You can get clear paints from tamiya, or whatever Japanese company sells model paints alongside Gundam markers. Be careful though, as the clear paint sometimes slightly erases the metallic paint. Not much, but it can happen. I used this tecnique on a Bamblebee arms micron targetmaster, and I do it for front/rear headlights on most vehicle modes.
I like the idea, but I'd recommend actual gold paint. It's gonna take ages with a marker, be less robust, and spraypaint would be a more even finish.
I second this. Get some tape and some tamiya gold spray paint. I just did this on the gold on an Astray Red Frame Gundam and it works out so good.
Hello peoples. So I started and finished messing around with an idea I had. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves... Now, you may have noticed I cut the nub of the headmaster. I could have kept it but I'd have to have cut a channel for it into the back. Am I mistaken that thinning a color with floor polish would essentially make it clear? But thanks for the tip. Yeah this was really just a proof of concept on the color that I kinda went farther on than I intended. My next step in this would be to strip off the paint I already have done, put some Tamiya gold into my airbrush and go to town on this. Then I'd add some metalic red, probably with the Gundam Marker as I don't have any brush paint of that; and then some more touch ups.
Also, check what preparation with which paint you use. Games Workshop paints need to be thinned. Tamiya airbrush paints can be applied directly with a brush, but they need to be thickened. If a colour's metallic, stir it properly then put it straight on.
My memories of GW Citadel paints was that they didn't need thinning. I just used a thinned white/black/grey undercoat and that was that. How did the OP get the bread to stay on in all modes? Doesn't the train mode snap over the head space? Please tell us how! As for the paint, the photos give the impression that the red is showing through the golf paint applications. This might be just the flash on the camera, as photos tend to be crueler to hand applied paint than normal lighting/the naked eye. One trick, especially with metallic paints, is to do an undercoat. This is usually either black or white for metallics. Then, using thin layers of paint, apply the metallic paint over the dried undercoat, wait a few hours (or a day if you're paranoid), and then as another layer. After several layers, it should look good. However, I've found that gold paint, like normal yellow or white paint, can be a bit too "transgender" and a real pain to apply over other colours. If that's the case for you, try painting it silver first (which seems to attach better to other colours) and then, after it dries, paint over either gold, or a wash of clear yellow paint/yellow model painting ink. Hope this helps.
Yeah I know some tricks to paint this properly. Also I didn't paint over any red areas, just orange. As for how I got the head to stay attached I thought the pictures did a pretty good job showing what I did. I cut a channel in the spring box for the head. I also cut the neck off and glued it to the Orange pillars. To stop the Orange piece from coming completely out I have a pair of screws just acting as stops, but needed to thin the back sides of the pillars. I also had to cut a small bit of the chest to allow the head to get past and if I hadn't cut the heel-nub off the headmaster, would have had to cut a channel for it in the back.
can i ask you to post a photo of the shuttle mode with the top panels(those where the train wheels are) flipped? maybe it would look less flat...maybe
Good luck! If I were to work on him, I think I'd use some gray here and there in the inbetween parts so it breaks up his orange/red sea of monotony.
Sorry this took so long but I took him apart to start painting him propperly, which didn't work so well with my airbrush... Anyway, here's your request. I actually debated having this be how I transform him for shuttle mode but I think I like the smooth better. I'm probably going to do more to break up the colors myself. This is just something I'll have to feel out as I go.
Glad you like it but that's not really intended. That was just where I gave up trying to use my gold paint with my air brush. Turns out my airbrush doesn't like the Tamiya Gold Leaf paint I have.
I'm not a fan. I don't like the orange. But hey, feel free to copy me and do your own spin on it. As do I. Plus it help make him look different from Astrotrain.