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I've decided that HG 1/144 Exia R2 will be the first gunpla which I'll panel-line. XD

Of course, that means that I won't be able to start until I get a good marker. ^^";; There're a lot of things I lack for proper gunpla building - tweezers, PARTS SEPARATOR, design knfe [?]...

All this while I've been building my plamodels with cutting pliers and my bare hands. )8 And when I need to separate parts, I either use my hands or a freaking metal ruler lmfao, which...I don't recommend frankly. DON'T USE METAL RULERS x_X And for stickers, I use my hands too, which often leads to stickers being misaligned and stuff. xD"; And this also means that all my previous kits have no panel lining and lots of nip marks. Un-photogenic material.

I don't think I'll ever have space or money to invest in airspray and all the fancy equipment for full-scale painting and other nice effects ahaha. XD But, hey, learning to panel line is a good start, yes? *o*";

So, gunpla builders, I'd like to know stuff about panel lining, especially erasing excess ink or mistakes. I've read up a few tutorials, and I'm planning to use Gundam Markers instead of paint, and I'm seeing this item called "Gundam Marker Remover". Is that Remover what I think it is? I've also been told that cotton wool + alcohol is effective in removing ink too, as long as you haven't painted your kit ahaha. How do you remove mistakes from panel lining?

I should drop by Hobby Art Gallery some time. |D"; So much for saving lmao. XD";

Psh, I still want a 1/100 Virtue too ;_; though it'll probably take up a huge part of the space I'm planning to create by clearing out the old figurines. Should put more stuff for sale too. T.T

Also, I was looking at Exia R2 and noting that they don't have any special gimmick for the studs at the bottom of its feet. In fact the studs are non-existent lmao. A part of me is hoping it means a 1/100 version, while another part of me is going NOOOOO. orz

Well, there's that International Tokyo Toy Show coming up. xD Apparently, the stuff from Shizuoka will probably be making appearances again - that's RD Regnant, MG Exia HG Gaddess and Re-Bons [and Heavy Weapons too, I think?]. But it's likely that new stuff may be unveiled, so I'm just going to keep an eye out. xD I'm still torn over whether I should display MG Exia as Exia or Exia Repair I ;_;

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yeah, your best bet is just using alcohol + cotton wool. that Gundam Marker Remover thing is probably just another clever ploy by Bandai to get more of your money. XD

Thought so too ;_____; This is probably a really silly question, but do you think gunpla stores will sell alcohol for removing excess ink? XD";

They should... the next time you go in ask them. XD

Sweet, I'll keep that in mind. |D Thanks!!

I've seen people at /m/ recommending Pigma Micron pens (http://www.wetcanvas.com/Articles2/6156/298/images/micronpenimage(wc).jpg) instead of Gundam Markers. I've never panel lined anything in my life, but for drawing, I agree that Pigma Microns are the best thing ever. Very cheap but comparable to more expensive precision drawing pens.

SAKURA! I love Sakura's products, and looks like Size 005 is exactly the pen that I need. *_* Thanks for the information!

Chat lags bad with Food so I'll say it here :D

sndjknasa SO MANY PARTS OTL I wonder if I'll be able to handle them all

Edited 2009-06-22 07:38 (UTC)

I assume you meant the pic I linked. XDDD That was a PG-grade kit, so it's understandable. Still really mind-boggling lmao. XDDD

One of my dreams is to get a PG-grade Wing Zero Custom, except I'd never have space for it. xD"; And undoubtedly, at least one [but probably several] lucky MS from 00 will receive PG treatment too. ;____; THE PRIIICE.

My bet's on the ...00 at least. Just because of the absolute great design there *O*

Depends on how well the 00 Raiser sells in other grades, I guess. XD I mean, I thought that Strike Freedom was pretty popular, what with its double MG treatment, but there's still no PG yet. :Oa I don't know how Bandai thinks lmao.

