State of my Hobby Worktable ... what's in store for 2020

Being well into the current year, it would seem to be a significantly belated exercise for me to analyze what hobby projects I actually have on the worktable and in semi-storage. But things are in such a mess at the moment hobby-wise that I need to take stock before I can move forward. So not including projects already finished but yet to be unveiled, and in the order of most to least likely to be finished by year-end, here then is the state of my hobby worktable and what's in store in the coming months:

A) Projects with significant assembly and paint work completed
Most likely to be worked on (note that I didn't say finished) this year is the best way to describe this group of miniatures and scale model kits. Of the three in this group, the least advanced in terms of progress would be my Bumblebee Transformer in car form aka the Tamiya 1/24 scale Volkswagen 1300 Beetle (1966 Model). At this stage, only the engine counts as significant work done. Well that and perhaps finding a Bumblebee yellow hue I'm happy with. To breathe new life into the project I might just add a 1/24 scale figurine that could, at a stretch, pass off as Hailee Steinfeld. In case you were wondering, she played the human protagonist in the Bumblebee movie. 

Tamiya 1/24 scale Volkswagen Beetle Work-in-Progress (WIP): First section painted with Bumblebee yellow

Volkswagen Beetle's engine prominently shows the muffler, fan belt/housing, intake manifold, ignition coil, etc.

Beetle's oil strainer surrounded by the muffler, exhaust manifold heat exchangers and transmission

Meanwhile, a project that has seen much better progress is the Bandai 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon (Star Wars: The Force Awakens version). In all my time as a miniature hobbyist, I am most proudest of the detail I managed to bring out through paint on the 1/144 scale Han Solo and Chewbacca (see below). A combination of luck and patience played a role in the end results. Both were also part of the smallest group of miniatures I had ever painted. As for the Millennium Falcon itself, the cockpit, forward mandibles as well as upper and lower hulls are essentially complete sans weathering.

Smallest figurines I've ever painted so far i.e. 1/144 scale Han Solo and Chewbacca

All the 1/144 scale figurines namely Han Solo, Chewbacca, Finn, Rey compared to a five sen coin

Bandai 1/144 scale Millennium Falcon WIP: Cockpit and forward mandibles sans weathering

Millennium Falcon WIP: Lower gun turret with its yet-to-be-weathered hull plating attached

Millennium Falcon WIP: Basecoat, Panel Lines & Decals on Lower/Upper Hull

Moving on to something smaller, it has been a long time since I painted a miniature 28 mm or less in scale. And in a classic case of so near yet so far, I had actually painted a large portion of the Dark Sword Wood Elf Goddess before progress on her somehow stopped dead in its tracks. It was as if all confidence to finish up her paint work just drained away from me. I can't explain this one. As near to completion as she is, the goddess may have to wait a while longer for her day in the spotlight.   

Dark Sword Miniatures Wood Elf Goddess WIP: Painted in dark skin tones (front view)

Dark Sword Miniatures Wood Elf Goddess WIP: Painted in dark skin tones (back view)

B) Projects unboxed, color schemes researched and awaiting lift off
In this category are projects I had enthusiastically unboxed and researched before one reason or another caused them to be placed on the back burner. First there is the Bandai 1/12 scale Star Wars Scout Trooper and Speeder Bike. This one is going to be slightly different from the other Bandai Star Wars figurines I had previously worked on in that I plan to paint the Imperial soldier's white armor. As good as the armor looks unpainted, I believe it will need a proper coat of paint if it's to endure significant weathering using enamels and/or oils. After all, a Scout Trooper on the Forest Moon of Endor should, in theory, have some of mud, earth and vegetation stains on its white armor. 

Bandai Star Wars 1/12 scale Scout Trooper & Speeder Bike

To accommodate both the figurine and vehicle, eight sprues are tightly packed into the box 

More advanced along the project pipeline is the Bandai 1/1000 scale Space Battleship Yamato Cosmo Reverse Version. Colors for her hull and deck have been prepared and assembly should begin soon. Maybe a binge rewatch of the anime series is what I need to rekindle the spark I had for the Yamato. Or perhaps I could concurrently paint the corresponding anime character figurines from the anime. Either way this is one project I'm optimistic will see lift off in the coming months.

Bandai 1/1000 scale Space Battleship Yamato 2199, Cosmo Reverse Version

Moderately sized scale model kit box for the Yamato is also chock-full of sprues

Space Battleship Yamato Reds and Grays mixed at a paint ratio suggested in an older kit's color guide

While Yamato's decks are molded in blue gray, the color guide recommends a kind of pale violet brown

C) Projects hinted at previously but yet to be unboxed aka Shiny New Toy Syndrome
Spur of the moment scale model kit and figurine purchases, of which I'm guilty of ... a lot, form a large part of this category. Just rewatched an anime favorite Neon Genesis Evangelion? Bam! Cue obsessive search for an old Bandai scale model kit of the Evagelion-01 Test Type mecha. Feeling the need to supplement my Gundam project with a character figurine? Wham! Sourced a resin recast of Sayla Mass, which was originally a PVC figurine only. And as the old Batman theme (get it?) fades away, I can only stare, shamefully ... almost remorsefully, at yet another somewhat unnecessary acquisition inspired from watching the latest flagship Gundam series i.e. Gundam Unicorn. 

