Many times, the detail on your mech may just be underneath a layer of its armor, since (like in MG's) much detail is found on its inner frame and as said its "inner" so its usually found on the inside of the Gunpla. So why waste all that effort on it if it wont even be seen?
Here is one mod I use to not only reveal the internals but also to give my kits a sharper and more realistic look.
Materials Needed:
-Styling Mesh (tamiya)
-Plastic Cement
-Tweezers
-Pin Vise
-Hobby Knife
-Files
I recently purchased a fresh stock of Tamiya's Styling Mesh comes in 2 different colors for Php50 (USD1.05) at my local hobby shop, it is pretty cheap I may say.
Each pack has two small sheets and strips of double sided tape to attach it.
Found good detail work on this part.
But unfortunately its positioned underneath it's face armor. Now my goal here is to bore an opening (neatly) to make these details be seen.
Started off by tracing the area I want to remove using a pencil.
Then I followed up with my pin vise. remember to drill the holes INSIDE the outline, you'd want space to file down later on in the process.
Viola, it should look something like this if done properly. Drilling holes isn't so easy especially if the surface you're planing to cover is vast, so I do suggest getting a rotary tool to make things easier for you and your fingers.
Next, using your hobby blade or xacto knife, cut out the outline in which you drilled. Its just like connecting the dots, so remember when drilling.. keep the distances between holes as close as possible.
Once you cleared of majority of the plastic, it would appear rough and messy. You may use your hobby blade to smoothen it a bit, then start working your way in with your file to properly get those edges and get a cleaner finish.
Since you have your opening, we may now proceed to applying the mesh. Check the size needed and cut this out accordingly.
The pack comes with double sided tape but I will be using plastic cement on this one. The styling mesh is made out of plastic so this will work just fine, it also helps settle the mesh into those curves and holds them there.
If you have tweezers, laying on the mesh will be less tedious.
Put a small amount of cement on the plastic before hand to let the mesh have something to grip on, push down with tweezers and add another layer of cement on the edges to secure.
I was also able to apply this technique here. After drilling out a hole, instead of using mesh i cut out thin strips of pla plates and line them up to create vents.
A very classy modification you can add to any of your models.
That's all for now! I hope this helped, if you have any suggestions or requests feel free to comment down below. And sharing will be well appreciated. Spread the hobby!
Till next time.