Who Is Into Scale Modelling?

[smvillalon]

I'm working on two anime figures now...

 

Col. Motoko Kusanagi of Ghost in the Shell and Chii of Chobits. I'm having a lot of trouble with the skin tone and eyes. anime and normal military figures are very different. I'll post the pictures when they're done.

 

Jun

 

I really should try figures. Tamiya's 1/16th looks interesting. Then I can go into female fantasy figures.

[Dr_PepPeR]

I'm working on two anime figures now...

 

Col. Motoko Kusanagi of Ghost in the Shell and Chii of Chobits. I'm having a lot of trouble with the skin tone and eyes. anime and normal military figures are very different. I'll post the pictures when they're done.

 

Jun

That's exactly why I want to go into fantasy female figures, getting the skin tone just right would be the challenge. Are there any cheap kits out there to practice on?

[smvillalon]

They are quite expensive. I normally buy from ebay. There are makers there (mostly from Thailand) who charge less even if you add in the cost of shipping. I just bought the Motoko Kusanagi kit from there and it cost me US$12 plus US$18 for shipping. Add in 35 pesos taxes so you would roughly spend about PhP1500 for the kit. If you buy at the stores here, they would cost anywhere from 2K and up (for the same quality).

 

But be careful. Make sure that the person you are buying from at ebay has a good track record. So far, my sources have been reliable. My problem is really a personal paradigm shift since figure making is a totally different field and the "tools" of the trade are very different. You'll have to unlearn and relearn a lot of stuff... You'll have to learn to use a special form of Sculpey for re-sculpting errors in the kits or revisions of the poses, a new method of assembly (pinning), using CA glue to assemble everything, blending and feathering techniques in painting, etc. It's a whole different world within the modeling universe... but it's fun and I'll tell you once you begin it, you'll be stuck. Just ask Steiner...

 

If you want to learn more about anime figure modeling, check out www.codyscoop.com. It's a website specifically for the figure modeler. There are others but so far, he's one of the best I've seen. The maker is a guy named Cody Kwok (Chinese American from what I could gather).

 

 

 

Jun

 

 

That's exactly why I want to go into fantasy female figures, getting the skin tone just right would be the challenge. Are there any cheap kits out there to practice on?

[Dr_PepPeR]

They are quite expensive. I normally buy from ebay. There are makers there (mostly from Thailand) who charge less even if you add in the cost of shipping. I just bought the Motoko Kusanagi kit from there and it cost me US$12 plus US$18 for shipping. Add in 35 pesos taxes so you would roughly spend about PhP1500 for the kit. If you buy at the stores here, they would cost anywhere from 2K and up (for the same quality).

 

But be careful. Make sure that the person you are buying from at ebay has a good track record. So far, my sources have been reliable. My problem is really a personal paradigm shift since figure making is a totally different field and the "tools" of the trade are very different. You'll have to unlearn and relearn a lot of stuff... You'll have to learn to use a special form of Sculpey for re-sculpting errors in the kits or revisions of the poses, a new method of assembly (pinning), using CA glue to assemble everything, blending and feathering techniques in painting, etc. It's a whole different world within the modeling universe... but it's fun and I'll tell you once you begin it, you'll be stuck. Just ask Steiner...

 

If you want to learn more about anime figure modeling, check out www.codyscoop.com. It's a website specifically for the figure modeler. There are others but so far, he's one of the best I've seen. The maker is a guy named Cody Kwok (Chinese American from what I could gather).

 

 

 

Jun

 

Yes, in fact, it was when I was viewing Cody's figures that I was struck with the urge to do anime females. Doesn't Winston have something in his shop that's cheaper so I can practice first before I get the quality stuff?

[smvillalon]

Honestly, nope... Most of his figures are in Tetuan, Cubao and Greenhills. Natalie of JMN has some but not much - prices are a little lower but not by much.

 

Figures are a little expensive kasi. Look at the prices when you buy them directly from Japan! Hihimatayin ka!

 

Jun

 

Yes, in fact, it was when I was viewing Cody's figures that I was struck with the urge to do anime females. Doesn't Winston have something in his shop that's cheaper so I can practice first before I get the quality stuff?

[Dr_PepPeR]

Honestly, nope... Most of his figures are in Tetuan, Cubao and Greenhills. Natalie of JMN has some but not much - prices are a little lower but not by much.

 

Figures are a little expensive kasi. Look at the prices when you buy them directly from Japan! Hihimatayin ka!

 

Jun

 

Oh. Okay, back to my 1/35 figures again. Sigh.

[chinamafia97]

Deovir or NBS. I recommend the brushes of momiji - they are relatively cheap synthetic brushes and they work! You can get them at deovir! :thumbsupsmiley:

 

san po location ng deovir? tnx for the help..need those brushes for my hw diecast mod...

[smvillalon]

There are several locations I know..

 

DEOVIR QUEZON BLVD.

