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HGBF 1/144 PF-78-3A Gundam Amazing Red Warrior (Custom Painted)

Published on April 27, 2015March 4, 2016 by darkandchoco/暗いとチョコ1 Comment

Hello guys! This is my latest work: a custom painted HGBF 1/144 Amazing Red Warrior from the Build Fighters series. This is actually the product of a Gunpla hand-painting tutorial article I wrote for a private company. Too bad I can’t post the article on my own blog because of SEO concerns. But of-course I will create a new one so that I can post a Gunpla hand-painting tutorial for my own blog.

You can find detailed mobile suit information here: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/PF-78-3A_Gundam_Amazing_Red_Warrior

Things I did:

1. Usual nib mark cleaning.

2. Hand-painted all inner frame parts and base coating of weapons using Tamiya Gun Metal.

3. Hand-painted vulcans on the head unit and on the waist unit using Tamiya Dark Iron. Thrusters on the shoulders are also painted using Dark Iron.

4. Hand-painted details using a combination of Tamiya Gold Leaf, Copper and Flat Aluminum.

5. Panel lining using Copic Multiliner.

6. Applied custom water slide and dry transfer decals.

7. Top coated all non-metallic parts with Bosny Clear Dull/Matte spray can.

And viola! Enjoy the photos!

And that’s it, thanks for viewing! till next build! 🙂

MG 1/100 RX-93-v2 Hi-V Gundam Ver. Ka Complete

Published on February 9, 2015March 4, 2016 by darkandchoco/暗いとチョコ7 Comments

Hello guys! This project was both fun and excruciating! But I’m glad I have completed this kit and I’m excited to show you. More information about this MS are found here: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/RX-93-%CE%BD2_Hi-%CE%BD_Gundam

Things I did:

1. Snapfit + nub cleaning as usual.

2. Panel lining using enamel wash method.

3. Water slide decals application (this is the excruciating part).

4. Sprayed topcoat matte.

5. Hand-painted some details/metallic parts using Flat Aluminum and Gold Leaf.

6. Sprayed last layer of topcoat matte.

And here he is! Enjoy!

The shoulder armor pieces can be extended and opened:

There’s a hidden machine gun on his right arm.

There’s a hidden beam saber hilt on his left arm:

His lower leg armor pieces can also be opened to reveal thrusters:

His back skirt too can also be opened:

Two more beam saber hilts are on his backpack fin funnel holders:

With fin funnels on display:

Things I don’t like about this kit:

1. Big sheet water slide decals for the fin funnels, they are the hardest to apply and to maintain, they are easy to tear if mishandled, certainly requires gentle and graceful hands to apply this large water slide decals, I failed a couple of times and managed to tear some decals. XD

2. Back heavy, but it’s to be expected. You won’t be able to pose him properly with everything attached without the use of the back support (transparent piece that is also used for the stand) provided in the kit.

3. The new MG hands are nice in detail and articulation but in exchange, the finger joint can easily be loosened when too much pressure is applied on the fingers and then they fall off by themselves. Increased complexity yields increased faults.

4. The design of the fin funnel display holders are horrible, it’s quite hard to pose the fin funnels for display the way you want them to, took me quite a while.

Things I like about this kit:

1. Despite the excruciating water slide decal application, the resulting effects of the vast amounts of decals is superb! That’s what you normally expect from a ver. Ka kit. He looks more realistic with the decals applied.

2. Kit comes with a display stand and fin funnel holders for display.

3. MS has lots of gimmicks and parts that can be opened.

4. Fin funnels, nuff said.

5. LED support in the body unit for the eyes to light up if you have an LED unit.

6. Details are superb!

7. I’m liking the purple and white color scheme. Works for me. At first I didn’t like it but I learned to appreciate the color combination. 🙂

And that’s it! Thanks for viewing! Till my next kit! Probably I’ll go back to HG kits, particularly the new HGBF series. MG kits really take a toll on my hobby willpower! XD

RG 1/144 MSM-07S Z’Gok

Published on November 14, 2014March 4, 2016 by darkandchoco/暗いとチョコLeave a comment

Hello viewers! I present to you my 3rd Real Grade kit after 3 years! The first two kits that I posted in this blog 3 years ago was RG Aile Strike and RG Zaku II, man that was a long time. I planned to collect all the RG kits years ago, but I haven’t followed through, anyway, RG kits still amaze me, I have to buy more of these kits. I just wish MG kits have this level of detail.

This mobile suit is Char Aznable’s Z’Gok as obviously denoted by the color of the suit; a nice combination of red tones. The MS is pretty simple but looks good on display. Everybody loves a mono-eyed mobile suit right? right?!? XD Okay not everybody, but you have to admit, there is some kind of appeal mono-eyed mobile suits have.

Enjoy the photos!:

The mono-eye can be moved with 360 degrees of freedom sidewards as well us 90 degrees upward.

Front cockpit can be opened:

Z’Gok high kick!

Some push-ups to work those crabby muscles:

Things I don’t like about this kit:

1. Knee armor is a bit loose, that’s the only minor problem.

Thing I like about this kit:

1. Details are amazing

2. Clear stickers/decals are a lot.

3. Articulation is at its best.

4. The mono-eye can be moved.

5. Realistic propellers are included that is on the bottom of his feet and his backpack though I forgot to take photos of those.

6. Different tones of red for his armor

7. Has an inner frame as all RG does anyway.

That’s it! I definitely recommend this kit to all fellow Gunpla hobbyists! Till next time! 🙂

HG 1/144 YAMS-132 Rozen Zulu

Published on November 8, 2014March 4, 2016 by darkandchoco/暗いとチョコ4 Comments

Hello viewers and fellow hobbyists! At last I am done with Rozen Zulu! My first gunpla with heels! Hand-painting the white detail lines were hard!

Things I did in this kit:

1. The usual snap-fit build and nib mark cleaning, nib marks were a lot! And were very visible due to the color of the plastic (darker colored plastic shows more plastic stress marks)

2. Hand-painted the white detail lines, I did not do anything fancy like reverse wash. I just searched for the finest brush that I could find and hand-painted the white lines. It’s not perfect but it’s good enough for me, I’ll try a reverse wash next time.

3. Applied water slide decals. I have lots of extra water slide decals lying around, instead of it gathering dust, better to use them right?

4. Applied battle damage through my proprietary “burning a toothpick method”. :p

5. Applied light weathering using dry-brushing. Just some simulated paint scratches using Flat Aluninum.

6. Added some paint details like copper on battle damage areas.

7. Panel lining of course.

8. And lastly, sprayed a top coat using Bosny Clear Dull.

And without further adieu, I present to you HG 1/144 YAMS-132 Rozen Zulu! (Did they really intend the model number to be YAMS? reminds me of a local root crop in my country which is purple yam or locally called ‘Ube’)

You can find more information about the mobile suit here: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/YAMS-132_Rozen_Zulu

Final Thoughts:

Things I don’t like about this kit:

1. Most of the parts are in the wrong purple color, it looks brown from afar, but when you look at it closely, it’s actually very very dark purple. But he turned out all right despite the wrong colors.

2. Standing stability is poor due to his small feet and the heels! XD