Gundam Model Tips and Techniques From a Master Builder!

Summary

In this engaging conversation at WonderFest, Norm interviews Matt from Matt's Models Customs about the resurgence of Gundam model building, especially during the pandemic. Matt explains the appeal of Gunpla and Gundam models, their ease of entry for beginners, and the creative freedom in building resin kits. He details his meticulous process of transforming a 15-year-old resin kit into a detailed masterpiece, including cleaning, scribing, painting with pre-shading, and meticulous masking. The discussion highlights the artistry and craftsmanship involved in model building, showcasing the dedication and skill required to create show-worthy pieces.

Takeaways

• 🎥 The video features an interview with Matt from Matt's Models Customs at WonderFest in Louisville, Kentucky, discussing the resurgence of Gundam model building.
• 🚀 Matt notes a significant increase in the Gundam community over the past 5-6 years, partly due to people rediscovering hobbies during the pandemic.
• 👶 Gunpla (Gundam plastic model kits) are described as user-friendly and suitable for all ages, with a wide range of complexity, making them accessible to beginners.
• 🛠️ Basic tools for building Gunpla are minimal, primarily consisting of nippers, similar to nail clippers, which are essential for trimming parts.
• 🗝️ The interview delves into the world of resin Gundam kits, which are less commercialized and often created by enthusiasts, offering unique designs not available in plastic kits.
• 📐 Matt explains the process of building a resin kit, which includes dealing with fit issues, scribing panel lines, and ensuring stability in the final model.
• 🎨 The video highlights the use of magnets for assembly, the importance of pre-shading, and the meticulous process of painting and detailing the model.
• 🔍 Matt discusses the challenges of working with old resin kits, including dealing with dried-out transfers and the need for careful preparation and painting.
• 🛡️ The process of masking and painting is emphasized, with Matt detailing the order of operations and the precision required for clean results.
• 💡 Lighting is incorporated into the model, with Matt crediting a company called Evans Design for helping with the challenge of illuminating the model.
• 🏆 The final product is a highly detailed, clean, and professional-looking scale model, showcasing the skill and patience required in the hobby.

Q & A

What event is Norm from Tested attending in the script?

Norm from Tested is attending WonderFest in Louisville, Kentucky.

Who is Matt from Matt's Models Customs and what does he specialize in?

Matt is a model builder who specializes in building and customizing Gundam models, including resin kits.

What has contributed to the surge in the Gundam community according to Matt?

The surge in the Gundam community is attributed to the pandemic, where people were home and rediscovering their hobbies, and the ease of getting into Gunpla or Gundam model building due to its user-friendly nature.

What is the basic tool needed to start building Gunpla according to the conversation?

The basic tool needed to start building Gunpla is a pair of nippers, which are similar to nail clippers.

What is a resin kit in the context of Gundam modeling?

A resin kit refers to a type of model kit made from resin material, often produced in smaller quantities or by independent creators, and may require more advanced building techniques compared to plastic kits.

How does Matt ensure the stability and assembly of a full resin kit model?

Matt ensures stability and assembly by using techniques such as scribing panel lines deeply, engineering the assembly to stay together, and using magnets for detachable parts.

What is the process Matt uses for pre-shading on a Gunpla model?

Matt uses a pre-shading process where he applies a black base coat and then applies white highlights underneath the red color to control the contrast of shading.

Why does Matt prefer using Mr. Color paints for the red parts of the model?

Matt prefers Mr. Color paints for the red parts because of their quality and the simplicity of application, which involves a mist coat followed by one wet coat.

What is the significance of the masking process in building a detailed Gunpla model?

The masking process is significant as it allows for precise painting of detailed areas and prevents paint from spreading onto unwanted areas, ensuring a clean finish.

How does Matt address the challenge of using old dry transfers that have dried out?

Matt addresses the challenge by carefully cutting out the dry transfers and using clear masking tape to apply them. He also mentions having to surgically place some letters that did not release from the protective paper.

What is the final step in Matt's process after applying the paint and decals to the model?