Bandai Limited Model High Grade plastic scale model kit of EVA-01 Test Type

E2046 resin recast of what was originally a 1/8 scale Sayla Mass PVC figurine

Bandai Master Grade RX-0 Unicorn Gundam - HD Color Version with Mobile Suite Cage

And of all the three 'Shiny New Toy Syndrome' purchases above, it's the Bandai Master Grade RX-0 Unicorn in HD Color and with a Mobile Suit Cage base that is least likely to get any work done on it. In contrast, the EVA-01 unit project has a high chance of getting off the ground because I've already test painted the color scheme I want for the Evangelion mecha. That leaves Sayla Mass who may be the first figurine I start work on this year. Or then again, it could be the two below.


D) Projects fully-assembled and primed, yet left in storage
That these miniatures are in storage tells its own story. Sort of. A myriad of reasons that range from from waning inspiration to real life issues to lack of skill set to do a project justice to just plain old forgot, resulted in both the Nocturna Models Battle Chick and the Knight Models Loki figurines being shelved after receiving a primer coat. Being shelved in a display cabinet, however, is clearly distinct from being put away in storage. The former means the figurines are still visible to me, so there is still hope I will work on them eventually. Moreover, the addition of airbrushing skills to my repertoire means the said projects takes on new possibilities when coupled with regular hand brush painting.   

Nocturna Models Necrospace series - 70 mm Battle Chick resin figurine

Knight Models Marvel Universe - white metal figurine Loki, assembled and primed

E) Projects whose assembly is nearly complete, awaiting a primer coat
Not unlike Loki above, the Knight Models Thor project stagnated for similar reasons, just that it stopped before even being fully assembled. But for a project that felt like a chore to complete with regular painting by hand, Thor seems ready made for airbrushing. This Norse God's dimensions such as the flowing robes and clearly demarcated superhero attire make it easier to airbrush than say the Loki figurine with its nook and crannies. At least it looks that way to me. Will Thor overtake Loki in the project pipeline? Or will both get done? Hopefully status quo does not prevail here.

Knight Models Marvel Universe - white metal figurine Thor, semi-assembled

And for the win, garnering the record for the longest period a miniature/scale model kit in my collection has stayed on the KIV or to-do-one-day list is ... drum roll ... the Games Workshop W40K Ork Trukk. It was the first scale model kit vehicle I had worked on ... eight long years ago. Phew! Well I did do some work on it. I removed it from the shelf and carefully washed away eight years of dust. So it's ready for a primer coat. What then are the odds for another eight years of inactivity?   

Warhammer 40K Ork Trukk - semi-assembled with its driver painted

F) Projects with as much sun exposure as a vampire
Aptly marked under 'F' after 'E' for epic fail, these are projects that have been shelved for a long, long time. So long in fact that I won't even waste your time showing you what they are in detail. Suffice to say they are mostly Games Workshop tabletop miniatures that got me started in the hobby. Chances for any project under this category being revived is extremely slim. Not impossible but slim. 

Then there is the wildcard category which arguably makes these what's-in-store-posts an exercise in futility and wishful thinking. Let's call it Category X. Remember the oft repeated resolution us hobbyists are renowned for? How did it go again ... oh yes ... I solemnly swear not to buy anymore scale model kits until I finish some of what I already own. Many had also taken this vow when gently reminded [increase level of domestic violence as per appropriate] by their spouses of the mountain of unopened kit boxes cluttering up the house. In essence, at any time either new impulse buys or existing model kits could (and likely) gatecrash the present project line ... possibly consigning work-in-progress miniatures and scale models into the dreaded Category F. See the pattern here?

Still on the topic of Category X, there are projects with a high chance of making it into Category B. For example, it's almost a given I'll being doing a World War 2 military model in one form or another. Coupled with my wish to learn new AFV-related painting techniques, it's therefore a near certainty work will soon start on a WW2 era armored fighting vehicle, in particular one that has been coined as the Spearhead of the German Infantry. In addition, my clogged up project pipeline could yet see Pixar's most popular duo, more figurines, diorama pieces, etc. join the queue. I won't give specifics as it all may be a lot of hullabaloo for nothing. For now, what can I say except carpe diem. Ironic huh?

