala >>11498957 I mean, I'm already gonna panel line him and whatnot, so might as well. Don't think I got it in me to fully repaint builds though.
Also I got my bootleg HG Nobel today and her included boobie pieces crack me up lel

>>11499885
Theres nothing stopping you from doing fully painted builds other than 100$ compressor + airbrush, and some cheap supplies.

If you want to know what pros use btw. Pic related.

You'll probably mess up your first time painting the eyes. Just wipe it with alchohol and go again. Eventually it has to work.

>>11499392
It's probably because I'm used to a few decades of toys looking like toys, but unless the plastic swirls are egregious, it looks fine. Having to get paint for literally every single color feels like an excessive amount of effort, and would explain how people have a giant backlog they no longer feel joy from.
Why did you give me a (You) about monoeyes
>They expect you to use an airbrush
Hahaha
>>11499421
>Beside I believe the type of plastic is written on the runner
Yeah, but I don't trust me to not have that leak on ABS, and I'm probably going to forget to check the manual sometimes, but these are both skill issues on my part. tfw bootlegs are made entirely out of ABS though
>it's mostly large and flat surfaces
Sanding and markering have both occasionally been ass, so I wasn't really optimistic about painting.
>They are guys who spend months airbrushing a normal sized HG.
>seeing people complain about the weather and air quality and being unable to paint for a third of the year
>buying a big expensive tool that's extremely tempermental, because "handbrushing bad"
>have to do this for every single kit
This doesn't seem that worth it unless you're working on one of your favorite kits or like, a very specific deco you've wanted for years.
It's also baffling how I'm supposed to paint very tiny or precise details, but I assume that's a thing with masking and painting different parts at different stages

>try and get a quote on a wonfes proxy
>200 bucks in fees before even getting the kit
Jesus christ I just want a goddamn 1/35 Order Buckler

Email color

Email color is actually a good enamel. I did the black reverse wash here and it looks great irl.

Email color might be my primary enamel from now on

>>11500392
At the least it's better than Testors, though honestly that's not saying much.

>>11500403
I can't get enamels in the united states, so any reccomendations are welcome

>>11500408
Testors (headquartered in Rockford IL and bought out by Rustoleum not that long ago) is the local always-available brand, you can get it easily at Hobby Lobby. Revell should also be easy to purchase in the US, just go to places like Hobbytown or any of your other local brick and mortars. And if there's a place with really ancient stock, you might even get your hands on some Humbrol.

>>11500198
>buying a big expensive tool that's extremely tempermental, because "handbrushing bad"
I spent like 6 months building my first kit, mostly because I was learning how to paint with a brush. I painted and stripped and painted again like 3 or 4 times because I wanted my coats to look perfect. Which they did in the end (pic related is handbrushed).
But at that point I was so sick and tired of hand brushing that I went and bought my first airbrush setup and I've been airbrushing everything ever since.

>>11500427
Was it really that horribly bad
Is airbrushing the only thing on earth that quickly gives an even coating and everything else takes fifty retries
Because this looks great anon but I also don't know how agonizing this was

>>11500475
The funny part is that I didn't even paint the whole kit, just the parts that weren't color accurate, but they were kind of important so not painting wasn't really an option.

>Is airbrushing the only thing on earth that quickly gives an even coating and everything else takes fifty retries
The hard truth is that airbrushing gives you the great looking result with 1/10 of the effort and the learning curve for the airbrushing is much easier. BTW, never once have I found my airbrush "temperamental".

>I also don't know how agonizing this was
I did a ton of experimenting with the paint mixtures while I was learning. That particular bit was painted with a mixture of water-based acrylic and Future floor polish instead of the thinner. The mixture had the consistency of honey but it coated the part well and dried to a shiny gloss you can't normally get without some polishing compound. But it took a good bit of effort to apply so that the the entire part was coated completely and evenly before the mixture started drying (which was not easy given the viscosity). Not something I would care to repeat.

>>11500488
>Future floor polish
Never heard of this stuff. I thought you were saying some crazy schizo shit but it actually seems like it's used pretty commonly.
What is it actually? Looks like it's just some thick water based acrylic paste.

>>11500511
I don't think it is even sold anymore. Basically it's a gloss coat for floors. People used to thin it with alcohol and spray it like you would a regular gloss coat.
But why do that when good quality hobby gloss coats are readily available? So I never touched the stuff since.

