Presentation is Everything... Improving my Gunpla Dioramas

I love dioramas so much I always tend to focus on working on them most of the time. Although I just make complex bases ( not considered as dioramas by some if it does not convey a story ), but the bottom line is that I enjoy working on the bases sometimes a bit more than the actual kits themselves.

I am looking to improve the bases ( or frames ) of my dioramas this year... Most of my older builds have lousy made bases as you can see HERE, HERE and HERE.

I have been away from Gunpla and worked on some minis the past couple of years, thus I am so influenced by the super talented painters of the miniature world. Unlike Gunpla, where you could get away with basic skills and airbrushing... Miniature painting ( and of course sculpting ) is done by top level talented artists.

As it is obvious with my choice of medium and paints, I am greatly influenced by the miniature painting world. Thus moving forward I will be focusing on creating and presenting my dioramas the same way top level miniature artists present their work.

There are so many ways of presenting your plastic pose-able robots. Personally, I like my Gunpla to look like serious sculptures. I like my future builds to look like well made sculptures on bases ( story or NOT ). All of my bases or dioramas will be presented the same way the top level artists and diorama makers of the miniature world present theirs.Wish me luck... and I hope you find your own style as well.

Thanks as always for dropping by! Until next post guys! Just enjoy the hobby. :)

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Local Organizer did not allow me to join GBWC 2014!!!

The local organizer here in the Philippines did not allow me to join GBWC 2014, due to technical reasons. 

I basically misinterpreted the rules. I have the original 3 year old Bandai MG The O box ( as I do not buy bootlegs anyways ) and bought a kit of the same price at the event ( MG Sazabi verKa ) to qualify to join. I thought that buying a new kit from ToysR'Us ( the event sponsor ) will sort of give me a ticket to join GBWC. 

All in all I have spent around 12k worth of items at ToysR'Us to qualify to join. The local organizer told me that I should have the receipt of the MG The O, which is impossible as that kit is too old to have kept the receipt. Besides you don't normally buy Gunpla at malls as it is 40% more expensive than buying original Bandai sellers online.

Oh well. At least my daughter joined the contest. I fully understand the rules of the local organizer now. Only Gunpla bought at ToysR'Us are eligible to join the contest. You cannot even go to Japan and buy Bandai kits as you need to buy them from malls... The sad part is that because the local organizers are too strict, the turn around of participants every year is getting lower and lower. It worries me that fewer people are joining GBWC here in the Philippines... But very strict rules in joining does not help ( the photo below shows how few the participants are ). 

Well at least I and my daughter got a photo with Master Kawaguchi. And my daughter was allowed to enter GBWC Philippines 2014! 

Until next year guys! Will focus on my commissioned works from now on instead. :)

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The Making Of My GBWC 2014 Entry part 2

It is really busy at work ( office ) for the past couple of weeks but my temporary schedule gives me a couple of hours of watching the NBA and working on my diorama. As I've said in my first post, this is my supposedly entry for the upcoming GBWC 2014. My first Bandai sponsored competition in 3 years if the new rules allow me to join again.

I plan to work on different projects every weekends, so I figured I'd post some weekday progress of this project. I managed to add the foundation of the hill side / mountain side and a bit of details during the past few days. Hope to add more details of course as it stills look too plain for its scale.
The hill side makes it look a bit like my old Gilgamesh Project. However I do feel my construction is better now in terms of durability and foundation.

This will look different than my old Gilgamesh Project as It will not be covered with snow. I plan to make this look tropical and lush.

Hope to post more updates on this project until the actual GBWC event. Will keep the kit a secret until then. Thanks as always fro dropping by! Until next post guys! Just enjoy the hobby! :)

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The Making Of My GBWC 2014 Entry

After doing a photo coverage of the Gundam Model Kit Contest a few weeks back ( see post HERE ) I immediately sketched some ideas for my entry this coming GBWC 2014.

It has been 3 years since I last joined any official Bandai sponsored competition. My last was my " Gilgamesh Project " which was a sort of cluster F ( lol ) of a MG Sazabi and MG Qubeley ( see post HERE ). I decided to join as I think it should be fun as I have not done much Gunpla, much more a big diorama for the last 3 years.

I have been working with the diorama for a couple of weekends now and has decent progress so far. The size of my base is 50cm x 35cm. I doubt I could fill up 50cm x 50cm and my sketches points to a rectangular layout. Honestly I am still having second thoughts on the kit to use. So many popular and not so popular choices. I always choose the not so popular choices though as I do not like seeing similar kits in the same competition.

I just finished scribing a ton of panel lines all over my base / diorama. Next step is the detailing of the base. Pla plates, Kotobukiya parts, Bandai bases, a few tubes and rods and copper wires to follow. Do check out this space for updates.

Thanks as always for dropping by! Until next post guys! Just enjoy the hobby! :)

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