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My Yamato 1/48 VF-1S with fastpacks decalled...


wm cheng

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Hey all,

I just couldn't wait, I spent the better part of the day decalling the fast packs when I got my set from our resident decal master Anasazi!

Now, I just applied the decals with a lot of MicroSOL solution to aid them to sit directly on the plastic better. Unfortunately, the Yamato plastic has a bit of a texture to it, so its important to get the decal to sit and conform tightly to reduce the silvering on them. In hindsight, I would suggest people to coat the packs in future or gloss finish first, then decal - it would help.

I intend to do a burnt black light airbrushing around the forward micro-missile ports on the back packs, and around all the manuvering nozzles (they are just too bright) as well as the main rear bell nozzle. Then I intend to seal the decal in with a clear coat of flat matte finish. So just like my model in the background, the Valkyrie is in semi-gloss, and the packs will be finished in flat matte (this will tie the finish of the decal into the packs). I intend to do a little white dry brushing over the corners and ridges after the clear coat - it is a toy after all :p , I didn't want to go crazy and turn it into a model or something.

Gotta get some sleep now...

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I do wish the packs were bluer like they were in the initial Yamato teaser photos - I guess someone could totally re-paint them, and eliminate that seam down the center of the forward micro-missile launchers.

These water slide decals from Anasazi will be so much thinner than any stickers, the edges already almost dissappear without the clear coat seal!!

Man!, I already spent a day at this !! :D

Hopefully there will be more to show tomorrow.

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Here's a shot with the flat base clear coat protection - it seems pretty tough although I would still becareful while transforming - it is a $300+ toy (cdn) :o

I took apart the rear bell nozzle and sprayed it with a flat black, I finished the exterior in a semi-gloss to preserve the metallic sheen, and I sprayed the interior with a flat clear coat - these clear-coats are necessary since the light weathering of the flat black is delicate and can scratch off unless its protected by the clear coats.

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Edited by wm cheng
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Here are all the fast packs done!! :D:D Yah! not bad for a toy! Now I didn't go overboard and repaint them or fill the seams - I do want to play with them and I might take them apart for repairs or mods.

I decalled them onto the bare plastic (although now I reccommend some surface preparation first either with a gloss coat (like future) or a glossy finish paint - since the flat finish does bring out the silvering - believe me, I've tried to eliminate it as much as possible (I think I'm pretty good at decalling too :rolleyes: ) but its next to impossible when its sitting on this bare textured plastic surface). I would not recommend putting the little panel details that Anasazi has so thoughtfull provided (silvers in the middle) and trimming as close to the image as possible. I liberally put several coats of MicroSOL to get the decal to stick down - during the decal process when its still wet, and afterwards a few times to get them to lay flat.

Then I lightly post-shaded with flat black all the nozzles and some panel lines and over some white stenciling to tone them down a notch.

I then sprayed down a rather heavy coat of ModelMaster Acryl clear coat flat matte finish to protect the decals and the light black post-shading. I sprayed rather heavily especially around the nozzles - since the rub against the plastic when removing the panels to show the internal machine guts (becareful when removing). All the internal mechanisms were given a black artist oil wash to pickout all the wonderful engraved details that Yamato provided.

Lastly, I did a white dry brush over just the corners, highlights and certain panel lines - very subtle.

I feel this should adequately protect this toy - I play with it a few more months and give you an update as to its durability.

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The matte finish does provide a nice contrast to the Valkyrie - as well as the weathering - the Packs are well used :lol: The matte finish also lightens up the plastic and brings out the blue in it (which I like more than the green anyways IMHO).

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Close up of the back fast packs (sorry for the blurriness - slow exposure) You can see a bit of the silvering at those little rectangular access hatches. While the decals are great when applying to a light background, the darker textured background has proved slightly more problematic.

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Last parting shot with the internal micro-missile launcher - now I'm off to decal the RMS-1 missiles... I might have some finish photos soon in the various configurations. :D

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Hey Wmcheng,

can I borrow you and your airbrush for about a day ;) BTW, what airbrush do you use, Im in the market now.

Awesome, you gave me one hell of a target to shoot for, thanks for the inspiration, as always excelent work :blink:

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Hey pfunk, I use my trusty 16/17yrs old Badger 200NH bottom feed with a fine tip and needle assembly. Its a very simple single action cheapie - but it does the trick. The bottom feed is great, it can accept a bottle or a cup. Highly recommend it!!

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Hey pfunk, I use my trusty 16/17yrs old Badger 200NH bottom feed with a fine tip and needle assembly. Its a very simple single action cheapie - but it does the trick. The bottom feed is great, it can accept a bottle or a cup. Highly recommend it!!

awesome, everyones trying to get me to use a paashe or iwata, I think Ill try that one 1st,

Thanks man ;)

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Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!

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Once again I'm truly astounded. . . and I had just lost my verve for drafting you to do my Roy 1S! Now I'm all excited again and will have to start scrounging up cash!

One question though. . . will you be touching up and/or detailing the feet? They still look untouched by any of your methods.

Best Regards. . . master!

H

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Well, here's a shot with the RMS-1 missiles done and clear-coated in semi-gloss. I also did a wash of that central piece that re-inforces the area behind the head. You can see that Anasazi was kind enough to provide those details that the Hasegawa weapons kit had on the missiles as decals to apply. Unfortunately, the white triangles shows a bit of bleed through of the stripe underneath, I would suggest scraping the black stripe off in that area first.

Do you guys still want me to hog up more bandwith by taking some decent pictures of this in the sunlight against a more neutral background?

Man detailing these fastpacks are more time consuming that the Valkyrie itself!! Yes, I know the feet are not weathered like the rest. However, in fact the Valkyrie itself isn't really weathered, I just did a light panel wash in light grey on it. The Valk is pretty much like the anime - hence the grey feet and gun. If I were to dress it up - I would re-spray the gun and feet in metallic gun metal then weather that up - but I feel that would be too much - I think the packs provide the contrast. Also, the packs don't really transform or sit against anything - they are just attached - so I feel there will be less wear on them. The feet will support the Battroid or Gerwalk, I am afraid that if I "burn" the feet a bit, no matter how many clear coats, they will eventually chip or scratch. Well, thats my reasoning for being lazy :p

Enjoy...

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I think spraying the inside rear nozzle of the missiles really adds to the realism. Now I wish there was a easier way to attach and detach that gun strap.

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How beautiful! :blink:

I'll give 500 thank yous, if you give it to me :( , no?

(waiving hand in the air) ..you Will give this valk to me.....You WILLLL give this valk to me :lol:

I just love it when Qui Gon(SP?) can't convice Watto to give him the parts he needs to rapair the royal ship.

Oh well, the good news is that I have one like that already. The bad news: I don't have an airbrush, or the experience to operate one. :(:(:(

Vic.

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