The final step in Matt's process is applying a high gloss coat for a shiny finish, followed by the final assembly of the model, including the installation of lighting if applicable.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Resurgence of Gundam Model Building

In this segment, Norm from Tested interviews Matt from Matt's Models Customs at WonderFest in Louisville, Kentucky. They discuss the growing interest in Gundam model building, particularly in the US, which has surged over the past 5-6 years, especially during the pandemic. Matt explains that Gundam, or Gunpla, is accessible and appealing to a wide audience, including children, due to its ease of assembly and the variety of models available. The conversation also touches on the minimal tools required for basic assembly, such as nippers, and the potential for enthusiasts to take their models to a higher level of detail and customization.

05:02

🎨 Advanced Techniques in Gundam Modeling

Matt shares his expertise in building resin Gundam kits, a less commercialized aspect of the hobby that offers unique designs and creative freedom. The discussion delves into the process of assembling a resin kit, including dealing with fit issues, scribing panel lines, and ensuring stability. Matt also talks about his use of magnets for detachable parts and the incorporation of lighting effects, for which he credits a company called Evans Design. The segment highlights the meticulous work involved in detailing, painting, and assembling subassemblies, emphasizing the time-consuming nature of the hobby and the satisfaction derived from creating a high-quality, custom model.

10:03

🖌️ Painting and Panel Lining in Gundam Modeling

This paragraph focuses on the painting techniques used in Gundam modeling, with an emphasis on pre-shading, where highlights and shadows are applied beneath the main color. Matt describes his process of applying a black base coat followed by white highlights to create depth and contrast, adjusting the blend of colors to match his desired aesthetic. The conversation also covers the extensive use of masking in the painting process, the order of operations for applying paint, and the challenges of working with old decals. The importance of a high-gloss coat to enhance the model's appearance and the use of flat coats to accentuate shading are also discussed.

15:03

🛠️ Final Assembly and Lighting in Resin Gundam Kits

In the final paragraph, Matt concludes the discussion by detailing the final assembly process of his resin Gundam model, including the integration of lighting effects. He describes how he hollowed out the model's legs to incorporate a brass tube for wiring and stability. The segment also touches on the use of pins and magnets for detachable parts and the careful consideration of shipping purposes. Matt reflects on the time investment required for such a project, highlighting the six weeks of work put into making the model look like a manufactured, scaled piece. The conversation ends with a nod to the creative process, emphasizing the importance of embracing failure as a part of learning and growth in the hobby.

Keywords

💡Gunpla

Gunpla refers to plastic model kits of the fictional mobile suits from the Gundam franchise. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses the resurgence of interest in building these models, especially in America. The script mentions that the Gundam community has surged in recent years, with people rediscovering the hobby and the ease of entry for Gunpla kits.

💡Model Building

Model building is the process of assembling a physical model from a set of parts, often involving kits that require assembly. It is the main focus of the video, where the host and guest discuss the hobby, its resurgence, and the specifics of building Gunpla and resin kits. The script highlights the rise in model building due to people being at home during the pandemic.

💡Resin Kits

Resin kits are model kits made from resin, a type of plastic material that is often used for more detailed and less commercialized models. In the script, the guest discusses his experience with resin kits, including the process of building and customizing them, and how they differ from traditional plastic model kits.

💡Panel Lines

Panel lines refer to the lines or grooves that represent the seams between different sections of a model's surface, adding to the model's detail and realism. The script describes the process of scribing panel lines into a resin kit to enhance its appearance and make it look more like the original mechanical design from the Gundam series.

💡Pre-shading

Pre-shading is a painting technique where highlights and shadows are applied beneath the main color coat to create depth and contrast. The script explains that the guest uses pre-shading to control the contrast of the model, which is a key part of making the model look realistic and well-defined.

💡Magnetization

Magnetization in the context of model building refers to the use of magnets to allow parts of the model to be easily attached or detached. The script mentions the use of magnets in the arms and skirt of the model, which allows for easy disassembly and customization.

💡Molding and Casting

Molding and casting are processes used to produce models, where a mold is made and then filled with a material like resin to create the model parts. The script discusses the presence of mold lines and the need to clean and prepare resin cast parts before assembly and painting.