...Well GWing was older, so you would see the PG sooner? :x it hasn't been a decade yet from when GSD ended so we'll have to see or something |D

...well, GS already has three PGs, and it hasn't been a decade yet either? I'm wondering if the lack of PGs are all part of Bandai's cost-cutting measures. See, PGs are expensive and take an awfully long time to build. Bandai's customer base includes teenagers who are still students as well as working adults. Teens = generally less spending power = generally cannot afford PGs. Even though working adults = generally higher spending power, but working = generally less time to spend on PGs, so they might turn their attention to stuff like MGs and HGs.

Mmmm logical sense ): Here's hoping for another PG anyways. And Thanks for the explanation! Goodness it looked like it took you awhile to type it while I'm just short-responding here.

Lmao, it wasn't really difficult, actually. xD"; For all you know, I could have gotten my facts wrong too, but I do remember reading about Bandai wanting to cut costs and there was this article from Gunota Headlines about Bandai's customer base and stuff.

Maybe this is me wanting to apply essay skills to something I like and not risk losing those skills from learning Accounting stuff. xD

dkjnfs XD I find that really cute for some reason OTL

A-Anyways, that sounds reasonable. And realistic too. There was a bouffet restaurant I went to sometime last week, and I could tell they were cutting out certain foods from their menu. ): Like how I remember there used to be folded menus, but now there's a one page menu you order stuff from.

Yeah, and Chuang Yi and their use of lower-quality paper for Pokesupe. And fast food portions shrinking over the years. XD There're loads of cost-cutting going around, sometimes it's obvious like your experience, sometimes less obvious like what Bandai is doing - delaying or possibly cancelling projects that might not bring in as much cash as something that's proven to bring results, replanning runners so that they don't have to waste materials by producing unused parts in runners for kits.

PGs are awesome =D I have the PG Skygrasper and Strike (which I still havent started >_< ) &heart; I hope one day, they'll make a PG Exia (since it is the main Gundam) ^^

but you're right, I think Gundam 00 is trying to aim at a younger audience than previous Gundams (with all the fanservice, for girls especially XD), so the spending has diverted from expensive Gunpla to expensive i-voice dolls and PPPs (which are so cuuuuute and irresistable to the fangirls >__< )

Yeah, I was talking to

flylane days back about how there're so many of these tiny tiny figurines. ;_; The PPPs are adorable - even I can't resist their charm XD - but I'd love to have more big figurines. I mean, GS and GSD had the Heroines, and I thought Bandai would do the same with G00, what with different volumes featuring different female characters. But all there are are the gashapon, the Portraits and then that single Heroines set lmao. ;^; And of course, S2 hasn't seen many 1/8 figurines either...

And I guess gunpla-wise, they've turned their attention to HG and NG kits which are probably cheaper to produce [hello, less colored parts]. Look at the number of versions for 00 Raiser. OTL";; And it looks like the rest of the S2 mecha might get more versions in HG and NG too, lol heavy weapons and Designer Colors. o_O";

In any case, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for money and a PG Exia. XDDD

I know! it's strange that they haven't done any good 1/8 figurines (like the DX RAH) of the Meisters... (wants one of Lockon and Setsuna). *dreams of a Figma Lockon that will never happen*. There is a Medicom Setsuna, but it's waaaaaaayyyy expensive and limited (I don't understand why the Medicom Lelouch costs half as much as Medicom Setsuna, not fair!!)

Maybe it's because there are more male characters in G00, and usually only the females get the 1/8 figurine treatment? ('cause the figurine market is more for the fanboys?) Gundam Wing doesn't have that many figures either.. I do remember seeing a Milena, the same series as the S1 Feldt and Nena (with the Haros). Surprising they don't have one for Marina yet, even though she's the counterpart of the main character...

