MetalBox (Metal Boy Series) - SD Getter

Last year's visit to Japan's Wonder Fest Summer 2010 proved to be a deep cut to the wallet. For a Malaysian who's not used to original resin and its price range, it's such a mixture of pleasure & pain visiting that event, especially, when compared to injection kits which are 2,000yen~4,000yen, original Japanese cast resin generally cost around 9,000yen~15,000yen.

Hence, I didn't get many of those "1 day WF limited licensed" resin kit. In fact, as a cheapo, what I got was this kit that's selling all year long n got a special discount during WF. It's like exactly opposite of most people that visit WF.

This is a kit by MetalBox which I really love. An SD that posses egg shape. The cast is very good, all details are there, relatively not that much of extra flashes n "sand hole" (air trapped in the resin), and most importantly, which is one of the hardest part in resin kit to tackle, the panel lines r pretty clean. Yes, majority of the panel lines r above average standard.

Again, photos first, sharing of work later:

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Blue Background

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Some Hand-Itchy, so called "Special Effect" artwork (Actually I just tweak with gamma, brightness, contrast, sharpness, n a little bit of color)

Looks a little bit like 3D computer graphic....

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Again, when I was working on this kit, again, it took me some time to shift from the mentality of dealing with an injection kit to a resin kit. For resin kit, especially due to the mold is actually soft compared to a metal injection plastic mold, there'r quite a lot of "flaw" in the eyes of injection kit builders, but are pretty much acceptable in resin kit.

This is especially enhanced in dealing with mecha, or any metal/solid subject that has very sharp n crisp edges, and straight lines. Organism is better; in fact i kinda like the slight round n uneven edge of an resin kit compared to a very rigid n uniformed ones in injection kits.

Besides that, was trying to make a glossy finished kit that looks like chogokin kit. However, due to many surface finishing issue that I didn't tackled well, in the end, use flat to help cover.

Overall, this is not a kit i m most proud of, besides the fact that I had quite a good time working on it.

ZeroGunz's Group Builds (2nd Half of 2011) - Part 3

We had the Weathering Vs Metallic group build the 1st half of this year, which was a GB based on final finishing instead of kits. The GB's got a pretty good response and members are actually learning new stuff from it.

Hence, we are now doing something similar again: Diorama Group Build 2011 (DGB)

As its name suggest, this GB focus on various diorama building n construction. Members are encourage to think n share of ways to recreate terrains and all the small props we see in real life. Besides that, the planning of overall layout, and story telling  will also be an important part of this GB; which is a part often overseen by modelers.

Again, this GB doesn't focus that much on individual mecha/character building n modification. Instead, the construction n planning of the entire layout for storytelling is the main purpose of this GB.

Official GB start date*Begins*:
- 1 july ~ 11 nov ( 4 months )

Objective:
- trying out on diorama
- learning how to build diff types of diorama terrain
- base or diorama is equally important as the kit it self



Signature Banner (Designed by Zero1st):

ZeroGunz's Group Builds (2nd Half of 2011) - Part 2

Another one GB currently going on is the ZeroG-SMM Maschinen Krieger Groupbuild 2011 (MaKGB).

This is a cross forum group build that take places in ZeroGunz (http://www.zerogunz.com/) and  Scale Model Malaysia, SMM (http://z12.invisionfree.com/ScaleModelsMalaysia/index.php?).

As its name suggest, this is a group build of Maschinen Krieger (Ma.K) kits.This series is not as mainstream as Gundam n such. However, worldwide it has gatherquite a number of followers since its initial appearance in Hobby Japan. Currently Wave n Hasegawa have "adopted" many of Nitto, the original company that release this series' kits, products. With their higher marketing power n reputation, let's hope more people will know about this series. At least now it's a hot topic amongst few of us in ZeroGunz forum.

Duration: 14 July 2011 - 15 November 2011
Final showdown: Last week of November (which is 26 November 2011)
Venue: ICW

Signature Banner (Designed by JuliusLim):

ZeroGunz's Group Builds (2nd Half of 2011) - Part 1

Currently in ZeroGunz forum (http://www.zerogunz.com/), while Weathering Vs Metallic GB, and Femme Fatalle GB have come to an end, there are more group builds coming.


One of them would be "Kobayashi Group Build (KGB)".

This is a group build of kits being modified based on inspiration by works by the great master Kobayashi. Not necessary to recreate what he's drawn or designed, just build something inspired by him. In a nutshell, it would be a kit where people first see it will think it's from Kobayashi.

Commencement/Dateline :
15th June 2011 till Bakuc 2011

For more information n wips of the group build pls visit: http://forum.zerogunz.com/viewforum.php?f=115


Signature Banner (Designed by Phoon):

1/48 Unicorn Head - USB Hub

This is a kit built for Ebasenet (http://www.ebasenet.com/) Head Group Build 2011.

