1/100 SMS AMS-129 Geara Zulu ver Angelo Sauper - FINISHED!

Well I've finally finished - took around 3 months from start to finish, with quite a few breaks.


Paints used:
Purple: Tamiya acrylics custom mix
Black: Testor's Model Master enamel semi-gloss black (sometimes gloss)
White: Tamiya acrylics
Metallics: Mr. Metal Color Copper, Mr. Super Metal Chrome Silver

Comments on the build: Lots of fun to build, lots of details. Totally top heavy and had to require a 1/8" support rod. Assembly was relatively easy, but the details became almost cumbersome near the end. The shield is not amply supported by the arm attachment either. The finished kit looks great in my collection though!










My wife wanted to put some little guys on for scale haha.




And the lighting setup:

C&C always wanted!

1/100 SMS AMS-129 Geara Zulu ver Angelo Sauper - Part 3

I know I have not updated in awhile - I have been encountering some significant set backs in the painting department. Moreso than usual because I've been trying some different techniques.

I have the philosophy: nothing ventured, nothing gained. Well that philosophy has cost me some time, but I don't really regret it, it was worth the time invested.

I tried doing a reverse wash on the wrist and chest pieces on this bad boy with different types of paint than usually are used, but these two paints I used don't work well for what's going on.

I used, in order of layers:

-Mr. Surfacer 1000
-Tamiya Custom Lacquer spray paint can
-Tamiya Acrylic Black (First gloss, then semi-gloss, then flat, all yield the same result)
-Then used Tamiya acrylic thinner and a tip to wipe away the black paint to let the white paint shine through.

I had a glorious plan for a tutorial...

Tamiya Custom Lacquer spray paint can

(no pic of this)
Tamiya Acrylic Black (First gloss, then semi-gloss, then flat, all yield the same result)


Then used Tamiya acrylic thinner and a tip to wipe away the black paint to let the white paint shine through. Bad idea. Does NOT wipe cleanly, hard to come off, and eats through the custom lacquer paint can (I think it's acrylic paint with lacquer thinner), you can see the gray Mr. surfacer coming through in areas.


I used lacquer thinner to wipe off all of the paint and I'll re-paint using the lacquer paint can, then spray black enamel and wipe it off with lighter fluid. Blah. Pics coming soon.

As of now though most parts are painted!




Just have to do the white trim now that the paint is stripped :)

1/100 SMS AMS-129 Geara Zulu ver Angelo Sauper - Part 2

Settled on a good color, after mixing purples and whites. Settled on about a 2.5:1 ratio of white to purple.



And my first experiment doing a reverse wash. I painted the piece white with Tamiya Lacquer spray cans, then followed with my purple in Tamiya acrylics, then cleaned up with a q-tip dipped in acrylic thinner. Doesn't come off as easy as you would think, but it just takes some extra TLC and care. Lots of precision needed with the q-tip. I had to re-paint twice. Disregard the hairs and debris on top, I saw them in the photo and freaked out, and they immediately rubbed off.



Finished up almost all purple, got better doing the reverse wash using the same technique. It's turning out quite well.


C&C's always welcome. Have a few more pieces to go on the purple.