MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX WIP Part VIII

Major Update!

I've decided to do the the lower left arm's detail by carving out the grooves. I'll either scribe the panel lines or use 1.0mm/0.5mm plaplates later on. Doing the latter will give me a chance to add bulk to the lower left arm.


I made an extension sing a 5mm Tamiya beam shaved down to fit the frame's connector and encapsulated that with a 5mm square pipe, which in turn was encapsulated with a 6mm round pipe.

MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX WIP Part VI

One of the difficulties I've encountered on this project is more about working and building around the existing parts to make way for the conversions.  Since I decided not to build a chest frame and use the existing frame, the shoulder connection also posed a problem.  Regardless, I would have to build new shoulders for the conversion.

Scrounging for parts, I finally found the extra wing connectors of my MG Strike Freedom FBM (which I have been madly looking for the past couple of months).  I modified the stock parts of the Turn A and so that it acts as an extension to the SF FBM connectors.  This was a good test for my home made cement, since these two ABS parts stuck well enough without reinforcement.

MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX WIP Part III

More Head Madness

I'm beginning to realize the difficulty of avoiding putty with this endeavor.  The difficulty lies mostly on how to add volume  and extend the back of the head of the Turn A following the 1/144 Turn X as a reference.   Unlike simple plaplate detailing, this one, like the thigh and calf mods, require a little bit of forward thinking and is actually testing my patience.

But I must press on.  Using more plaplate trimmings, i used the base of the Turn A's head armor/helmet as a guide to cut on the plaplate so that it at least follows the shape of the base.  I then trimmed it later on and added more plaplates to the back of the head, using the head itself as a guide as well.

 

I later trimmed those extensions, angled appropriately for the next step,




which is adding the cover for the extended head.  I've managed to trim the Mohawk's connection, and will use that as the base for the Turn X's mohawk as well.




Despite having to wait a few hours for the cement to cure for me to safely work on the modifications, I do feel I'm actually start to work relatively faster, considering my last update was only a couple of days ago, and my initial post regarding this project was only a couple of days before that.

It took me at least three weeks to do the leg and foot modifications, but I was still experimenting on what to do, so, compared to how I worked on the Chimera before, I'd say I'm working faster.

Taking photographs usually delays me from making updates, but I guess I'm getting the hang of it, taking photos right after a modification.

I've just finished watching "Moonlight Butterfly" where the Turn A and Turn X had their duel to the death.  The Turn X had a relatively short appearance in the film, Less than 10 minutes, and it was at the latter part approaching the end. The main reason for this, as I have read, is because the Turn X was too complex for animation, and since it was still done with conventional cel animation, the animators limited its appearance. It even appeared initially as just the head, with another MS strangely hitching a ride on it.  Also, the Turn X's cockpit is encased within the head.  I would have to forego that option to simplify the conversion.

That's it for now.

MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX WIP Part II

  

The Turn X's Head

Much can be said about the design of The Turn X's head, mainly, a lot find it weird and unconventional.  Syd Mead said it took him only 30 minutes to design the Turn X itself, and that it was his best in the series.  A lot of people, fans and detractors alike, of both Gundam fandom and Syd Mead, didn't quite agree of that assessment, and have called the Turn X one of the worst designs aside from the Turn A.  But there are quite a few like me who do like it, just because it IS weird.

The head actually what makes the Turn X unique, as such, it lacks the elements that makes a Gundam a Gundam.  Whereas the Turn A has at least a semblance of a V-fin and a goatee, the Turn X has none whatsoever, hence, people don't even regard it as a Gundam at all.  Regardless, in the Gundamverse, I tend to like the weird-looking MS designs, like the Palace Athene, the Bawoo, the Gabtheley and a few others that don't quite make it to other people's list of likeables.

The Turn X's head, like I've mentioned to PhantomPain/Sihao during a Skype chat, has plenty of similarities with the Turn A's.  Both has the same basic shape, although the back of the Turn X's head is more elongated and has flat sufaces.  It was only recently that I saw the above picture, graciously sent to me by Aulon, which allowed me to finally decide using the Turn A's head as a base, frame and all, instead of scratch-building one.