💡Masking

Masking in model building is the process of covering certain areas of the model to protect them from paint or other finishing materials. The script describes the meticulous use of masking tape for precise painting, which is crucial for achieving a clean and professional finish on the model.

💡Dry Transfers

Dry transfers are a type of decal that is applied to a model's surface by rubbing it on, often used for markings or logos. The script mentions the use of dry transfers for the model's markings, which can be challenging to apply but result in a very flat and realistic appearance.

💡Flat Coat

A flat coat is a type of clear coat that provides a matte finish to a model, enhancing the visibility of shading and panel lines. The script discusses the application of a flat coat to the model, which helps to showcase the shading work and hide any minor inconsistencies in the paint job.

💡Demerit Badges

Demerit badges are a humorous way to celebrate the inevitable mistakes and failures that come with the creative process. The script ends with a mention of demerit badges as a way to embrace the learning process and the idea that failure is an integral part of creativity.

Highlights

Matt from Matt's Models Customs discusses the resurgence of the Gundam community, especially during the pandemic.

Gunpla and Gundam models are user-friendly and appeal to a wide range of hobbyists including kids.

Gunpla kits are easy to assemble without the need for extensive tools, making them accessible for beginners.

Matt has been building resin kits for over a decade, showcasing a unique approach to model building.

Resin kits offer a variety of subject matters not commonly found in commercialized products.

The process of building a resin kit involves dealing with mold lines, fit issues, and part stability.

Matt demonstrates the use of magnets for creating removable parts in Gundam models.

Evans Design is highlighted as a resource for model lighting solutions.

The importance of cleaning resin kits to remove mold release is emphasized for better paint adhesion.

Matt explains the process of pre-shading and its benefits for controlling contrast in model painting.

The use of Mr. Color paints for their quality and ease of application in model building is mentioned.

Magnetic connections are used for ease of disassembly and potential repairs in model building.

Matt details the meticulous process of masking and painting subassemblies for a clean finish.

The use of dry transfers for markings on models and the challenges of using old transfers are discussed.

A high-gloss coat is applied to models for a professional finish, with the technique impacting the final appearance.

Matt shares his process of hollowing out model parts for internal lighting effects.

The video concludes with a discussion on the creative process, embracing failure, and the introduction of demerit badge bundles.

Transcripts

[Music]

