Leynos model kit #02

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I made a little progress on the Leynos model kit from PLUM.

If you wanna see the work made before : Previously

The Leynos’s rifle

I assembled and glued the rifle, and sanded the joints.

Leynos rifle
Leynos rifle
Leynos rifle

Then I worked on the legs. I modifed a few parts to enable me to easily assemble and disassemble the various parts that compose the legs. The aim was to paint the sub-assemblies in different colors, while keeping the parts glued and the joints as inconspicuous as possible.

So I sawed off the legs … There’s no other way to put it

Leynos feet
Leynos feet

Problem with the feet : How to insert articulation on a gunpla

And as is often the case when I’m assembling, I forget some parts in the corner of the desk … except in this case, the parts had been glued for 24 hours.

Feet of the Leynos

To fix this, I cut out the lugs on the grey part, then inserted it into the free slot on the foot and glued it in place.

Final result : The legs

And that’s it, the legs are finished. The thighs, knees, calves, feet and their toes can be disassembled and assembled without a hitch, and with the joints invisible (on the photo, you can see some of the joints, but it was taken before the sanding was finished).

I hope you appreciate this post on the leynos model kit which is a really nice kit.

See you soon 😉

Leynos #01

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I’ve started to work on a new mech robot model kit of an original robot. It’s made by PLUM and it’s called LEYNOS. It’s inspired by the video game Assault Suit Leynos. In this article, I present my first minutes (hours?) of assembly.

Nice Details

I wasn’t familiar with PLUM’s models, and I must admit, I was surprised when I opened the box. The parts are highly detailed, with rivets and screw heads. This will require a little brushwork to highlight them.

Details on the shoulder shield
Details on the arms

Building the robot model kit

Assembly goes smoothly. The parts fit together without problem. I opted for glue to complete the joints.

You’ll need to paint some parts to make the kit a little more interesting. The sprues only come in 2 colors, which lacks variation. It’s a nice change from Bandai kits, which are usually very colorful. But I like painting the little details.

Arms without glue
Arms without glue

Next step

In a future post, I will finish to prepare all the part of this mech robot model kit. I will show you a straight build to check if there is no problem. And I hope to begin the paint.

See you soon 😉

Entry Grade RX-78-2 1/144

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I’m working with my first entry grade RX-78-2 gundam kit. It’s really simple to build it. But it don’t have a lot of details.

So I decided to improve it with a custom paint. I kept the original color scheme and I added shadows and scratches in order to create a more realistic mecha.

Black Primer and multicolor pre-shading

I chosen a black primer in cans to begin , then I used 3 base colors (red, blue and yellow) from GreenStuffWorld to prepare the pre-shading.

Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 black primer
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 preshading with multicolor coat
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 preshading with multicolor coat
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 preshading with multicolor coat
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 preshading with multicolor coat
GreenStuffWorld blue, red and yellow paints used for the pre-shading

Base coat

It’s time to paint the base coat with the airbrush (0,2mm nozzle), I decided to work with the MIG Ammo acrylics paints for this part and specially with a special set made for gunpla. But this paint cover a lot the under coat, so I used a specific product called « transparator » to improve the transparency of the base coat.

Two coats is enough to cover the armor and to keep the pre-shading work. It work perfectly for the white, the red and the blue. I hand painted the yellow parts to avoid to mask all the model. And to finish I dried brush the articulations.

Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 base coat on the leg
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 base coat on the leg
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 base coat on the leg
Rx-78-2 chest painted with a pre-shading
RX-78-2 shield painted with a pre-shading

Weathering

I added some grey scrathes by brush on the colored parts, and brown scratches on the white parts. I continue with enamel washes to make rust streaks and dirt effects on specific locations.

To finish, I put medium rust pigments.

Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 weathering on the leg
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 weathering on the leg
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 weathering on the leg

Final shots

After a matt varnish coat, this the final result.

Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 with weathering
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 with weathering
Entry grade gundam model RX-78-2 with weathering

[War40k] Blood Angel

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After a lot of mechas, I take few times to paint a warhammer 40,000 figurine.

Someone offer me 2 space marines, so I built one for fun. For the color scheme, I chose the blood angels.

