| This author has not visited the world of anime model building since Anime Weekend Atlanta III. Anime Central held a model panel hosted by builder Kevin O'Connell, and the author was on hand to hear the tips on how to assemble those intricate, detailed kits. O'Connell's panel concentrated on figure kits, among the hardest to make because their smooth surfaces show small flaws. |  |
| Get it right and you have a keepsake such as this Lisa Hayes/Misa Hayase figure. Master model builders have a collection of tricks as large as the tool kits they carry. For example, the paint used to color this model's uniform was thinned with automotive windshield wiper fluid, resulting in the lifelike blue. The skin tone was generated with a commercial caucasian flesh tone paint applied with an airbrush, not with a fiber brush. |  |
| These models, in various states of completion, show one of the keys of successful model building, according to O'Connell; paint light colors first, then move to darker colors. Acrylic paint is preferred because oil-based paint takes "forever" to dry. |  |
| The mottled appearance on this 1980's model from General Products shows where putty was applied to fill holes and small imperfections. Putty also serves to fill seams between large parts when the models are assembled, O'Connell said. |  |
| To fill the gaps, O'Connell uses Dr. Microtools model putty. After the putty has hardened, it's time for the hours of sanding - usually going from coarse to fine grain sandpaper - to get the model surface smooth enough for primer. Spray primer from an auto parts store usually gets that job done, he said. |  |
| Even the best model builder can't always apply different colors in close proximity on a detailed model without the paint spreading into unwanted areas. To handle that problem, builders mask off portions of their models. Often they handle that in the same way a homeowner would mask a wall-painting job, by placing tape over the area of the model they want to stay free of the new paint. In this example, Mold Builder liquid latex is applied over portions of the model, then removed when the coat of paint as dried. |  |
| This is not a drastically anorexic Catty from Gall Force, but a model head that has been "pinned," with a rod placed in the middle of the part to give it support for assembly. O'Connell recommends pinning all models to ensure they're securely assembled... |  |
| ...or this could happen. One of the model builders bringing this example to Anime Central dropped it on Friday. Everything survived, except the un-pinned head, which lays on the table next to the rest of the painted and assembled figure. |  |
Anime Central Day One |
Anime Central Day Two |
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