hey everyone Norm from tested here at

WonderFest in Louisville Kentucky and

here with Matt from Matt's models

Customs great to meet you mat meet you

nor thanks for having me oh pleasure to

be here this year we see a lot of Mecca

representing a lot of Mech oh this is so

cool cuz for model building at least in

America people know Star Wars Star Trek

models but do you see a rise and maybe

Resurgence in people building gunpla gun

Gundam in particular um I would say in

the past 5 to six years maybe since the

pandemic the Gundam community has really

surged uh for a couple reasons people

were home kind of rediscovering their

Hobby and model building uh gun gun plug

or gunam is very easy to get into it's

very user or youth friendly so the kids

love it they got little cute things and

they got big things like this and uh

snapped together you put it together you

can play with it you don't have to paint

it and it looks great so it's a really

great tool to get young people into the

hobby yeah snit k you don't really need

many tools at all it's pair Nippers and

that's basically it nail clippers that's

itail Clippers you're good to go but

there's a wide range of what you can do

to take your kit to the next level and

someone like you who's been building for

over a decade uh tell me about first of

all the world of resin Gundam cuz I

didn't even know resin kits were a thing

in the Gundam Universe right so um

personally I built mostly resin kits um

it just kind of interested me as far as

the different subject matters that were

available not so quite commercialized um

it's kind of like anything else when

someone else is producing something they

enjoy or like they kind of take creative

license and freedom with that design and

then they produce you know they sculpt

it the model and they make a model kit

and so this is an example of a resin kit

correct that maybe was someone's had

purchased from a run of it and you took

it to make it look like a fully

mechanized corre two scale character

right so this was a kit that was

produced I would say 15 years ago the

company was called neog grade they're no

longer around sculptor's name was Pia

and um I'm pretty sure this was a 3D

rendered print kit and the reason I say

that is as I was working on the prep you

can see some layer lines okay and you

don't see that until you start sanding

the primer yeah so I'm pretty sure this

was originally a 3D sculpt um just by

when I was working on it but this is a

full resin kit 348 350 Parts um all

resin with the the exception of some

little hinges that are inside these like

these can open and close the chest can

open and close um um those I think are

I'm not sure how they were made to be

honest they're like a plastic material

yeah but I'm not sure if they're printed

or how they're produced but yeah so it's

um it's it's a matter of you know it's

not band night so snap snap together so

you kind of have to know how to make it

stay together so it doesn't fall apart

so the you know the process as far as

building a resin kit as especially a

full resin kit is if the parts don't fit

how do I fix that how do I make sure

when I put the arms on they're going to

fall off um like I could pick this guy

up by his crotch and he is super super

solid with the exception of The Shield

cuz he's just kind of pegged in are

these panel lines part of the kit or are

they panel lines you've scribed in are

so they're part of the kit but the very

first step I do on a kit like this is I

go back and I

all the prep primer and paint that are

going to go onto it that will diminish

the L that will fill them in and if I do

if I don't do that I try to go do a

panel wash and there's nothing there

right so very first step is to go

through and Scribe all the panel lines

nice and deep um just in prep for all

the the uh prep work that it's going to

go into the so clean these these 45

degree angles or and that's that's

interesting you say that because that's

a very indicative to gumla yeah all

these really kind of harsh angles and

things even on these really curved

surfaces it's all the different angles

and the way the panels are kind of

scribed and delineated kind of gives it

that aesthetic yes so you got scale in

scale yeah so you got kind of this

organic shape with all these really cool

angled panels on it so it's kind of it's

kind of a really beautiful mix looks

absolutely all right so you're deepening

the panel line you're engineering the

assembly making sure it's all red lot of

magnets in the sky yeah okay so the arms

are magnetized those come off the back

skirt is magnetized can we take an arm

off can we take a look so I can take you

okay so this comes off and I've got a

wire right there cuz that's the

thrusters are lit yeah and now if I

we'll do some disassembly so I take that

off so I have to give a website a shout

out because lighting this was a

challenge to me I'm not one to light

things so when Joseph said he wanted

this lit I'm like I got to figure that

out there's a company called Evans

design and they spec specifically cater

to scale modelers so I called them like

I've got this project we have everything

you need kind of told them what I wanted

to do and they it's it's play might I

take a look go right ahead so as a resin

kit the sub assemblies aren't part of it

necessar no no I have to make all the

subassemblies you're making them and

you're painting them to still look like

they are layered correct so like inside

of all these details I brought all these

little panels out that's all done with

masking and panel lining so like this

shoulder alone probably has 30 or 40

pieces in it wow yeah so just it's all

just done with layering so if I put that

down now this

arm just hold it there's a

magnet if I take this

[Music]

