Current mood:	busy
Entry tags:	model, scratch-building, toy

Scratch-building project and references...
Ah, scratch-building. I've always wanted to always build my own stuff without having to wait for a replica that I like to be produce by companies or custom-builders, and spending money on a model kit that you might be afraid that it'll break or you painted wrong or you accidentally cut off a piece that you shouldn't cut off. Not to mention if it's a rare resin model kit that you acquired for about RM800 or more(I'm serious. There are some toy-convention-only kits that could cost that much. Ouch.).

Truth is, I've gotten this perception that if you wanna scratch-build your own triple-cannon mounted super tank or a super-mecha of doom, you need some really advance superskills and expensive tools and materials to start building one. It sounds scary, doesn't it? Not really. It's actually a good thing that I researched a bit about this so-called 'scary' foray into scratch building, and found that... it's not as overwhelming as I thought.

This all started out when I couldn't find any existing toy to the Front Mission series(a mecha strategy game in the truest sense of the word, not to mention the setting and technology in the game has to be the greatest examples of realism I've seen in a while.), and if you look at my use icon displayed now, that is the wanzer(shorten from "Wanderung Panzer", which means Walking Tank in German. Quite spiffy) I want. Bad enough that even the gashapons of the mechs are no longer around. So why waste time waiting or searching for what toy I want to get that's no longer there?

And thus I finally got off my butt to finally do something worthwhile. Here are the supplies that I got that's enough to start out(bought them at Hobby HQ in City Square):

- 0.35mm and 0.5mm styrene sheets(it's technically plastic, I think). Cost is RM10 per sheet.

- Tamiya Epoxy Putty(quick dry. Use for sculpturing. It's something like clay.). RM19.90

- Mr.Cement Deluxe. RM20(I forgot the actual price)

- A durable knife. If you can find something that's even more durable than your usual paper-cutting knife, it'll make cutting easier. But I manage to cut the 0.35mm sheet with my paper knife, but it took a second cut to pry it off...

- A cutting board(will get that later)

But really, all of these is a waste of money if you DO NOT PLAN AHEAD FIRST. That's right, take out some papers, take out your pen, pencil and ruler, and start drawing out your ultimate plans of destruct-... er, blueprint of the subject of choice. Really work out how it'll work in your build. You can't blindly build without any sort of reference. Believe me, I tried. It didn't work.

Below are some of the websites on scratch-building and references that I've come across that'll really help:

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/tech/aj_scratch.htm <--- Scratch-Building 101. This guy explains it better than me. If I confused you too much, go here.

http://www.geocities.com/duom/tfproject/wwprime/wip/wipprime.html <--- One of the best examples I've seen of scratch-building. But if there are others better than this, lemme know.

http://www.nevolution.org/tutorial.php <--- Helps if you don't know what to get to get started. Note that you don't NEED some of the more expensive stuff that's listed... for now.

http://www.hlj.com/top/Sup <--- HobbyLink Japan's is one of the more well-known online hobby stores that I know of.

The easiest form of scratch-building that's been seen quite often is kitbashing. It's basically taking an existing model and modifying the heck out of it to become something else that you want. Try googling 'Transformers kitbash' and see what I mean.

There are GONNA be MISTAKES when you start out scratch-building. Hell, anything that you're new to will always have mistakes laden around. It's inevitably part of the learning process. I remember when I sculptured figurines for a game design project for college, I had to throw them aside because I used the wrong material for it(I had to use kid's clay instead of a the quick-drying paper clay). It wasn't easy.

Right now, I'm currently planing a simple test scratch-build figure to test out what I can do. I'm not simply gonna go straight into building that wanzer that I like.

I'm writing this as part of what I knew of scratch-building. I'm no expert and not claiming to be. I'm a novice myself who just started getting into this.

More soon to come. Will post pics next time.