Norris Packard's Efreet - My custom variant!

[Faust]

One of my favourite parts of modelling is trying to make something look just like it does in real life. Oddly, the other part I like is making something completely unique. Thankfully, the hobby has room for both! One genre of kits I find myself customizing a lot (especially colour schemes) is that of mecha, or science fiction robot weapons.

 

While Gundams themselves aren’t as customizable, being the “main characters”, the supporting mecha lend themselves to any and all kinds of imagination, reimagination and customization. It helps that the Gundam kits that Bandai cranks out are so well-made and forgiving, it allows for a lot of parts swapping and alteration without the worry of ruining a kit or having to do a tonne of scratchbuilding, unless, of course, you want to.

 

A perfect candidate for this kind of treatment is the Re/100 Efreet from the recent Reborn 100 line of large scale, but simplified and lower-cost kits. Given the Efreet’s bad-bottomed appearance, I decided to customize mine into what it would look like if the Efreet had been produced for at least ace use, instead of the Gouf.

 

The result is the Efreet Blazer custom, portrayed in the colours of Norris Packard from the excellent 8th MS series. Check it out, and let me know what you think!

 

https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/mecha-robots/bandai-1-100-ms-08-efreet-blazer-custom-norris-packard-use/

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Faust

[spaddad]

TASTY

[rockpopandchips]

What a great looking kit, the colours really suite it.  The panel lining is a bit dark and he is to clean for my tastes but otherwise great work. 

[Faust]

On 8/31/2018 at 2:53 AM, rockpopandchips said:

What a great looking kit, the colours really suite it.  The panel lining is a bit dark and he is to clean for my tastes but otherwise great work. 

Thanks! I agree that the Packard colours really do suit it. 

 

As for the panel lines and cleanliness, I can see that. I like to build mecha like they are 3-D cartoons, though. That generally means crisp, heavy lines and solid colours, without any aging.  I like them to be like they stepped off the screen, or like a 3-D artbook.

 

Most people don't do it that way, but that's just my thing, and at least it makes mine stick out. 

[chrisbob12]

I had to look twice at the photo to work out if it was a cartoon or model, so from my point of view you have achieved your objective. I like the way you've used the linework and flat colours; makes a nice change from models being pushed to look like an oil painting.

[Faust]

On 9/12/2018 at 6:08 PM, chrisbob12 said:

I had to look twice at the photo to work out if it was a cartoon or model, so from my point of view you have achieved your objective. I like the way you've used the linework and flat colours; makes a nice change from models being pushed to look like an oil painting.

Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad my approach actually gives that impression - I'm never sure, because, of course, I know what I'm going for!

 

I hear what  your saying about some models being "over done" in that way. I like to try and keep it a bit simpler!

[Will Vale]

Nice one, I love the pale blue - is it a custom mix or a specific bottle I could buy?

 

Thanks,

 

Will

[Hunter Rose]

Very nice work, really love the colours! 

[Faust]

I'm glad everybody liked the colours!

 

Sadly, they are a custom mix - pretty much all of them! I rarely use stock colours for mecha. I use Guards Red when red is needed, and most everything else is custom. Even the white on my Gundams is customized with a bit of blue and purple in it. 

 

Mixing up cool new colours is one of my favourite parts of building mech kits!