off there's a magnet there it's also

kind of a pressure

fit if I take this off I could actually

take this off a little bit this arm does

come out but this is also magnetized so

I've also designed this to um be able to

get into the wiring if needed it's a

really tight fit but there we

go and you're painting subassemblies as

you go so the way the way I handle this

is um I do it's it's various stages of

prep and paint so the very first thing I

do like describe the P lines I do a

light sanding on everything uh on resin

kits you have what's called a gate which

what like it' be the same thing from a

sprew when you cut it off it's a little

a little nib yep same thing it's a gate

but it's where they poured the resin

into the mold yep take care of old

uh take care of those there's any uh

mold lines or mold slips like you know a

two-part mold you got two parts of

silicone sometimes they'll do this kind

of thing so you get step sometimes

they'll sand out sometime I got a putty

and redo some sculpting this one this

kit is really good I just had some

slight mold lines but there's 340 pieces

so at

345 times I have to go through and get

all the mold lines out sand them out

scribe uh all that fun stuff so that's

why it takes so long every kit it's a

it's a different you're not building

five of these you're you're kind of

figuring out your workflow laying all

the parts out so like this is magnetized

and if I were to continue taking this

apart I could take the the top of the

Torso off you'd see where all the wires

connect yeah so after the um scribing

initial cleanup of mold lines gate

removal and stuff like that it's time to

give it a really good bath I'm neurotic

about cleaning resin because of molder

lease so when they're casting a resin

kit they've got to spray of mold

releasee in the in the mold so the resin

doesn't stick yep and they can reuse

those molds over and over again it gets

a bath and an ultra sunic cleaner then I

lay down my first cutter primer and now

we start more

sanding if you don't like to build if

you don't like the sand don't build

models I would say 60% of it is sanding

yeah so then the primer acts as a guide

coat so when I do that first round of

primer I'd say 90% of it gets sanded off

I'm looking for the the panel or the

print line I mentioned um cuz you can't

see them by the eye but when you start

sing they start to come out um any

little imperfections in the resin those

get sanded out again mold lines mold

slips so that's the first round of

primer goes gets another bath ultrasonic

give it a bath second round of primer

now I'm really really getting in there

with like an optivizor you know

magnifying glass and looking for any

little

imperfections and I'm Mark them with a

sharpie and that Sharpie now ex as a

sanding guy so if I see a mold line I

just kind of go over it and that's I

saying once the Sharpie is gone I know

it's gone so then I do one more kind of

round of spot priming now it's finally

ready for

paint so this took six weeks just to

prep before paint no three weeks of it

was prep okay A little over three weeks

was just prep before I put any color on

it and that's and this is a really good

kit you get you get one that's not so

good you're it's going to take

longer so now the

paint um so way I kind of the way I do

red um I usually put down a black base

coat first and then all the highlighting

you see is underneath the red and I

highlight with white and I can control

the contrast of that shading with how

far do I get close to that panel line

how much do I blend the white paint to

kind of mute the black and so there's a

kind of a fine line it's all personal

preference on that step when I think of

it it's the other way around where

shading go on top but you're high that's

supposed to be revealing but you're

actually revealing the under coat corre

correct so the way I do is on this par

on a gunam is called pre-shading where

you're doing the highlighting and Shadow

underneath the color if you're doing on

top it's called post shading got it so

you got pre and post shading um I know

some painters that do Post shading and

it looks beautiful yeah it's a little

harder to do in my opinion because once

that color is on you have to be super

super accurate with that shading any

little inconsistency is going to show up

big time and it tends to be a little

more Punchy too a little more contrast

but I can control the contrast with how

much I blend that white paint so for

instance on this like um like on the

shoulder is a good

example it and it doesn't show up in in

photos most of the time it's very subtle

you know so I'll go and I'll add white

highlights in between all these panels

and bring that really really bright and

I back off my airbrush and I start

misting white on it until I think looks

pretty good and then I don't put the red

on until at least the next day CU that

paint's going to dry down and that's

going to show me the contrast I have so

the next

day I'll look at it if I need to feel

like I need to blend it in a little more

I will but after you've done it for a

while you kind of know when to stop that

fits your taste so this one once I got

that done the next day was the red and

this is all Mr color paints by the way

which is my favorite paint for the red

it's real simple I do a Mist coat and

then one wet coat and that's it cuz you

don't want to hide that shading work

right now I could add more red and it's

not going to really hide it it's going

to change the um Vibrance a little bit

maybe a little bit of the um opacity but

you just kind of you do it slowly so you

do one test piece you let it dry down

seal it so you know what it's going to

look like in the end and then once

you're happy there then you can continue