Address: 778 Quezon Boulevard Quiapo Manila, Philippines

Telephone No.: 734-01-06; 734-01-08

 

DEOVIR CM RECTO

Address: Stall 27 Manila Cartimar Bldg Shopping Center, C.M. Recto, Manila, Philippines

Telephone No.: 733-94-55; Telefax No.: 733-98-46

 

DEOVIR SM MANILA

Address: 5th Floor SM City Manila, Brgy 659 Zone 71, Concepcion St., cor. Arroceros and SAn Marcelino Sts., Ermita Manila Philippines

Telephone No.: 522-36-71

 

DEOVIR SM NORTH EDSA

Address: 3F SM North EDSA, Quezon City, Philippines

Telephone No.: 926-97-99

 

I've been to two only (Quezon Blvd. and SM Manila) but their website says four. I'll check out the one in SM North EDSA later.

 

Jun

 

 

san po location ng deovir? tnx for the help..need those brushes for my hw diecast mod...

[steiner]

Manilacon 2009

 

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b40/9723761/Manilacon/IMG_0101.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b40/9723761/Manilacon/IMG_0102.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b40/9723761/Manilacon/IMG_0103.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b40/9723761/Manilacon/IMG_0104.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b40/9723761/Manilacon/IMG_0105.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b40/9723761/Manilacon/IMG_0106.jpg

[Dr_PepPeR]

It's so nice to see the interest generated among the kids at exhibits like this. Are the tables for make and takes?

[smvillalon]

Yup... Bankee had a Make and Take and the kids went wild! [mind you, there were "kids" (yung bang 7 to 14 years - past their 21st birthdays) also].

 

But nevertheless it just shows to everyone that modeling ain't just for the kids... neither are they for the "over the hill" (retired people just passing their time) kind of guys. It was a lot of fun.

 

You should have gone there... There were guests from the south - Alabang and Laguna to be exact! Even the guys from IPMS South and Motor Modelers were there to enter their kits for the competition. They had really nice kits. There was even a car that really played music and had a video screen (at 1:24 scale!)...

 

Jun

 

It's so nice to see the interest generated among the kids at exhibits like this. Are the tables for make and takes?

[bugoy2004]

Yup... Bankee had a Make and Take and the kids went wild! [mind you, there were "kids" (yung bang 7 to 14 years - past their 21st birthdays) also].

 

But nevertheless it just shows to everyone that modeling ain't just for the kids... neither are they for the "over the hill" (retired people just passing their time) kind of guys. It was a lot of fun.

 

You should have gone there... There were guests from the south - Alabang and Laguna to be exact! Even the guys from IPMS South and Motor Modelers were there to enter their kits for the competition. They had really nice kits. There was even a car that really played music and had a video screen (at 1:24 scale!)...

 

Jun

 

like lola here, she had a lot of fun with lolo guiding her (not in photo)

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q200/reyanipan/gundamlola.jpg

[mokong_parin]

how much is a starter kit for a newbie in scaling?

[smvillalon]

Uh, about the price of a kit (depending on what you want to buy), a cutter blade or someone's nipper, paint (modeling paint or the common hardware variety) and glue (modeling glue or the common hardware variety).

 

Malabo? Yup. It's like asking us how high is the sky or how deep is the ocean.

 

Honestly, the price of a starter kit is dependent on several things:

 

1. The price of the kit you'll buy (about a 150 pesos for a Hobby Boss kit at yung malaki - about 15000 for the Millenium Falcon)

2. The cost of tools (as low as 100 pesos for generic tools to 18000 for the more expensive and specific kinds)

3. The price of paint (depending on how many colors yor model needs - a Kilo-class submarine kit would have about 6 colors but a WW2 plane would have about 12 to 24 colors). Others would like to save by mixing their own (we learned how to mix in Art class in school) but others would prefer buying pre-mixed colors of Tamiya or Gunze or other model paint.

 

You may wish to get this book from Kalmbach Books ($2.95 only)... Here's the site:

 

http://www.kalmbachstore.com/fspdf004.html

 

Or if you want, you can go to either the IPMS USA, IPMS Stockholm, IPMS BAC and/or IPMS Manila websites and forums to get more information.

 

Now if you want to start the discussion here, we may want to classify it in to more detail such as:

 

1. Safety in Modeling (I always love to begin with this)

2. Choosing a kit for you

3. Planning to build

4. Basic Cutting and shaping tools

5. The Basics of Painting

6. Basic Aircraft Modeling

7. Basic Ship Modeling

8. Basic Armor Modeling

9. Basic Figure modeling

 

... and so on and so forth. I hate to sound like this but let's face it, the topics are so diverse and broad that it would take more than a single thread to cover it - even if we are talking of basics

 

Jun

 

how much is a starter kit for a newbie in scaling?

[Dr_PepPeR]

I agree that it is a hard question to answer because it is simply too broad. How about if I do it this way?

 

1. Toenail Clippers or Small Electric Pliers with Cutter - free, if lying around

2. Academy 1/72 airplane kit - about P250

3. 400 or 600 grit sandpaper - about P10

4. A few bottles of Tamiya Acrylic Paint - about P360?

5. A good quality round paintbrush - about P100

6. Masking Tape - free, if lying around

7. The satisfaction of making a scale airplane kit and hand flying it around your room while making engine and machinegun sounds - priceless.

 

If you don't plan on painting the kit, you can skip numbers 4 - 6 and it comes out even cheaper.