MG Operation X-Mas/Ho-Ho-Heavy Arms/Noel

Photos by reddit user HeyItsJay

Hi I'm Vette and I like stupid concepts.

We were throwing around the idea of having themed contests in Austin Gundam Club and I, like the saint (Nick) that I am suggested a Holiday theme for the Decemeber meeting. I didn't actually have a kit in mind when I suggested the theme, I just thought it would be fun. I considered doing a holiday Beargguy III. Then I was given a MG Heavy Arms at Oni-con from the lovely folks of Oni-pla and inspiration slapped me like I'd said a dirty word.

My holiday kit should be a festive Heavy Arms that was shooting presents. The presents are coffee stirrers with tape wrapped around and filled to be the missiles and painted to look like exhaust. I wish I would have found clear ones but no luck. The ribbons are strips of paper I dipped in paint then formed and glued in place.

I also took this as an opportunity to indulge in one of my favorite parts of building: stupid tiny detail painting. I started with a basic recolor, keeping the red and white of the original kit (though using the same gorgeous crimson as on the Veni Vidi Fenice) and switched the yellow and orange for gold and nickel. One of the lovely folks at the Oni-pla meet showed me nickel paint and I fell in love. Building the kit was a bit of a nightmare, a lot of pieces fit too tight before paint was even applied and some pieces went AWOL (twice) so I had to scratch build some of the small joint pieces for a skirt flap and a chest... flap thing. But I got him in order and still had fun building him. On top of that festive paint job I channeled xmas sweaters with scrolls, dots, stars, doves, holly and prancing goddamn reindeer all of which were free hand painted.

There's even little deers on the shoulders noone ever sees. Look at them prancing festively!

I also accidentally got a manicure in the same red as I was using to on this kit.

And of course one of the included little Trowa figures got painted as Santa (it was in fact the little dude I painted when I taught a little dude painting workshop at the November meeting of AGC). This was also my first foray into diorama building and while not perfect it's not a bad first attempt! There's still modeler's snow in the corners of my kitchen though.