Candy Paint Finishes - A Test On Plastic Spoons

What's candy paint? As I understand it, candy paint refers to a metallic finish which is achieved by applying a clear color over a highly reflective gold or silver base coat and then finished off with an a clear protective overcoat. On this specific test, I had airbrushed clear paint of varying hues onto a silver base coat without applying a final clear protective overcoat. Absence of the final step had a visible consequence in some of the clear paint colors which I'll highlight later. Additionally, I didn't use a gold base coat in order to see the colors as they are without any gold tinting effects.  

Candy paint finishes on plastic spoons, arranged into a color wheel (sans yellow)

Up until now I haven't tried doing candy paint finishes because I couldn't get my hands on the highly acclaimed Alclad II Chrome lacquer paint. And although I still can't source this paint, at least not from local hobby stores, I instead found a great alternative in the Mr Color Super Metallic 2 Chrome Silver lacquer metallic paint. But perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself. Why the need for chrome paint anyway. Well, of all metallic model paints it is chrome or chrome silver which has the most reflective property. And this is key for the metallic shine to retain its visibility through the subsequent layers of clear transparent paint. It gives a smooth shiny look pure metallic paints cannot replicate. 

Mr Color Super Metallic 2 Chrome Silver, diluted in lacquer thinner and airbrushed onto a black primer coat

Chrome Silver was my go-to choice for the metallic base coat solely due to its reflective properties

While there are arguably better brands of chrome paint, the best available to me was the Super Metallic 2 Chrome Silver

Although thinned with Mr Color Leveling Thinner in a 50:50 ratio, the Mr Color Super Metallic 2 Chrome Silver paint actually seems dilute enough to be used straight from the bottle   

Extremely fine pigments in the Chrome Silver allows for a super smooth coat of reflective metallic paint

All in all, you could color me satisfied with the results (pun unintended). In majority of the cases the candy finishes on the plastic spoons look silky smooth and shiny. Combinations that worked particularly well were (in the order of thinner plus clear paint): (a) Mr Color Leveling Thinner with Mr Clear Color GX101 Clear Black, GX102 Deep Clear Red, GX105 Clear Pink, GX106 Clear Orange, GX107 Clear Purple and GX108 Clear Violet; (b) Gaia T-06h Brush Master Thinner with Tamiya X-23 Clear Blue, X-25 Green and a 2:1 mix of X-24 Clear Yellow/X-25 Clear Green.  

Mr Color clear paint hues (from left): red, deep red, orange, pink, purple, violet, deep blue, black

Tamiya clear paint hues: red, blue, a 1:2 mix of green and yellow, green

Unfortunately, some combinations didn't come out perfect. Look closely enough at the list above and the color red, or lack of, stands out. A combination of Mr Color Leveling Thinner and Mr Color 47 Clear Red gave rise to a relatively dull pinkish red while the Gaia T-06h Thinner and Tamiya X-27 Clear Red combo resulted in a shiny yet reddish orange. In short, neither looked anything like the pure candy red I had hoped to replicate. It's entirely plausible the dull surface can be rectified with a layer of gloss clear coat. As to achieving a pure candy red, two possible offhand solutions I can think of is either use the existing clear red paints over a gold base coat, or buy a new clear red paint.  

T-06h lacquer thinner was used on Tamiya and Gaiacolor paints and Leveling Thinner on Mr Color paints

Because off-the-shelf clear paints come in limited colors only, I had to create my own mix to obtain two specific 'clear' colors i.e. lavender and azure (see below) for use in future projects. Results were disappointing because the normal paints, no matter how dilute, tended to mask the metallic layer underneath. Despite some shininess to the paint, it was too muted to be considered as a candy finish.

Use of normal paints diluted with clear paints and thinner did not pan out with the 'candy finish' dull and boring   

There is, of course, a much better (and more correct) way to mix your own clear paints. One way is to use Mr Color Primary Pigments comprising Cyan, Magenta and Yellow in order to mix the specific color required, and then combine them with a clear coat solution and thinner. But I didn't go this route because firstly I didn't know how to mix the lavender and azure colors I needed. Secondly, I thought I could shortcut the process (aka doing it the lazy way) by just diluting a normal paint with a clear coat solution and thinner, although deep down in my heart I knew it wouldn't work.  

Candy paint finishes shot at a slightly less reflective angle in order to showcase the colors more

Even taking into consideration a few less than ideal end results, I would still call this paint test a success. By and large I'll be able to use this method to obtain a reasonable variety of candy color finishes. A great technique to have in my arsenal, I can now breathe new life into previously run-of-the-mill-projects. Most importantly this technique gives me a choice on how to go about a project. As Captain Kirk once said ... Without freedom of choice there is no creativity. The body dies.