The basic concept is to combine these two together:

 Yes, am making a unicorn head into a 4 way USB 2.0 Hub.

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So, generally, as expected, there's not much of an action pose :p.

Color: Basically all Gaianote color. The white, like the previous unicorn i did, also knowing the pearl effect will magnify any errors on the surface, I did a flat white with rougher pearl as base coat. After that, I use the finest pearl as finish coat. The effect turns out to be pretty good; at least isn't too much outta my expectation.

Modification: Besides adding in the USB hub, basically all i did was just adding some minor details n some spare parts to cover up places I had sawed off. This is also the main reason why i could do it in quite a short period of time

Well, the thing I afraid the most is whether the hub actually is working or not, after all the cutting, redirecting of wires, changing of LED, masked for spraying of paint etc. Luckily all 4 ports r doing fine.

Overall, this is a pretty fun project, didn't provide much problem as i expected. Hope u guys like it:)

MetalBox Metal Boy Series - SD Getter

Actually started working on this kit quite a while ago, very simple kit, with total of 6 parts, original Metal Box kit high quality resin. Supposed to be a very easy n stress free project before I start something heavier for year end project.

However, it has taken more time than I expected.

This is mainly because, again, I had initially treated this like it's an injection kit. Looking at it, I was very ambitious, thinking of making it to look like a metal/chogokin kinda finishing. However, after a few rounds of sanding, aside from the normal removing mold line n such, and priming, i realised to achieve a metal-like finishing, probably it would take me a blurdy month just for sanding n surface treatment.

Basically, I have no idea on how to go about doing a log or a wip for this. Have loads of photos, but majority of them r just photos of sanding, primed, visible unevenness yet to be tackled, sanding again.....

Quality Check standard lower one level: result? I m starting on painting now.....

Just sprayed black on areas with metallic color later. Metallic color would be silver, titanium, dark iron/gun metal.

The eye n face part would be black --> silver --> clear green. These would be the only part that will be in gloss. (Oh yeah, just remembered, due to i m not going to tackle all surface smoothness, instead of gloss finish which is very unforgiving for mistakes, i have decided to go for flat finishing)

Huhu, log of a lazy modeler; one who is good in finding excuse for easy way out :p

I'm Coming Home

Yes, I still think Diddy's "Coming Home" is one of the worst rendition in recent months. J Cole's lyrics's still ok, but the rapping by Diddy really suck big time.

Oh, yes, I'm bias. For being a fan of Holly Brooks/Slylar Grey; I think the song (Or part of the song, the melody done by Skylar) deserves a better treatment. As a result of such bad redition, it gives the impression that this song is "incomplete" and leaves a strong urge in me to find a so-called "complete version: I was searching the net for at least a demo verysion done by Skylar herself.

Unfortunately, unlike another of her brilliant mega hit song "Love the way u lie", seems like she hasn't done any complete version of this song. The unfulfilled hunger got me dig in deeper, to somewhere usually i dont really fancy: fan-made version.

Surprisingly, there'r a few that caught my ears; despite that might because of I was getting a little desperate in searching. Here, I would like share what I've found with a my two-cents-worth of opinions. Sit tight n enjoy yourselves:

1.  Jenna Anne - Though the lyrics is not really my cup of tea, I think the lyrics doesn't goes well the the original song, I think the melody fits very well with Skylar's chorus. Yes, it does fit very well, as if the song should be this way if it's written (Of course, if Skylar would have written it, her version would be slightly darker.)

2. MadilynBailey ft. Razi Khan & David Stillson- This is more mainstream n polished. Basically it's similar to how Didy's version is produced; rap & a female melodic vocal. What I like about this version is the rapping part. Compared to Diddy's rap, I think Razi's style suits the song better. Bailey's voice aint haunting enough, this's her usual, that's the main reason Razi's rap fits in well. Overall things are pretty well gel together.

3. Sean Rumsey - Among the 3, this has the highest production value n quality. 3 parts: female (Original melody), male vocal (new melody), and  rapping. Very pop, also not to my liking as a song with heavy emotional striking. However, 2 different melodies n a rapping , all do fits in and complement each other so well.

Of all the 3, I think if Diddy wants to make a hit song, he should have go for the 3rd direction; provided he must have to guts that any other artist or voice would definitely overshine him. This is sad when u have a boss with no talent in performing art. I mean, Diddy might be good as a producer, but he's definitely a big no-no as a performer.


Last, of 3 of the version, personally I would prefer the first one. This song should be a slow, moody one. I can imagine the gray color world Skylar sees thru the melody she crafted....

Suddenly I miss the old Tori Amos, yes she is so much more brutal compared to Skylar......