This year, the gathering date was set on the 16th of May 2015, location ICW. There are indeed a few very eye catching kits, with pretty advance painting technique applied.
These are some of the photos i manage to get:
Monday, May 18, 2015
Pla-Zone Resin Group Build Gathering @ ICW 16th May 2015
As usual, Jeff Ho would initiate a resin Group build every start of a year, and I really respect that.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
MITEAM - Neo_Sigma
* 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: Edwin Chong
Pseudonym / Nickname: Neo_Sigma
Usual Genre: Gunpla, Sci-fi, Plane, & all sort of other things
Description: Neo, that's how i call him, even in real life when we meet. Again, this fella is my senior when come to being active in Gunpla community. When I first knew him, he's the most dedicated and passionate guy who's willing to drive all the way from Seremban to Setapak for
gathering.
To me, Neo is a person with great passion in model making. He builds because he loves to, especially when u notice his relatively lack of interest in showcasing his work, or doing well in competition and such. A simple soul of plastic modeling: he builds because he likes to build. Who cares about showcasing or getting recognition?
Even until now, where his work requires him to travel from town to town on a regular basis, staying short period in some places far away from his home in KL; his work station (including air brush hand piece, compressor) are all in his car! Imagine a GBWC winning piece that is born like a gypsy! This definitely earn my respect!!!!
As a modeler, he has a solid fundamental, a good sense of mecha design, and one of the best skill in modification among my group of friends. Well, with 3 of these characteristics, Neo should be shinning in the community or even in competition; at least a lot brighter than now he is at the moment. However, the truth is, he is not. So, why?
ZEN
"zɛn/
noun a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing the value of meditation and intuition rather than ritual worship or study of scriptures."
Hahaha! First of all, for those who also knows Neo in person, this is definitely not to describe this women-magnet as a whole. This is to describe his attitude in this hobby that he loves.
To me, Neo probably is one the most underrated modeler among our group of modeler friends. It's nothing to do with his skill, nor his achievement in any competition; it is everything about him being like a fundamentalist in this hobby: building is merely for own satisfaction. Not because of wanting to showcase, not because of responsibility from group builds, not peer pressure, not competition. He just do his own thing, n if he is feeling lazy, he doesnt even showcase it out no matter how many will get to know him base on his work.
Also because of this attitude, sometimes i am feeling a lil pity for him & his work in competition. Probably also because of all his traveling n lack of a permanent n proper place for modeling. I always see some top notch design from his work (of course, the finishing is also very high level), but the problem is, i also realised, many time, it ends there. Seems like he is not pushing forward enough for his brilliant work further to make them into something that stun the world. Well, i think he definitely has the ability to do that. But he just didn't.
Think of it, among the regular modeler friends of mine who enter competition, he is the most stress-free n free spirit.
I guess, after all, everybody has his own purpose in pursuing a hobby, an activity that gives satisfaction n happiness to himself. For this cool zen modeler friend, who possess some serious skill, I just wish someday i could see one of his work that he really pushes it to his limit. I am curious how far he is actually capable of going. :)
Website: Not that i know he has any blog or website. Anyway, for more of his work:
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/edwin.chong.52
or Pla-zone Forum : www.pla-zone.com
P/S: When I talked to Neo about this post & asked him is there anything or any message he absolutely wants to add in, he requested to put in this"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
ok, let's repeat,
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
ok, afterall, he is a zen weirdo.
Name: Edwin Chong
Pseudonym / Nickname: Neo_Sigma
Usual Genre: Gunpla, Sci-fi, Plane, & all sort of other things
Description: Neo, that's how i call him, even in real life when we meet. Again, this fella is my senior when come to being active in Gunpla community. When I first knew him, he's the most dedicated and passionate guy who's willing to drive all the way from Seremban to Setapak for
To me, Neo is a person with great passion in model making. He builds because he loves to, especially when u notice his relatively lack of interest in showcasing his work, or doing well in competition and such. A simple soul of plastic modeling: he builds because he likes to build. Who cares about showcasing or getting recognition?
Even until now, where his work requires him to travel from town to town on a regular basis, staying short period in some places far away from his home in KL; his work station (including air brush hand piece, compressor) are all in his car! Imagine a GBWC winning piece that is born like a gypsy! This definitely earn my respect!!!!
