Author: Falldog

Posted in

Layman’s Gunpla Guide – Option Parts Tutorial

One of the easiest ways to add unique details to your project is through the use of option parts. Option parts are a generic term for accessories ranging from thrusters, hatches, and other details to extra and unique weapons. Kotobukiya makes the most options parts under their Modeling Support Goods (M.S.G.) line (HLJ / Hobby Search). Bandai has their own line called Builder’s Parts (HLJ / Gundam Planet).

Option kits featuring weapons or stands come with instructions and can be built like any other kit. Kotobukiya’s weapons generally come with standard attach points that allow them to be easily utilized with their original models. The fun stuff is the random patches, panels, rivets, thrusters, spikes, lenses and others armament details. These can be glued to your kit in any number of ways to really change how a kit looks. Where you add them, how many you add, it’s all up to you. Painting is generally recommended but if your kit already has a bunch of gray components you might be able to add some option parts without having to paint. read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
Posted in

Kotobukiya’s Metal Gear REX – Review

[flickr-photo:id=8382226976,size=n]

I’m a bit late to the party but nonetheless decided that Kotobukiya’s Metal Gear REX needed a proper review. Just released toward the end of December this 1/100 scale kit retails for $87. It’s smaller than I thought it would be for that price tag, coming in at about 7-8 inches tall. It’s also incredibly smaller than Three A’s 1/48 scale release but a much better prospect for many considering Three A REXs retailed for $470 (most on eBay are now going for $700-800). read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
Posted in

M61A5 Semovente MBT – Complete

2012 may not be over but my latest project, the 1/35 Hard Graph Semovente tank from Gundam’s Universal Century’s, has been wrapped up.

[flickr-photo:id=8327533109,size=n]

As usual, my blabbering about the project first and the rest of the pictures are down below.

Overall she was fairly quick build, the first coat of paint went on Nov 30th/Dec 1st sometime. The tank is a huge beauty featuring sturdy construction and a ton of detail. There’s so much detail on this that it puts a lot of normal gunpla kits to shame. Welds, stippled areas, and hatch hinges and clasps galore. I understand why folks love to build model tanks. For me, however, it was bit detour from what I generally do. At first it was odd working with such large and small pieces but it’s easy to get a hand of. Unfortunately it’s a lot easier to apply too thick a coat at a one time so I had some bleeding around parts of my camo masking. I didn’t want to do anything too traditional whether it be the desert tans colour is designed in or forest greens. At first I thought of doing a dark grey theme styled after some German WWII tanks but instead went with a custom blue grey colour, imagining a tank sneaking around in a foggy British winter. I left a bunch of tools off the kit, along with the scale figures. Maybe one day I’ll have the room to build a diorama so they’ll be stashed away until then. read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
Posted in

M61A5 Semovente MBT – WIP 2 – Ready for Weathering

After about 20 days of work my Semovente is ready for weathering. For the most part things went well. The colour scheme looks okay and aside from a few areas where my paint coats were too thick the digital camo looks pretty good. Paint went well on everything else. I did lose a few pieces somehow, including a bit of handle bar that goes on the rear of the kit. I may try to recreate it if I can find some piping thin enough but I’ll likely just pretend it never existed in the first place 😉 read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
Posted in

M61A5 Semovente MBT – WIP 1

Wooh, how about some WIP shots of my Semovente MBT? (How do you pronounce Semovente anyway?) But first, commentary!

Thus far things have been moving pretty quickly. Aside from a couple of days when I lost an integral part of my airbrush that is. As you can see I’m moving forward with my grey and grey-blue gray colour scheme. It’s certainly different which is think is great. Lots of little detail parts need to be done here and there. At some point I’m going to start weathering as well. There’s a possibility I’m going to overdo it so appreciate these clean shots while they last. Also, you may notice that I’m doing digital camo again. This time only two colours under the main colour and at an angle. I hope it comes out okay, placement of the first layer went well but I wasn’t fond of how the second went on. The first coat of the top colour is currently drying. read more

Falldogby Falldog••0
Posted in

Layman’s Gunpla Guide – Guide to Glue

Now, 90% of the time, you’ll be able to complete a kit without needing any glue. Unfortunately, that other 10% is filled with broken parts, loose joints, and extremely small pieces. There’s quite an assortment of glues out there and picking the best one for the task can make life a lot easier, and make your kit look better. These all should be available at your local hobby shop, aside from super glue, which is available at grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations etc.

For simplicity’s sake I’ve divided glues into five basic categories with recommendations based on personal usage. There’s a lot of glues out there and, depending where you’re located in the world, may not have access to the same ones I do.You can search for the active ingredients in most glues online, cross referencing them to what I have here. Though, at the end of the day, nothing beats a bit of old school experimentation. read more

Falldogby Falldog••0