Maybe G00 just doesn't have as many fanboys for the female characters as GSD did with its female characters? 'cause I lost count of the amount of figures for Meer, Lacus, Luna and Meyrin >__> and they figure the fangirls tend to like chibified versions of the males more or something? DX

I don't mind HGs, 'cause they're pretty good quality and much easier on the wallet than a PG would be XD but yeah, there should be a PG, there has been one for most other Gundam series, maybe we just need to wait longer >__<

I dunno why they need so many versions of 00/00-Raiser... it's like the upgrade of Exia (which it already has so many versions), I feel like the only reason Exia came back all fixed up with some new equipment is so they can sell another new toy >__>

I want a 1/60 Exia someday (maybe PG), and a 1/100 one, then I'd have Exia in every scale =D

For panelling, I just use the thinnest permenant marker I can find XD mostly because I live far from any Gundam supply store to get good Gundam markers... but yeah, one thing I learned though, never use a water-based marker/pen. I did that once and it smudged everywhere ;___;

as for removing mistakes, I just take an exacto knife and gently scrape away the mistake (since I use permenant marker, I dunno what would be able to remove it XD). The exacto knife is also helpful for putting on the stickers XD

but yeah, I'm usually too lazy to paint/panel my Gunpla too XD though I should, 'cause it does make it look sharper and cleaner ^^ (but then I'd have to take them apart to get into the nooks and crannies.. another reason I don't paint/panel, I'm too eager to put the thing together! XDD)

another reason I don't paint/panel, I'm too eager to put the thing together! XDD - Same!! |D It's only today while reading through tutorials when I realise that gunpla building isn't meant to be a race. XDD but still, I always love seeing completed products, and I have this habit of wanting to complete a kit within the same day I start it, so I think I'm going to take really long training myself to be patient in assembling it. XD

And eek, I'll keep the point about water-based markers in mind. ;_; As for using permanent markers, I've seen comments on tutorials in which they talk about using Sharpie. xD I'm not sure what brand of permanent markers you use, but as long as you haven't painted your models, I think alcohol + cotton wool [or Q-tip] might work. I'm not sure. D|"; Reading about painting and all the different pros and cons of using different paint is quite daunting. XDDD

haha, yeah, I only found out about panelling and painting after randomly finding this video tutorial on Youtube XD Since the kit says "no painting required", I thought you're just supposed to snap it together and viola! XD (at least the HG, MG and PG kits anyway, FG ones are crappy and need paint 'cause they don't have colour in the right places)

yeah, I use a thin Sharpie for panelling. Still a bit too thick for some places, and my hand is too shaky/not patient enough to do it very neatly ^^;; oh well, I just take a knife to it XD

I once used regular acrylic paint for my Skygrasper, and the paint started peeling ;__; (my acrylic paint doesn't like plastic >__< ) so for my Archangel I used Gundam markers. Apparently I heard "experts" don't like using them since they can't really get into the small places too well. But I liked it, it's so much less messy than paint XD

I found the actual acrylic paint used for Gundam-painting to be good though (doesn't peel off), and it's water-based so that's cool (I once tried enamel from regular hobby stores.. it's oil-based and need turpentine or something to wash off, ewwww, but it does give a nice permenant finish, ie can't even scrape it off ^^; ). I'm just not close to any supplier of that stuff to get it... so for now, Sharpies and Gundam markers for me XD

People also use spraypaint, which end up looking the nicest, but very messy and you'd have to do it outdoors XD

Yeah, the thing about Gundam markers is that apparently they don't have consistent flow D: So you get areas with lighter colouring and the marks left by the markers [all the ||\\\\||// as one blogger put it XD] look obvious on large surfaces. :\

I hadn't known what the difference is between acrylic and enamel, but you've cleared that up. XDDD My mom will probably freak if I tried using turpentine to wash and risk making a mess, so I guess acrylic is the way to go for me. |D

Spraypaint. ;____; I'm really envious of people who have the space to do that XD I have no space, and again my parents will scold me for 'wasting so much time and effort' on plastic toys. |D Really though, spraypainting has a really good effect, not that I'm confident enough to try it. |D";

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