As a modeler, he has a solid fundamental, a good sense of mecha design, and one of the best skill in modification among my group of friends. Well, with 3 of these characteristics, Neo should be shinning in the community or even in competition; at least a lot brighter than now he is at the moment. However, the truth is, he is not. So, why?
ZEN
"zɛn/
noun a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing the value of meditation and intuition rather than ritual worship or study of scriptures."
Hahaha! First of all, for those who also knows Neo in person, this is definitely not to describe this women-magnet as a whole. This is to describe his attitude in this hobby that he loves.
To me, Neo probably is one the most underrated modeler among our group of modeler friends. It's nothing to do with his skill, nor his achievement in any competition; it is everything about him being like a fundamentalist in this hobby: building is merely for own satisfaction. Not because of wanting to showcase, not because of responsibility from group builds, not peer pressure, not competition. He just do his own thing, n if he is feeling lazy, he doesnt even showcase it out no matter how many will get to know him base on his work.
Also because of this attitude, sometimes i am feeling a lil pity for him & his work in competition. Probably also because of all his traveling n lack of a permanent n proper place for modeling. I always see some top notch design from his work (of course, the finishing is also very high level), but the problem is, i also realised, many time, it ends there. Seems like he is not pushing forward enough for his brilliant work further to make them into something that stun the world. Well, i think he definitely has the ability to do that. But he just didn't.
I guess, after all, everybody has his own purpose in pursuing a hobby, an activity that gives satisfaction n happiness to himself. For this cool zen modeler friend, who possess some serious skill, I just wish someday i could see one of his work that he really pushes it to his limit. I am curious how far he is actually capable of going. :)
Website: Not that i know he has any blog or website. Anyway, for more of his work:
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/edwin.chong.52
or Pla-zone Forum : www.pla-zone.com
P/S: When I talked to Neo about this post & asked him is there anything or any message he absolutely wants to add in, he requested to put in this"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
ok, let's repeat,
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
"do your part to achieve world peace"
ok, afterall, he is a zen weirdo.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
MITEAM: Becky Law
* 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: Becky
Pseudonum / Nickname: Beckylaw / Becky Customizer
Usual Genre: Gunpla, Sci-fi, Toys repaint, a lot of mixed genre
Description: This is [probably the rare breed in my group of modeler friends. Ok, is a rare breed generally in static model hobby community. I am not being sexist, i just state the truth.
Yes, Becky, as the name, is a female modeler.
In terms of being active in the hobby's community, she is also a senior to me. When i first knew her, she mainly did Gunpla, and Japanese sci-fi. An experience modeler, but too, was kinda infamous of having half build projects. Hahahahah! Despite being famous among the community for her knowledge n experience, she is also kinda infamous for being the FFK Queen for GBs n such. XD
Things got changed when the second rendition of Micheal Bay's Transformer hit box office n the merchandise was selling like hot cakes. There was this market for Transformer toys repaint. Becky started of as TF customizer and her career and reputation as a commissioner for toys n model kits painting started from there n then.
Now, she is probably the one who builds the most kits among our modeler friends. Besides that, I think she has the skill all of us do not have: while we r all so proud of our skill and AMS attitude n stupidly feel happy whenever others commission us to paint, which probably ends up in losing money because the excessive time n effort we put in; Becky has the skill, speed, and consistancy in quality to become a professional commission painter.
Besides that, due to her work, she has more chance in dealing with different genre n model kits, something we might have bought (as backlog) but havent got the chance or gut to build, she has basically done it all. In short, I would say she is the most experienced in the context of difference company's kits, different genre, different style etc etc.
She is definitely the Queen now; not anymore in FFK, but experience in building various kits.
HOBBYIST VS PROFESSIONAL
Yes, Becky is a professional/commercial modeler amongst the hobbyist us. In terms of achievement or recognition, she is definitely way ahead of the whole bunch of us. However, knowing her since the time we were both hobbyist, and standing in the position as a hobbyist, I would like to see the whole in this perspective: the question of hobbyist vs professional.
Look at what Becky is doing now, the works are good; no doubt about it. When see it in a hobbyist perspective, those are good, but not great. It's, and it stays in a level that is good, good enough for the client; but is it great? especially in the eyes of hobbyist, is it something hobbyist will adore n admire?
What i have seen are, the kits are well build, beautiful, a standard market kind of good; it's nice, proper, beautiful, free of mistakes, but that's pretty much it is: Not enough to wow a purist hobbyist eyes; in the case if Becky is seeking for that.