>>11498694
bro...the nubs

>>11500475
The problem is plastic is hydrophobic, while acryllic paint is filled with water. If you don't prime, its going to be impossible to get a good coat over a wide surface. Primer helps give the paint something to stick too.

Enamels and laquers main advantage,is they are strong enough to penetrate plastic. The thinners are extremely toxic though because they are designed to melt plastic, and your pretty much made of the same stuff plastic is (lots of long carbon chains).

I avoid anything water based, because of how fickle the paint is. Even traditional artists painting murals, have to resort to an uneven surface, or go to spraycans.

Also people that complain about air compressor pricing, are the same people buying an entire series of master grades like 00 or seed.

Its not that i hate snapshitting, but i wish people would be honest. If you dump $200+ worth on gundam in a week, you're just speedrunning a collection. It makes more sense to put effort into a small high grade or entry grade and have something unique, and amazing looking. A painted kit, are some of the best looking toys possible.

If you just want cool action figures, robot spirits is a better line for articulation and durability and don't need to be built. Gunplas main advantage is YOU decide how detailed you want a kit, if you want you can spend 10 or 100 hours on a high grade to get a perfect look not available anywhere else.

>>11500427
>>11500475
>>11500488
Personally I find handbrushing fun and relaxing whereas airbushing just feels like doing it for the sake of having the work be done. It is a million time easier though.

>>11499948
>Pic related
Interesting. Is there any certain kind of glue or anything you use to stick them on?

>>11500700
They are just generic rhinestone stickers with gunpla marketing. They have a little sticky pad.

>>11499001
Man, where'd you get all those? Aliexpress? I always look for cabochons and stuff on amazon, but I only ever find the faceted ones.

>>11499118
What kit is this?

>>11500831
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32866285067.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000120700291.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-clear-cabochon-.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.search.0

>>11500903
It says on the page in English

>>11500822
They are not rhinestones. Rhinestones have faces, while those stickers are domes. The eyes and scopes in gundam, never have faces in lore.

>>11500831
>>11500905
Why do they only sell the round ones in large 30~60pcs packs? I only needed 5 of these and bought the faceted ones since they came in a set with 8pcs of each size.

>>11500543
The only nubs visible are "factory" nubs from the mold directly and not from being connected to a sprue. I've incorporated them into the design with decals, and after I matte clear coat, panel lining. And if I get a wild hair up my ass in the future I can drill them out and replace with LEDs.

>>11501003
Forgot pic.

>>11500588
>and don't need to be built
The building is the fun part though. Customization and detailing is the "if you feel like it" part.

nigga got called out and dirty deleted lol

>>11501256
That's my opinion generally these days as I've gotten older and have more things going on in life. Every step of the process is fun but the building part is the most fun per minute.
The only thing that's been said in this thread that I really disagree with is
>>11499111
>Up until the 2010's it was expected that MOST people would paint their kits
First of all expected by who? If you mean Bandai that was more an expectation to buy their products and if you equate panel lining or touch ups with paint pens as "painting" then you are being silly. Secondly that might have been an expectation but it wasn't really the reality for most consumers and if you think otherwise then you lived in a bubble.

Hasegawa makes some interesting kits these days.

>>11500954
>The eyes and scopes in gundam, never have faces in lore.
you sure about that?

>>11501430
Combine it with a few of these and you'll have some environmental storytelling

>>11501544
Forgot my pic

>>11501544
>>11501549
>no empty cans
>no food scraps
>no used condoms
That's some unimaginative trash.

>>11501549
>>11501574
Why would you jerk it next to the vending machine?

>>11501577
because you don't have the money for the magazine?

Recommend a RG kit to me

>>11501615
God Gundam
GaoGaiGar
RX-78 2.0
Tallgeese
Unicorn
Epyon
Force Impulse 2
They're all ones I've done recently and had fun with so take your pick.

Have You tried the Saint Seiya planos Made by blokees? They are pretty cool

>>11501721
The wingspan is impressive

>>11501336

>>11501834
Ah fuck dude the three niche kits from 1999 amidst a product line of a hundred by that point that obviously the vast majority of people must have bought and painted truly proves that everyone pre-2010 was fully painting their kits. Sorry for being so foolish.

Please give us more build divers/fighters decals

Has anyone used this brand? Do they have fast activation like g rework?