See you soon 😉

Blood angel by Flashfan981
Blood angel by Flashfan981
Blood angel by Flashfan981
Blood angel by Flashfan981
Blood angel by Flashfan981
Blood angel by Flashfan981
Blood angel by Flashfan981
Some details of the socle

« The mine sweeper » (1/144 HG RX-79 G)

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« An old RX-79 mobile suit that had been lying around in the forest for a long time. It was fix to go and help out those partner of the 8th team who fell in battle in the guerrilla zones. It has suffered a lot during its career but it still works. It can also be used as a support unit with its 180mm gun.« 

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Its dedicated gallery : https://flashfan981.com/index.php/the-mine-sweeper-1-144-hg-rx-79-g/

Salt technic on gunpla

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Today, we speak about a ‘simple’ technic to creating chipping on model kits : The salt. Yes ! You’re read correctly, a simple salt to obtain a nice chipping on your gunpla. It’s a technic which work with an airbrush. I think it cannot work with brush … But I’m not sure. Maybe I will test one day.

I make a HG Jo hound model kit few month , and I wanted to obtain a heavy chipping. I decided to use only my brushes and little pieces of sponges. But this time, I decide to use the salt.

Prepare your model

First, you need to prepare the surface of your gunpla. For the example, I use the hand of the HG RX-79 ‘Ground type’ (1/144) from « the 08th team » anime.

Like for a classic preparation, I use a primer. In this case, I was a black primer from Vallejo mecha color. After, I added the rust coat. I used a red/brown primer color from GreenStuffWorld. You must a really hard paint because we will be ‘violent’ in a future step.

1st step : black primer
2nd step : red rust primer

The Salt technic

Now, it’s time to use the salt.

Put some water gently at the surface of the piece where you want obtain chipping (often on the edges). Personnaly, I used a little sponge. Then put the salt directly on the piece like it’s raining salt. It will be trap by the water. To obtain various effect, try to use different sizes of salt. In my example, I used a really fine salt to try to respect scale.

Some advises :

  • Don’t forget to protect the parts where you do not want salt.
  • You can do that directly in your kitchen … because you’re going to salt everywhere … Believe me.
  • WAIT ! To paint, you need to have a dry salt, so wait ! … 8 or 12h in a dry place ?
It’s seems to be dirt, don’t worry !

Paint (when the salt is dry)

Paint your part as usual, the salt will work like a mask. You can use a pre-shading if you want. But becareful to the pressure you use on your airbrush. If the pressure is too high, the salt will be remove. On this example, I worked with the Mr. color white C1 diluated at 50% and applied at 1bar.

Salt chipping

To finish, You must remove the salt. I used a toothbrush with some water and I brush … brush … and brush again. If you remember, I said you must use a hard and dry paints. That is the moment where you’re going to see if your paint it’s good.

after removing the salt
After removing the mask tape

Salt chipping on gunpla is a good way to have random chips on a your paint. I think it’s a simple technic which give good results.

See you soon 😉

A-Wing Interceptor

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My new build is a starship from Star Wars the A-wing Interceptor. I use a simple kit from Revell.

Outboxing of the A-wing

Revell didn’t lie with this message « Build and play ». There is no runners inside the box all the parts are cut, so you can directly build the model kit. You don’t need glue, each pieces are perfectly adjusted.

After Few minutes (maybe 10 min), you finished. It’s clearly a build for kids. It’s not enough for me, because I want to change the colors and add some damages.

A-wing revell flashfan981

Some problems

For a beginner, it’s a perfect kit but if you’re looking all pieces in details, there is a lot of problems. Some examples :

  • The wires are not detailled correctly
  • They wrote the manufacturer’s name directly on the starship 😱
  • all the joints are visible
  • the nubs from the runners are visible too …

First to improve this kits, it’s to remove or fix this details. For this classic work, I used classic tools :

  • Nippers
  • Hobby knife with a fresh blade
  • Various grits of sandpaper
  • Putty to fill holes

Painting

For this kit, I wanna try the citadel air paint. I primered it with a grey from vallejo. And let’s go for the Citadel paint.

I begin on the reactor with several coats of runefang steel. The paint is thick, to use it in my airbrush, I mixed it with the thinner from Citadel.

I was surprised, because I’m not familiar with the paints from Games workshop. But the result is excellent and smooth, I like it. I continued to paint some details (wires, metal pieces,etc.) with a simple brush on the reactor, the cockpit and other parts.

See you soon 😉 to continu this A-wing Interceptor model kit.

MG Exia #05

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Custom paint gunpla

Introduction

Definetly, I love this model kit. So I take my time to obtain the best result I can. For this post, I will speak about the custom base coat paint and the panel lines work. I don’t like the base plactic aspect of the model kit. So I prefer a custom paint gunpla.

A good way to improve the general aspect of the gunpla, for me, it’s to use the black and white technic before to paint the main color.