I do not know Becky's direction in this hobby. As i said, in terms of commercial build; in speed, finishing, n consistency, she is definitely the King in the group. However, if she still wants to achieve something in the eyes of a hobbyist, i think that would be a decision to at least, temporary, put away the commercial part of the hobby.
Again, this depends on Becky's decision. Anyway I am always proud to have her as a friend; especially sometimes seeing her 100 over likes Facebook post, I have the urge to say "Hey, I know her in person when you guys havent even heard of her, not even say connected to her in social media."
Hahah, is good to know a famous modeler, n yes, i am thick skin! XD
Website:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BeckyCustomizer
Website - www.beckycustomizer.com
Blog - http://becky-customizer.blogspot.com/ (this seems like not so active..)
Name: Becky
Pseudonum / Nickname: Beckylaw / Becky Customizer
Usual Genre: Gunpla, Sci-fi, Toys repaint, a lot of mixed genre
Description: This is [probably the rare breed in my group of modeler friends. Ok, is a rare breed generally in static model hobby community. I am not being sexist, i just state the truth.
Yes, Becky, as the name, is a female modeler.
In terms of being active in the hobby's community, she is also a senior to me. When i first knew her, she mainly did Gunpla, and Japanese sci-fi. An experience modeler, but too, was kinda infamous of having half build projects. Hahahahah! Despite being famous among the community for her knowledge n experience, she is also kinda infamous for being the FFK Queen for GBs n such. XD
Things got changed when the second rendition of Micheal Bay's Transformer hit box office n the merchandise was selling like hot cakes. There was this market for Transformer toys repaint. Becky started of as TF customizer and her career and reputation as a commissioner for toys n model kits painting started from there n then.
Now, she is probably the one who builds the most kits among our modeler friends. Besides that, I think she has the skill all of us do not have: while we r all so proud of our skill and AMS attitude n stupidly feel happy whenever others commission us to paint, which probably ends up in losing money because the excessive time n effort we put in; Becky has the skill, speed, and consistancy in quality to become a professional commission painter.
Besides that, due to her work, she has more chance in dealing with different genre n model kits, something we might have bought (as backlog) but havent got the chance or gut to build, she has basically done it all. In short, I would say she is the most experienced in the context of difference company's kits, different genre, different style etc etc.
She is definitely the Queen now; not anymore in FFK, but experience in building various kits.
HOBBYIST VS PROFESSIONAL
Yes, Becky is a professional/commercial modeler amongst the hobbyist us. In terms of achievement or recognition, she is definitely way ahead of the whole bunch of us. However, knowing her since the time we were both hobbyist, and standing in the position as a hobbyist, I would like to see the whole in this perspective: the question of hobbyist vs professional.
What i have seen are, the kits are well build, beautiful, a standard market kind of good; it's nice, proper, beautiful, free of mistakes, but that's pretty much it is: Not enough to wow a purist hobbyist eyes; in the case if Becky is seeking for that.
I do not know Becky's direction in this hobby. As i said, in terms of commercial build; in speed, finishing, n consistency, she is definitely the King in the group. However, if she still wants to achieve something in the eyes of a hobbyist, i think that would be a decision to at least, temporary, put away the commercial part of the hobby.
Again, this depends on Becky's decision. Anyway I am always proud to have her as a friend; especially sometimes seeing her 100 over likes Facebook post, I have the urge to say "Hey, I know her in person when you guys havent even heard of her, not even say connected to her in social media."
Hahah, is good to know a famous modeler, n yes, i am thick skin! XD
Website:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BeckyCustomizer
Website - www.beckycustomizer.com
Blog - http://becky-customizer.blogspot.com/ (this seems like not so active..)
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
MITEAM : Ronnie Phoon
* 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: Ronnie Phoon
Pseudonym / Nickname: Phoon
Usual Genre: Gunpla, Ma.K, Tank, Sci-fi
Description: This is definitely one of the powerhouse builder in the recent years of Gunpla community. With 2 Malaysia Champions and a World's 1st Runner-up in the official Gunpla competition organized by Bandai, he has won quite a reputation among modelers in Gunpla genre.
