High Grades are always better projects than other grades. Any jackass can snapfit a modern MG or a RG and have a display piece. High Grades actually take some modelling skill to show off.
Not entirely, I mean High Grades are the all encompassing grade that fits for every skill level that people can put as much heart and soul into as they want and still be pleased with the results. I'm just making fun of myself because it's been YEARS since I've ever done a simple straight build, and my recent string of kits, mostly Master Grades and a few Real Grades, that get more than their fair share of ink, paint, cement, primer, and topcoat, I'm working on a High Grade and going to these extremes on.
Yeah, nevermind, should be here Friday. This is my first time and FedEx is usually slow as all hell around here, so...
Aside from "Smartpost" which jumps from FedEx to USPS; sending items from Atlanta to Jacksonville to Albany and back to Tallahassee before reaching Valdosta to go to Hahira, FedEx has become more reliable in my part of the world too. USPS on the other hand is suffering from "F*** Louis DeJoy" Syndrome.
Yep. Since lockdown, I've gotten packages anywhere from two days earlier than predicted to a week late sent through USPS. I feel bad, considering they are apparently losing a crap ton of money every year and can't handle the shit the companies put them through.
Skill is built. Just keep doing it. Your models are going to look like shit. Recognize they look like shit and why and you'll improve incrementally
I added some Green Zinc Chromate to the pan mix, and that really fixed the color. I'm trying not to get carried away painting this kit, but the small Improvement of this little bit makes a difference.
Just got my tracking for my SS gift as well, passed it on to my giftee in a way so he can't see what's in it. Hopefully the 3.2 lbs weight on the FedEx tracking site makes him wonder what in hell I've gotten him.
If you want to talk skill improvement... This is one of the first modelkits eight year old me built. I have learned a LOT since 1986.
This may be unpopular, but I've found that there are certain kits you can get on Amazon or Ebay way cheaper than on Newtype or Usagundamstore. Mainly because of that monstrous shipping fee for the latter two (unless you stack, in which case cool), whereas Amazon and Ebay usually ship for free.
I feel like it says more about me when a High Grade made for easy assembly and simple details takes more than a day. To be fair, I was busy most of the day driving between three counties on farm errands for most of the day. Also I gave the cement more time to dry before sanding and polishing. Edit: I should have mentioned it in my previous post, but I dried some cement over the ball joint for the ankle armor because it was ridiculously loose. Adding Gunship Gray to the entrenched panel gaps, underlayer of the abdomen and the molded surface details like those 'spike studs' on the knees breaks up the Leo's natural monochromatic design. Plus it blends with the sprocket joint covers on the feet and mounting bracket for the shield.
Nothing like going totally insane with how bad circa '99 construction manuals are and deciding to build two legs of a PG kit in drag just to cope with the insanity. I'm so spoiled on modern manuals. Make all your sub assemblies first, then mash together into the finished part. But the PG manual? Build this, build that, snap it together. Then on the bottom fucking corner it goes "HUR DON'T FORGT THIS 5 PIECE SUB ASSEMBLY BEFORE YOU MASH IT ALL TOGETHER. No wonder why I fucked my first one up when I was young. That being said even this old ass PG has enough details on it for me to appreciate. I forgot just how there are just enough delightful panel lines are on this thing, especially the legs. It's a good mix between the detailed line art and clean anime aesthetic. Articulation is still great, though so far the hip articulation is actually more limited than the Zaku 2.0s. With the PG Unleashed Granpda, I'm certain they'll do a Char's Zaku II. I'll just get that instead of a new green Zaku.
Thanks for the answer, I think aI get your point ! I actually had the Moon Gundam in mind being a perfect counter example of what I said ! But I felt like most of HGs are not that ambitious, and Penelope seems on another level (from price to size). Actually, over the 21 gunpla I built, I only 2 are HG, plus the HG Soryumaru above (plamo, not gunpla). One Grimoire Red Beret (a crazy fun figure) and the G40, I adore it, but it can't be compared with anything else I think. That's why I can be naive about that line. About the Origin Granddaddy, I almost ordered it, but I don't know how to explain it, it looks too much like a RG without being one to my taste, so I took the recent Zaku II that look a perfect balance between simplicity and efficiency. I think I'll build that one pretty soon. Indeed, but in the end, if you take some time on your HG, I'm sure you do the same to the other more intricate grades to improve them as well, making them bigger projects.
i'll say. i JUST began learning how to do a weathering job, beginning with this 1/48 TAMIYA M1A2 about a month ago now, and i've been modelling since my early-teens about 25+ years ago...
Normally I work from the head down on any kit but the wiring on the head terrifies me. Got some clear orange to really so justice to the heat hawk and I love how the sun is catching this.
Man, credit where due - I don't think I would be able to work up the nerve to kitbash a Pale Rider into something.
