Introduction: GN- 042 Zephyr Gundam
How I Customized my own Gundam model kit
Step 1: Initial Build
For this build, I used the 00 Gundam model kit from Japan as a base. I took the parts off of the trees and sanded them down.
Step 2: Assembly
After following the instructions given to me in the kit itself, this is the result...
Step 3: Inspection for Painting
Since I built the base model, I know how it works. With this information, I took it apart into manageable pieces I could easily paint. I also grabbed some parts from my spare parts container and prepared them for painting as well.
Step 4: Painting
After the kit has been partially disassembled, I began painting with 1 black lining Gundam marker and 1 metallic green marker for the eyes and camera sections. The main body was painted with Golden and Gunmetal grey Gundam Markers. This process took the longest, spanning over 2-3 weeks and multiple coats.
Step 5: Putting It All Back Together
After the final coat finished drying, I put the parts back together. Instead of having the exact same model kit except in different colors, I decided to shave down some parts, glue some new ones in, and add some accessories to round it all out, this is the result...
1. What did you make?
I buy many model kits focused around robots and it was only a mater of time before one of them broke. This was my first model kit from a while back and I couldn't leave it in pieces so I made it my own. With scraps of old parts left over and the base model itself, I restored it and put a spin on the original color scheme.
2. How did you make it?
With the paint markers and few resources I had, I tried restoring the original model as best I could. The robot was barely salvaged but missing a lot of details so I took old sword, gun, and back pack parts that I had from other kits and glued them to the kit, I also coordinated the new color scheme to the weapons.
3. Where did you make it?
This figure was worked on at my desk at home, I cleared out my working area and a little space to set the parts aside.
4. What did you learn?
This project REALLY taught me about plastic tolerances, at some points during construction parts would snap over and over due to the slightly brittle plastic they use to make it come off of the plastic trees easier. To amend this problem, I glued parts into place where the most stress was applied to it, I also added scrap plastic to fill in the holes within the kit so it was less prone to breaking once more. This also taught me about color coordination, in order for me to make it look good, I looked at all of the paints I had that would go together, the two colors that stood out to me were the gold and gunmetal grey paints, they were applied to mirror the original order of colors but I took some liberties of my own to adjust for the new colors. Overall this project took a lot of waiting due to drying paint and glue, the times I didn't wait, the pieces would fall apart or the paint would smudge. This project has left me more patient, I'm now able to wait for part to finish drying before moving on and ruining the project. I feel like the many times I have put this kit together and taken it apart, it's helped me learn a lot about the engineering that went into making this, that information will help me complete another project I'm working on in autodesk inventor where I am engineering my own figure from scratch and hopefully entering it in a state fair contest.
1. What did you make?
I buy many model kits focused around robots and it was only a mater of time before one of them broke. This was my first model kit from a while back and I couldn't leave it in pieces so I made it my own. With scraps of old parts left over and the base model itself, I restored it and put a spin on the original color scheme.
2. How did you make it?
With the paint markers and few resources I had, I tried restoring the original model as best I could. The robot was barely salvaged but missing a lot of details so I took old sword, gun, and back pack parts that I had from other kits and glued them to the kit, I also coordinated the new color scheme to the weapons.
3. Where did you make it?
This figure was worked on at my desk at home, I cleared out my working area and a little space to set the parts aside.
4. What did you learn?
This project REALLY taught me about plastic tolerances, at some points during construction parts would snap over and over due to the slightly brittle plastic they use to make it come off of the plastic trees easier. To amend this problem, I glued parts into place where the most stress was applied to it, I also added scrap plastic to fill in the holes within the kit so it was less prone to breaking once more. This also taught me about color coordination, in order for me to make it look good, I looked at all of the paints I had that would go together, the two colors that stood out to me were the gold and gunmetal grey paints, they were applied to mirror the original order of colors but I took some liberties of my own to adjust for the new colors. Overall this project took a lot of waiting due to drying paint and glue, the times I didn't wait, the pieces would fall apart or the paint would smudge. This project has left me more patient, I'm now able to wait for part to finish drying before moving on and ruining the project. I feel like the many times I have put this kit together and taken it apart, it's helped me learn a lot about the engineering that went into making this, that information will help me complete another project I'm working on in autodesk inventor where I am engineering my own figure from scratch and hopefully entering it in a state fair contest.