From a tank model background, Phoon's utilized one of main tank model technique in the world of Gunpla, which in the beginning, was quite a weird thing to many Gunpla veteran modelers. His style of spraying everything black, dont really care much about the tidiness of the fundamental like nub mark, seamline, surface smoothness; did stir some cultural shock to traditional gunpla scene where everyone was working hard for those to create the 'perfect' finishing, CG inspired Gundam kits.
However, that changes where Bandai has overall change their direction from the more traditional way of judging to stress more on creativity and fun.
Technically, Phoon's work isn't so much of a technical advance space shutter; if one wants to just copy and follow whatever he has done in a built, in d context of techniques, that wouldn't be a very difficult process. However, his work reminds me of another modeler who has thousands of followers, and inspired thousands of newcomer modelers: DC23.
What both have in common is: their works attract people! While veteran modelers who tried to analyse it from a technical perspective which it doesn't conclude anything, but one cannot denies that these works are attractive to so many people, and they inspire people too. I have put some thoughts into this and i realize something:
ART DIRECTION
Name: Ronnie Phoon
Pseudonym / Nickname: Phoon
Usual Genre: Gunpla, Ma.K, Tank, Sci-fi
From a tank model background, Phoon's utilized one of main tank model technique in the world of Gunpla, which in the beginning, was quite a weird thing to many Gunpla veteran modelers. His style of spraying everything black, dont really care much about the tidiness of the fundamental like nub mark, seamline, surface smoothness; did stir some cultural shock to traditional gunpla scene where everyone was working hard for those to create the 'perfect' finishing, CG inspired Gundam kits.
However, that changes where Bandai has overall change their direction from the more traditional way of judging to stress more on creativity and fun.
Technically, Phoon's work isn't so much of a technical advance space shutter; if one wants to just copy and follow whatever he has done in a built, in d context of techniques, that wouldn't be a very difficult process. However, his work reminds me of another modeler who has thousands of followers, and inspired thousands of newcomer modelers: DC23.
What both have in common is: their works attract people! While veteran modelers who tried to analyse it from a technical perspective which it doesn't conclude anything, but one cannot denies that these works are attractive to so many people, and they inspire people too. I have put some thoughts into this and i realize something:
ART DIRECTION
Phoon's work, no matter one might say how lack of technical difficulties it has, there is one thing that he has that is a lot harder for other modelers to learn and to master. Yes, I am talking about his art sense!
One might see his neglects in taking care of the fundamental, worse, seeing him as just rushing, then screw up, then keep correcting his mistake; but in all these, one shall not oversee the sense of art he is putting into his built. This is not something like the technical side where u look at a step-to-step wip/tutorial and u can reproduce one out. Yes art sense, that is what i m talking about, which is a lot more difficult to copy and learn!
Phoon is definitely not a planning guy, just like different style of artist: some plan on their work before they lay their first stroke onto the canvas, he is the type with a vision, he just put in the first color, and from there, another color after another, fixing what he thinks is not nice n adding stuff he thinks is suitable, and slowly,a masterpiece is born.
In short, a technical powerhouse kit, one should be able to to copy, with patience and step-by-step guidance. However, for a art direction driven project, it is so much harder to achieve the same level as what Phoon did.
Maybe one may say his work is full of modeling mistakes and imperfection, but to me, as long as first, he is happy, second, it attracts the interest in people to admire the work, what more u can ask for?
Maybe one may say his work is full of modeling mistakes and imperfection, but to me, as long as first, he is happy, second, it attracts the interest in people to admire the work, what more u can ask for?
I used to be confused with the same thing too, but now, i know his work is more like an expression of his thoughts n vision. Modeling is basically not fine art. It's more like a fine craftsmanship work. It's like buying a coloring book from a shop n color the content inside. However, a true artist may still able to make it to fine art level, if he is doing it not bounded by the law of coloring book, but to his own style of artist expression.
As a modeler, if my works are crafts-work, Phoon's are a step closer to art than mine.
Website: I don't think he has a blog or a website, only that i know he does has a Facebook Page specially dedicated for his work. For more viewing of his work, please do visit:
Facebook Phoon's Workshop (https://www.facebook.com/RonniePhoon)
or forum:
Pla-zone Forum (www.pla-zone.com)
Website: I don't think he has a blog or a website, only that i know he does has a Facebook Page specially dedicated for his work. For more viewing of his work, please do visit:
Facebook Phoon's Workshop (https://www.facebook.com/RonniePhoon)
or forum:
Pla-zone Forum (www.pla-zone.com)
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