Technic : the black and white in action

Like on my previous work on the MG Exia, I painted a black primer coat first (ref : vallejo mecha primer black 70.642) . Then I highlighted the parts with white paint (ref Mr. Color : C1). To finish, I applied the base coat with the desired color.

I used this method for all the pieces, It’s long but I like the final apparence of the gundam.

MG Exia's - gunpla MG Exia
Arms painted and ready for the assembly

Did I say I love this Cobald Blue (ref Mr. Color : C80) ? 😍😍😍

Shield - Custom paint gunpla MG Exia
Piece of the shield
Shoulder - Custom paint gunpla MG Exia
Shoulder

Final painted result

After several hours of painting, this is the finish work. I’m really happy of the final result. I think the paint imprive the volumes … isn’t it ?

Custom paint gunpla MG Exia

Custom paint gunpla MG Exia

Panel lines

After that, I put a gloss varnish coat (ref : Mr Color. C46) which is very important to protect the previous work. It was ready to receive the enamel juice to improve the panel lines. Like usual, I used the panel line accent color product from Tamiya which is a perfect product for me. When I have more time, I made it myself with a classic black enamel paint thinned with white spirit. To clean it, I used zippo lighter fluid 😉 with cotton sticks or a little brush.

Panel line accent color tamiya with zippo lighter fluid and brush. Custom paint gunpla
material used for the panel lines

I don’t finish all the mecha for the moment but this is some photos without and with the product applied on some parts.

Panel line accent color on gunpla back
Before panel lines
Panel line accent color on gunpla back
After panel lines

GN Drive - Custom paint gunpla MG Exia
1st step : black primer
GN Drive - Custom paint gunpla MG Exia
2nd step : base coat paint
GN Drive - Custom paint gunpla MG Exia
final step : after gloss varnish, the panel line accent color

I hope this post will be useful to improve your gundam and to work on a custom paint gunpla. Don’t hesitate to write a comment and to share of you like 👍.

See you soon for the waterslides 😉.

MK.44

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Banner for the post about MK44 book from Lincoln Wright (paintonplastic.com)

After the excellent « Sci-Fi FAQ« , here is the new book by Lincoln Wright « MK.44 » dedicated to the models of the Maschinen Krieger universe (abbreviated as Ma.K) created by the Japanese artist Kow Yokoyama.

For those who do not know the Ma.K universe, I encourage you to discover it. I am not a specialist, but I really appreciate the visual aspect of the mechas, vehicles and figurines. The whole composes a very coherent universe which seems to me very inspired by war machines of the XXth century. In short, search a little on the web, you will find a lot of information about this little known universe.

A simple book ? Not only.

Let’s talk first about the book itself. It’s a beautiful object in large format (A4) with 128 pages in glossy paper that are filled with great photos and brief texts to explain the creative process and some layout techniques ! Important details, it is written entirely in English. It seems that it is the first book in the language of Shakespeare dedicated to Ma.K.

cover book MK44 maschinene krieger Lincoln Wright
back book MK44 maschinen krieger Lincoln Wright

I’m a bit afraid to damage it over time by turning the pages over and over 😅. I hope it will resist to my incessant research.

Maschinen Krieger model kit and technics

For the content, Lincoln Wright proposes here to detail 4 times the same model (MaK 1/20 MK44 Ammoknights) treated in different ways. Some might cry « what a rip-off! But it’s always the same thing! », I will answer them « No! No! … and no! » Because with the 4 variations, we get 4 very different and interesting outcomes that have in common only the general form. We can appreciate all the work of transformation of Mr. Wright and the result is amazing. The photos of very good quality in large format or in thumbnails allow to see with precision the work in progress and they highlight the multiple details of the models. A small regret, there are photos and techniques already present in « Sci-Fi FAQ« . But despite the repetition is not serious as it concerns only a few photos in this huge album.

Maschinen krieger whiteKnight
Maschinen krieger moon type Hasegawa model kit
Maschinen Krieger details rust
Painting weathering on MaK model kit
Detailling putty model kit

A nice bonus

Finally we will find at the end of the book a photos gallery of Max Watannabe’s realizations. We can see the same model of Ammoknights treated on several themes and admire the work of this other great artist. The « Taco (The Octopus) » of the last page is just incredible.

Max watannabe Maschinen Krieger model kit
Max watannabe Maschinen Krieger model kit

Conclusion

I can only advise you to read and buy this book. It has already inspired me a lot for my future creations as well for the technique as for the themes treated.