The HELLRAISER Part I

RAISING HELL!

To those familiar with it, this project actually began last November 2012, and is my first commission. It started when Arvin Ignacio of Gundam Philippines (GPh) issued a challenge over Facebook to convert a PG Wing Zero Custom to a PG DeathScythe Hell Custom. Being it was on FB, I was tagged several times by people who knew that I was insane enough to accept the challenge. I had a class that day, and I got what is now known as a NOTIF BOMB; I got 40 notifications in a span of minutes. And, since I was tagged more than once, I was actually overwhelmed, that I had to quit my browser.

Arvin and I talked, and we agreed on a price and payment scheme. Assessing mine own speed at modifications, the build sill span at least 3 months. I've posted the WIP photos on my Online Store (which I will write about later). I haven't been able to write a decent WIP post until now, and since I've actually gone far along the build, I'll break it down into several WIP posts instead of making one huge and lengthy post.

When I accepted the challenge, a lot of people expressed their interest and expectations in the project. Someone even said it was (almost) impossible, but that person didn't know it was me who accepted the commission. Though I understand that person's notion about it being (almost) impossible, it is only such because he lacked the imagination. Great modelers, after all, have done more difficult challenges from scratch. Take that HG to RG Nu conversion by Kaku, for example.

I even had doubts myself. When I finally got the built PG WZC from Arvin, I was disappointed at how flimsy the kit was designed. As I was assessing the kit, I saw that it won't be easy even for me. The WZC and DSH had enough similarities to work on, and I decided I'd start on that.

HEADSTART

Quite literally. I started by comparing the heads of the MG DSH and the PG WZC. I noted the similarities and the differences and saw how I'll be able to use most of the parts as base for modifications.





I then cut and rebuilt the cheek parts to match that of the DSH and built a vent for the skull base by stair-stepping 4 pieces of 1.0mm WHIPS. I then overlaid a piece of bent 0.5mm WHIPS over the rear portion of the cheeks. This will become the case for the cheek vents.





I shaved off material from the rear of the head to make way for the vent mod. I mounted the Rear vent on piece of 1.0mm WHIP to hold it shape. That in turn is shaped to fit the modified head and becomes an insert.





The cheek vents are made by over lapping pieces of 1.0mm WHIPS and will simply be inserted into the cheek cases. The rear vent is then encapsulated, and pegs are placed on the inside. These pegs goes into the modifed head and will keep the part in place.





I modified the stock Vfin Base (or crest) by overlaying WHIPS until I had enough volume to shave off to create the pentagonal shape. The Vfins are made by sandwiching 3 pieces of shaped 1.0mm WHIPS, which are then beveled. I intentionally made them big so I have leeway for adjustments later on, but I actually like the exaggerated look.






Part 2 next...

MG Turn X Gundam ver MatX WIP Part VII

The Left lower arm. I initially planned to used the original armor by "simply" modifying it and building over it, but I will have to contend with the part's original shape. I decided later on to build the conversion part from scratch.


Like how I did most of the modifications so far I layered preshaped plaplates/HIPS together.


Then sculpted like crazy to achieve this.




Like my previous sculpting, I used a blunt and sharp knife to whittle the part down to its base shape, used the edge of a small steel ruler to shave it down further and achieve symmetry and used a file to smooth it it out. In some cases when the cement hasn't fully cured (like this one, since I was in hurry to shape the part after deciding to add another layer of HIPS) even careful carving can result in layers peeling off.

The thin plaplate you see is the fix for that. I saturate the affected area with cement, file down, resaturate it, file it down again, then cement small shaped pieces of plate with a generous amount, enough to melt the fixes into each other. At this point, I'll let it fully cure before filing it down.

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.