Official Gunpla paint technique book goes on sale in English to help fans achieve the perfect “weathered” look for their kits
The English electronic edition of “GUNPLA WEATHERING TEXTBOOK,” a comprehensive guide to Gunpla painting techniques, is now available for purchase internationally.
Gunpla, the plastic model kits of Mobile Suits from the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, have been a significant part of hobby culture for 45 years.
Mobile Suit Gundam, originating in 1979, is a monumental Japanese animation series that popularized the “real robot” genre, focusing on war dramas with intricate mechanical designs.
Model kits are continuously released for new and old series alike, with one of the most recent being the HG 1/144 GFreD from the latest Gundam anime series, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX.
“Weathering” is a modeling technique that simulates the effects of battle damage, dirt, and wear on models, giving them a realistic, battle-hardened appearance.
It has been a popular finishing method among Gunpla modelers since the hobby’s early days.
This e-book takes a detailed look into weathering techniques, providing modelers with methods to “dirty” their kits, reflecting the grime and damage of a battlefield.
It covers a wide range of old and new weathering methods tailored for various Gunpla situations and genres.
The book’s table of contents highlights its comprehensive approach and shows the wide range of techniques that fans can expect to learn:
GUNPLA WEATHERING TEXTBOOK Table of Contents
- An overview of the latest Gunpla weathering techniques.
- Columns explaining weathering terminology and real-world grime references across land, sky, sea, and space environments.
- Detailed guides on recreating iconic looks, such as the Sand Dom using spray cans and bare metal chipping (featuring the HGUC MS-09R Rick Dom).
- Techniques for achieving an “old-school look” through hand-painting markings on the RX-78-2 Gundam.
- Step-by-step instructions for impressive weathering by “Rider Joe” on the MS-06S Zaku II Ver.2.0.
- Methods for battle damage and weathering for ground combat on models like the MG RX-78-02 Gundam.
- Approaches to reproducing natural weathering by “wearing away” paint and applying “apply and peel” winter camouflage.
- Advanced techniques such as realistic aviation weathering using scale modeling methods on the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka.
- Discussions on weathering for amphibious mobile suits and the effects of harsh space environments.
- A section on recommended weathering materials.
- A demonstration by professional modeler NAOKI on weathering hero machines like the EG RX-93 ν Gundam.
Many of the featured examples and techniques are sourced from past issues of Monthly Hobby Japan, a prominent Japanese modeling magazine, indicating the expertise and detail presented within the guide.
The “GUNPLA WEATHERING TEXTBOOK” is priced at $20.81 (on Amazon US) and can be found by using the following product code: B0F9Y7T9CV.
It is also available on Amazon platforms in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands using the same code.
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