Bandai Action Base 1 Black: Unboxing & Quick Review

Prior to uploading my final shots of the Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0 in various poses with its shield and weapons in tow, I first had to assembly and paint a suitable base for the mecha. Cue the Bandai Action Base 1 Black, a stabilizing platform from which Grandpa Gundam will strike all his action poses and hopefully not tip over and fall apart in the process.      

Cost-wise the Bandai Action Base is reasonably priced at the mid-twenties (in Ringgit terms) or lower during a sale. While it could be assembled and used as is, there are enough details molded into the plastic parts to satisfy the painter in your average scale modeler. In short, if you wanted to you could paint up a decent and fairly detailed looking mechanical-tech-like base.     

Unsurprisingly, Bandai made the base itself a kit that must be assembled by the hobbyist. Instructions (see top, right) are in Japanese only but are intuitive enough that a translation isn't needed. But if like me you need to know absolutely everything before starting off the assembly process, then a quick use of the Google Translate App or an online search for an English language equivalent (hint: Google "Mech9 Action Base" should give you the appropriately translated set of instructions.   

Sprue BA3-A: Main platform of the base, which comes in a hexagonal shape

Sprue BA3-B1: Primary display stand plus a selection of connectors for attachment to a model kit

Sprue BA3-B2: Primary display stand, base extension and middle piece, plus a name plaque

Sprue BA3-C: Secondary display stand as well as joints/connectors of both display stands

Metals screws and a square piece of double-sided tape

Assembly was supremely straightforward and easy; completed with minimum fuss. There were almost no mold lines to deal with and the parts snap-fitted together securely without the need for any glue. I did, however, come across an irritating anomaly but more on that later on in this post.

From left to right: Secondary display stand, hexagonal and square bases combined, and the primary display stand

Bandai Action Base 1 Black (fully assembled sans connector pieces)

What's unique about this Action Base is that it provides the scale modeler with many posing options via a pivot point as well as height and positional adjustments (see photo montage below). If you refer to the white arrows on the image below, from left to right they indicate the adjustments that can be made to the display stand's height, a roughly 180 degree pivot point, and finally the holes on the base allow for different positioning of the display stand. 

White arrows shows sections of the base that can be adjusted to vary the poses of your model kit 

As I mentioned in passing earlier, all wasn't rosy with the assembly of the Action Base. There was a rather wide gap on the display stand (see below) that shouldn't be there in the first place. Now despite being a reasonably seasoned miniature painter and scale modeler, I can't entirely rule out a mistake on my part. That said I still have a sinking feeling the kit could be at fault because I had bought this one at a sale. It seemed to have been repackaged after being opened up (the packaging you see above was actually from a similar but newer kit). This could mean an itchy-handed shopper had somehow warped the plastic or a knockoff sprue could've been mixed in with the originals. Admittedly the latter is unlikely and I don't completely discount user error i.e. not assembling the kit properly.  

Only gripe I had with the Bandai Action Base was my inability to close the gap shown above

To secure the Gundam to the Action Base, a multitude of connectors were provided in the sprues itself. Some of the connectors are meant for smaller scaled model kits while others are specific towards certain Gundam designs. But because the Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0 has a specialized connector of its own, I may not need any of the connectors supplied in the sprues. Whether it is sufficient enough for my purposes will be made know when I try to display Grandpa Gundam in more challenging poses i.e. ones involving him wielding his shield and weapons. 

To cope with the different scales of Bandai model kits, a multitude of connector options are available on the sprue ...

... however I will be using the one provided by the Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0 kit ...

... which is supposed to securely connect to the underside of the RX-78-2 Gundam's waist area

On a side note, I found an interesting part - at least I found it to be so - on one of the sprues, in the form of a small plague (see below). For modelers who wish to paint and weather the base, the plaque could be used to display the model name or even become part of a mini diorama. 

Piece of plastic plaque whose use is to incorporate names of the model kit on display

Going forward, I do not intend to paint and weather the base. That being the case, I went ahead to spray the Action Base with a flat clear coat in order to get rid of the existing plasticky gloss sheen. This will actually help me when I take photos of Grandpa Gundam against a black background. One of the reasons I do not plan to paint/weather the base is because I only want to use it to securely hold the mecha in place while it's being posed for photos. In fact I want the base to blend into the black background thus making the mecha look like it's being suspended in space. For this to work, I'll need the base's surface to reflect as little light as possible, which is why I coated it with a clear flat coat.

Bandai Action Base 1 Black: Before Flat Clear Coat (left) and After Flat Clear Coat (right)

So I guess in terms of prep work, there is nothing more I need to do for the Action Base. It's ready to be used with Grandpa Gundam in the next series of photos i.e. poses with the shield and weapons. For that I'll have to think up some cool poses for the RX-78-2 Gundam. Until I've figured that out it's entirely possible that my next few posts won't be Gundam related. Heck at this moment I don't even know myself what I'm going to write about. What a great way to kick-start the hobby year, eh?