Hoi Hoi San x Tomb Raider ver.

Ok, as usual, pictures first, talk later.




This is a project I have had for years; not because that it's such a hugh project where i need collect tons of material, ok, just being lazy.

Initially I was only planning to use the Hoi hoi San with heavy weapon kit, which i bought over from tkting with a very nice price (Thanks bro!). Since the early version of Tomb Raider wasn't wearing a singlet anyway. The main difficult part is to modify the torso part: where the flesh revealing shoulder joining the upper arm. If I were to make it movable and look fitting n natural at the same time, I realised it was not exactly a Sunday walk in the park.

Fortunately, last year I found a young version of Hoi Hoi San during Gamer's Arena sale. The kit consist of costume of a high school swimsuit (I can use for the singlet/tank top), a movable abdomen (A better flexibility, and maybe give her to reveal some flesh near the belly like during the late 90's fashion), a gym short pants (much nicer compare to using the original underpants, and easier to to scribe lines too), and a half height socks (perfect for modifying into the upper part of a boots, yet show a little white socks). This seems to be the perfect kit, which just make my days so much easier!!!!

Finally, a hybrid of these 2 kits.

The two hand guns are scratch build. didnt put much effort in them. As long as they fit the standards of a fun project.

This round, 3 layers of skin tone, both pre and post shade. All the other items are just preshade.

The glove is just masking n spraying different color to create the impression.

The boots, a big mistake. I am using the socks, modify it to become the upper part of the boots. while the bottom part of the boots, i use the original hoi hoi san shoe, which I supposed to test fit and modify them to fit; which i didn't. Actually now it looks like this tomb raider is wearing a brown slipper, worse, a too-large-slipper. The show lace is soldering wires. the metallic looking eyelet for shoe lace is just metal transfer.

Another big problem I had during this build is the joint. Since all the joints are actually Ps plastic to PS plastic, I need to really make them loose first, then tighten them again after painting. make them really loose! Which i didn't. Assemble proved to be a challenge, changing position is a nightmare!!!! and i have broken a joint doing so!!!!

Overall, I am satisfy with this project. Satisfy not because of the level of finishing, satisfy because I finally make my vision into a real thing.

P/S: A big thank you to Klay for giving my the treble fish hook!!!!! Yes, Lara Hoi Hoi San can climb now!!! XD

Coming Soon. :)

MITEAM: JeffHo

* MITEAM: A short form of the phrase " Modeler In The Eyes of A Modeler". This is just a simple blog based on my personal view to pay tribute and respect to fellow modelers who i know as personal friend.

Name: Jeff Ho

Pseudonum / Nickname: Jeffho

Usual Genre: Gunpla, Resin Figurine, Sci-fi,

Description: This is actually a friend i am always very proud of introducing to others, or simply being recognized as a friend of him. He is in fact the first modeler who won the World Champion title among peers from my batch!

 In terms of skill, personally, i would see Jeff the the most consistant and stable. Every piece of work he produce, especially for competition, there is always some eye opening thing. As a matter of fact, in many occasions, he does set up a benchmark of me to reach.

Overall, his vision and design sense in modifying a mecha is just top notch. Clever, skillful, and seamless kit bashing is something i always look upon to and wish i could be half as good as him. Besides that, there is something i admire about, which i m currently learning n practicing is: he is an explorer of possibilities in materials and technics; and most of all, a good planner for his projects. His usual trend is, for the beginning of the year, he will engage in some other projects, like resin builds, or some smaller Gunpla builds. At the same time, after knowing him for quite sometime, I realize he is actually using this time too for exploration, research, and testing of new stuff: either techniques or material! He seldom stay idle!

He has used materials that none has even thought about, he has tried techniques that none of us ever tried. In the end, all these will be incorporate into his big project of that year. As a result, his project always have a new gimmick, something new for me to admire. Be it clean build or weathering.

COMPOSITION
As a whole, Jeff has good sense of mecha design, the skill to properly execute it out, the courage of experimenting n exploring new techniques n materials, patience to plan, being outspoken n helpful; seems like he is perfect in every aspect. Of course nobody is perfect. If there is one tiny little picky thing i would like to comment about his previous project in general, I would say it's his diorama's composition.

I feel that is because there r some of his diorama, while the mecha is just mind blowing, eye popping kind of beautiful, i think the diorama/vignette setup that pulls down the impression overall. Although the final works are still really high standard works, I would think those can be even better is the diorama wasn't setup in such a way.

Just an example: Once he did a stunningly beautiful kit bash of HG, MG, and PG Zaku. That Zaku I would say it falls in the top 5 list of my all time favorite mecha design. However, when he was composing the diorama, where a supposedly puny n weak n doesn't stand-a-chance GM trying for his luck to fight the Zaku, he'd chosen an 1/100 MG GM for the job. For me, although the Zaku is still much larger in overall size, once the 1/100 GM is in, it immediately reduce the threatening impression of the obviously overpowered, oversized Zaku. In other words, it just make the Zaku looks half weaker.

This is just an example, solely based on my personal opinion.

Anyway, having such a modeler friend, I believe i will still continue to have the privilege to admire eye opening stuff from him, which he will never fail to do.



Website:  I do not know he has any blog or website for his work. This is his Facebook link:
https://www.facebook.com/jeffhoyy