Baby Gundam Born

This is my latest project - BB freedom strike gundam. Hehehe. Oh well, actually I'm just a rookie in gundam modelling. Don't plan to go deep into it though cuz card making is already a costly enough hobby. Can't afford another expensive hobby like this. But gundam modelling is really really fun. I don't watch the anime nor am I familiar the characters, but I'm fascinated by their mechanisms and the beauty of these freakingly intelligent and creative japanese design. Seriously I don't know how they do it and I'm talking about not just the design of the robot "look" but also other aspects.

Let's talk about the looks. Most of their looks (adults / baby version) are great. Nice designs on how edges are formed to give that very "solid" robotic feel. The color matching are also great, mostly striking, bringing out the different characters I suppose. They also have different features and weapons that fascinates me. Like this one I just assemblied has wings, 2 "guns" (i suppose they have names), a sword and a shield (which i think is like a light form).... nice leh. This is my fav model so far. :P

Now let's move on to mechanism, a part that always makes me wonder in awe. How on earth did they come out with the idea to make an assembly like this? And its not just being assembled thats it, the parts can move, and I would say reasonably freely.

So from the assembly and mechanisms, I guess the parts are designed. Then now they need to design the mould to make these parts. Even for a small gundam like this requires few hundred parts. So they need to design the plate that holds these parts together and then the mould to make this. And their plates can contain different colors, which I understand from a friend in this industry that this is not easy to achieve. To me, the moulds must have been perfect, as each part fits together PERFECTLY. You wont find a misaligned edge or a distorted joint when you bring the parts together.

Then finally, the manuals - to such complete details that even someone who doesnt understand a word of japanese can assembly this. Their 3D pictures showing the view where to assemble, labelling (all correctly), and sequence,.. are all perfectly comprehensive.

So, some might think spending money in buying a "toy" is not worth it. But come to think of it, a lot must have been done to enable gundam modelling to be such a bliss. :) Ok ok, I sound like a gundam promoter.. haha. I think it might be the nature of my background that makes me sensitive to these details.

I'm gonna work on the fine lines soon. Well, with my clumsy shaking hands, they aint gonna be fine lines no more. Haha. Will post another completed picture by then ^^