I've ditched the mustache V-fin of the Turn A (though I may still use the middle connection section) but kept the mouth "goatee" and used it as the reference and placement base for the Turn X's "mouth," thickening it, and shaving the sides of the added plaplates to at least match that of the pictures.  I won't be following those details too closely though and will change things a bit here and there.

I've filed off the forehead detail and sides of the jaw, and sanded it smooth immediately with a 1200 grit sandpaper in preparation for the Turn X details (so I won't have problems sanding later on when I've cemented plaplates on it).  I'll be using the existing connectors of the top for the Turn X's "mouse ears" and the back mohawk as well.  I'll be extending the back of the head, and this will be the major modification on the head.

That's it for now.

MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX

The Turn X.  It's probably one of the most radical yet underrated of Gundam designs, because for one, it doesn't look anything like a Gundam at all, nor does it look like your one-of-the-mill Zaku or grunt unit.   Unlike the Turn A which I liked much later, I immediately liked the Turn X, mainly because of its weird but unique design.

CONCEPT-X 6-1-2 Turn X designed by Syd Mead

The Rant (or Something Like It)...

  
This is a looong and convoluted post.

I posted "This Space is Reserved for a VERY SCORCHING RANT" a month ago that was supposed to discuss certain issues that had been affecting me either directly or indirectly, here, and in the forums I am in, as well as in MAC Forums to which I have helped create along with DC23 a year ago and currently administrate with him and recently, the addition of Kriz.  I only posted that to deflame myself, and so far, it had remained a reserved space, mainly because my flame lost steam aside from the fact that I did feel lazy at the time to even write anything.  Also, working on the X-Walker was a huge take off from the usual Gunpla, and it indeed became a challenge for me to do something out of the ordinary, or in my case especially, something more .

The Walker was mine testing ground for the project I am currently working on, which is the MG Turn X conversion, and the 1/60 SB Masurao/Susanowo Hybrid.  I haven't posted a WIP for the Turn X as of yet, since I wanted to show at least as good enough concise progress instead of a tidbit.

Suffice it to say, these projects I'm getting myself into test the limits of mine skills, some of which I never really knew I had (or did have, but have not fully explored or exploited until recently) until I bled with my first modeling-related, bone-deep knife cut.

I digress.  I'm supposed to rant.  First, MAC Forums was borne last year from the Chaos DC23 and I seem to find ourselves in, either by our own designs or otherwise.  Unknown to many, the original skeleton of the Forum was created much earlier than that, and if you happen to be a MAC Forums member and check mine registration date.  I created that Forum (which was originally named "The Gundam Spot") partially because of my varied unsavory experiences from other modelers and other forums, as some are already aware of.  The Gundam Spot, as it is now, is now the Top Section of MAC Forums.

Height Proportions

This tip was brought on courtesy of a question Krescenhaze asked regarding height proportions of Gundams (or any MS design for that matter. I used to teach a little comic book art back in the 90s, so I'm quite familiar with the subject in human anatomical terms.

My reply:

Regular human proportions is 7.5 heads tall (1/0.5/2.5/3.5) for the head/neck/torso/legs respectively, or 3.5 from head to groin and 4 from groin to feet. Ideal "heroic" proportions is 8 heads (1/0.5/3/4) This proportion is used to balance the bulk of heroic or muscled characters. Most Gundams and other MS designs do not follow any standard proportions but follow mostly the flow of the design of the MS, so some are like 4/5, with the head too small and looking as if it's hammered down the shoulders, with the neck not visible in most cases. So far, only two are "almost" human in proportions; The Strike, and the Exia.

I know you're asking this mainly for the Unicorn, because so far that kit has the WORST proportion, around 3/5.

Check this link out for reference

Try this yourself though; you can gauge proper proportions when you do this; sit down, then prop your knee toward towards your shoulder. You'll see that the tip of your knee should just be about the same level as the base of your neck.

The link above provides images I am too lazy to reproduce, so let me just credit the author for having it done, before allowing my lazy @$$ hotlink his post. It was quite coincidental I found it having relative images for both human and Gundam proportions.