Layman's Gunpla Guide - Construction Guide

Welcome to the construction guide! The goal here is to review some of the basics of taking transforming that box of plastic runners into a proper Gundam kit. Beginners who have picked up their first kit have probably opened up the box, looked at the runners, than the Japanese instructions. How do you feel? Excited, maybe have a sense of tribulation? Well worry not!

Despite the number of small parts and the Japanese instructions putting together a kit perhaps the easiest part of the hobby.

Basic Terminology

Before we begin it's important that you familiarize yourself with some of the common terminology. Those plastic things with all the pieces attached? Those are called runners. The parts of the runner which connect directly to the kit's pieces are called sprues. When you cut a piece from the runner and sprue there will likely be a little piece of plastic left sticking out of the piece itself, that is called a nub.

Layman's Gunpla Guide - Weathering Tutorial

Some people like their kits nice, clean, and pristine, Others like them looking like they just got kicked down a hill. Weathering can add detail from the subtle to the extreme depending on your preferences. The best part is that it's extremely easy (and cheap) to do. It's also a lot of fun. There are many different ways to weather a kit. Here are just a few.

 

Distressing Decals

It stands to reason that if your gunpla is getting worn down, so would the markings. This part's easy. After you've fully applied your decals, simply scratch away with a toothpick. I think it adds character.

 

Layman's Gunpla Guide - Top Coat Guide & Tutorial

Welcome to the top coat tutorial on the Layman's Gunpla Guide. Top coating is an incredibly easy way to add an extra dimension to your Gundam model. Unpainted kits can look great with just a nice top coat while painted kits will gain that extra umph. Top coats also serve to protect the underlying paint and details while the difference between a matte and gloss finish can dramatically change the feel of a project. Top coats, especially a dull one, has the extra benefit of helping to hide the edges of any applied decals.

Master Grade Rick Dias

DSC_7183 Some view the Rick Dias as being under appreciated, others I imagine hate it. Personally I think it's an awesome design and a worthy evolution of the Rick Dom family. Coincidently, it also makes up a damn fine model. This was my first time using real Gundam markers, the Real Touch version to be specific. They work excelent and cleaned up very well. One issue I had with construction were cutting the nubs off the exterior lower leg. When I removed them and did a light sanding I found that there was still a lighter area (presumably due to a compression of the plastic from nipping). My attempts to sand them out only resulted in a lack of uniformity between each side (easy to see in the picture).

Layman's Gunpla Guide - Buying Kits & Difficulty Grades

Pardon Our Dust

First timers might be wondering where exactly to start. There have been hundreds of kits released since 1980, if not thousands. Over the years the complexity and engineering has (generally) improved as Bandai's production technologies and design methods advance.

Size and Scale

Gundam models, like most other plastic models have an accompanying original to model ratio, or scale. A 1/100 kit would be roughly 100 times smaller than actual size of the object the kit represents. A 1/60 scale kit would only be 60 times smaller resulting in a larger model.

Layman's Gunpla Guide - Posing & Bases!

Probably the most important thing you can do after putting together a model is give it a pose. Add some life and personality to your kit.

 

Posing

It's a rookie mistake, your Gundam shouldn’t stand around stiff as a robot. It should be allowed to loosen up as to look and feel more natural.

 

 (click for larger, via ??? with thanks to /m/)

 

From here on everything is up to you. Reenact a scene, pit it in combat against another model, make it dance, facepalm, etc. If you’re working on your first kit with individual fingers, do what everyone does the first time, flip the bird. I really shouldn’t have to help with this part.

 

Layman's Gunpla Guide - Painting Equipment

I decided to break this page down into three different sections relating to airbrushing equipment, hand and detailing painting equipment, and everything else that you'll need. Of course, you're also going to need some paint!

 

Airbrushing Equipment

Airbrushes


(Click to Enlarge)

Picking out an airbrush can be pretty daunting at first. Here's some information on the basic types of airbrushes...


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