doing on everything else so that's how I

do red black white highlight blend a

little bit red color is a lot of masking

as well yeah we love masking s Mas if

you don't like to sand or mask don't

build off particularly in Gundam since

it's such depending on what you're doing

some of the other guys who like do

weathered stuff you're not trying to be

so precise maybe yeah but when you're

doing something like this that's really

clean the masking is a big part of it um

if I take the shield off

here you can see all this oh wow all

that work oh my gosh you order of

operations yeah be incredibly precise

yeah so a new razor blade and

um wow and there's also an order of

painting when you're masking depending

if you're airbrushing or hand painting

at least for me if I'm if I know I'm

going to do masking I work my way from

the bottom up because what I want to do

especially on something like the shield

and if I took the the leg armors off it

have all this detail underneath same

thing um so I work from the lowest spot

get that color down put these little

silver then I mask it and that doesn't

get un masked until the very that

masking tape stays on till the very end

so so you don't even know if you've Miss

masked or anything there will be some

touchups here and there but it's I've

gotten pretty good at it I've gotten

pretty good at it um so yeah the masking

so I always start from the lowest spot

get that color down let it dry overnight

mask it next color just work my way up

and then the fun part is taking the tape

off right where you like this it's the

reveal yes like okay my work has paid

off yes um and then the next step I do

on this on these I'll put down a high

gloss coat

um sometimes I use an automotive 2K

clear or this is but on this one I use

just the Mr color clear uh there's a Mr

color has a line of paints called GX

it's like a higher pigmented it's like

their higher line higher end paints it

looks great and um if you know how to

spray you can get glass-like finish and

it's just technique as far as getting

that look and once that's cured now it's

time for the markings this kit came with

dry transfers instead of water slides so

um and the way those work it's on a

plastic backing and you cut them out

individually use some clear masking tape

get it in place and you only get one

shot it's not like a decal where if you

kind of you can play with it you get one

shot and then you rub it on with a a

blunt object and it releases from that

backing yeah the challenge I had with

this kit because it's an old kit it's

been sitting in the closet for 15 years

those dyed transfers were dry they've

dried out so as I was cutting the some

of the the dry transfers off of the the

field some of the letters were releasing

off that field

so um oh it's on the back side but I

don't want to turn it around but like

for instance I was taking this one off

and there's a a number zero and the

letter N I went to go put it on and it

was still on the protect the protective

paper so I had to surgically yeah Place

some all those letters wow um

luckily I was able to use like 98% of

them with no problem um so yeah but but

the great thing about dry transfers they

are super flat and they look painted on

even even water even really good SL

water slide decal sometimes depending on

the Finish you use you can kind of see a

little the Border a little border yeah

but I always say flat flat coat's your

friend because it does two things it

really shows off the shading and it

shows it it hides a lot of little incons

you know little you know inconsistency

made little mistakes that do I dare say

but um flat is your friend I like it cuz

especially on gum because it really

shows shading off if you start adding

gloss to it it kind of kills it a little

bit so yeah so then after that it's the

the flat coat uh final assembly uh for

the lighting on this one like I said I'm

not one to light things actually uh

hollowed out the legs from the hip all

the way down to the foot and there's a

38 inch brass tube not only acts as a

pin a pin is something you use to hold

two pieces together it's either for

stability or just to kind of hold it

together while you work so that's pined

the legs together and that's my conduit

for all the white

um so yeah so and then everything else

is um there's some pins here and there

magnets like for shipping purposes the

fuel tanks come off this comes off the

side scripts will come off um the head

comes off it plugs in um but yeah that's

kind of like my process and it just you

know it's timec consuming it's

absolutely six weeks of work on this

yeah a little over six weeks and to make

take a you know over decade old resin

kit to make it look like a manufactured

thing at scale yeah you know and and

there's a great variety of I think like

especially newer guys are intimidated by

resin I actually find it easier to work

with in plastic personally I come from

an automotive body background so just

Bondo and sanding and all to me it's

like working with Bondo it's just a

different shape but it's actually it's

relatively easy you just have to know

how to fix things in castings that may

not be so perfect that's where people

get intimidated they see something and

they don't know how to fix it so it's

sanding putty work stuff like that sing

masking love it it's you know it's

taking those basic skills that you learn

and just kind of bringing them up a

level yeah well fantastic work Matt

thank you um incredible and and to see

all details as you're taking pieces off

on the other side something only the

final collector is going to see that's

great that's great aome thank you

pleasure so much thanks for

chatting thank you for watching that

video I want to tell you about our

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