Science Fiction Flavour

Author: sciencefictionflavour

  • Ohmu

    Bandai’s 1/20 Ohmu from Studio Ghibli was completed today, coinciding with Hayao Miyazaki’s 85th birthday, a fitting tribute to the creature’s origin.


    Painting & Weathering:
    All parts were base-coated with dark hobby paint, then airbrushed with plant-green paint to add natural shading. Tamiya Panel Line Accent (brownish-red) highlighted crevices, giving an organic, weathered appearance.
    The clear orb-like eye parts were first coated with a silver marker and then layered with transparent red hobby paint, creating depth and a soft glow.


    Assembly:
    Sides, base, and optic units assembled smoothly. The legs and other limbs, totaling over 50, required careful attachment. The final result is a fully articulated and visually dynamic creature.


    Reflections:
    Pre-painting parts simplifies assembly and ensures consistent weathering.
    Silver under transparent red produces realistic glowing eyes.
    Patience is essential when attaching repetitive parts, but the visual payoff is significant.
    The finished Ohmu serves as a miniature homage to Studio Ghibli’s imaginative creatures.

  • Buzz Lightyear

    Bandai plastic model kit, base-coated in dark tones and airbrushed with desaturated colours for a weathered finish. Water-slide decals add a more grounded, tech-like look. Built to commemorate Toy Story’s 30th anniversary.

  • METEOR Unit and Freedom Gundam

    This HG 1/144 Bandai build pairs the METEOR Unit with the Freedom Gundam in a customised Ver. J theme. The parts were primed in dark tones and weathered with pink and gold accents to bring out a warm, stylised finish. Clear red paints were used on the optics for extra depth, and Phantaci decals complete the look. The project was finished to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Jay Chou’s November’s Chopin.

  • Tyrannosaurus Rex

    This is a 1/35 scale model kit from X-Plus. I began by soaking the unpainted parts in warm soapy water overnight, then rinsed and dried them the following day.

    The dried parts were airbrushed while still on their runners. I used Mr. Hobby Mr. Color paint no. 18 as the base coat, and Mr. Color paint no. 22 for spot accentuations that gradually evolved into larger patch highlights, giving the skin a natural, mottled appearance. To bring out the fine sculpted details, I applied dark Tamiya Panel Accent Color in the recesses. The tongue was airbrushed in Character Red (Mr. Color paint no. 108) and a touch of bright Tamiya Panel Accent Color was used to simulate saliva.

    For the facial details, I highlighted the eyes with gold permanent marker and added pupils with a fine dark marker. All teeth were painted using a silver permanent marker, giving the mouth a dramatic, striking look.

    Final assembly was straightforward but required patience. Since the kit is non-snap-kit, I built subassemblies step by step – head, torso, tail, thighs and arms before completing the full T. rex form.

    This build is also a small tribute to the 30th anniversary of the real-time strategy game Command & Conquer. Inspired by the game’s hidden Covert Ops T. rex units, the model’s dramatic teeth, golden eyes, and mottled hide reinterpret the classic predator as a game-world war-beast. It is a playful crossover between model-building craftsmanship and a beloved gaming milestone.

  • Carcharodon carcharias

    A snapfit plastic model from Bandai, released through the Exploring Nature Lab product line. The mouldings were of solid-plastic, translucent-plastic, and rubber materials.

    I had the solid plastics airbrushed with Mr. Hobby paints, and the translucent and elastic pieces left unpainted. Panel line accentution solution was applied to the rubbery parts.

    In the final assembly, the pieces gripped together firmly.

  • Batmobile (Batman Begins version)

    Scale 1/35 plastic model from Bandai. A good majority of the components were snap-fit, while only a few required adhesive to hold. Super-glue was used to keep some of the wing flaps in place. Mr. Hobby paints were used to airbrush the parts and Tamiya panel line accentuation solution to bring out the details on the parts’ recesses.

  • All Terrain Armoured Transport (AT-AT)

    Scale 1/144 plastic model from Bandai.

    A snap-fit project with overall straightforward building instructions. The machine has numerous flat surfaces which can be satisfying to airbrush. Comes with intricate detailing parts and removable side plates.

  • Iron Man Mark XLIV Hulkbuster

    Scale 1/7 pre-painted model kit from Fondjoy. The set contained three runners’ worth of parts for assembly. The limbs came pre-assembled. I performed panel line accentuations before building the model.

    After construction, the cockpit housing became clad with magnetic parts. The optical lenses and several nodes on the body came with lights and batteries pre-installed.

  • Mammoth

    Plastic injection model kit released through Bandai’s Exploring Lab Nature product line. Parts came in two runners: one comprised of components representing the creature’s bones and the other the flesh. 

    Using Mr Hobby solvent-based acrylics, I airbrushed the mouldings. After construction, the bone structures form the main assembly while the muscles ‘shell’ encase the skeleton core, leaving only the tusks exposed.