Complete Guide for New Gunpla Painters: From Nubs to Finish! | Gunpla Tutorial for Newbies

[@VictorJaime-d6y]

This is an amazing tutorial, I will build my first gunpla this week, your tutorials have really helped me a lot to understand what I'm getting into, thanks a lot

[@NicoSuratos]

Thanks for watching! I’m glad to be of help! :) have fun with your first gunpla

[@Bsmashington]

i never got to show my late wife gunpla properly and I know she would have loved watching you as she was Filipina. Great video!

[@NicoSuratos]

Oh thank you! That’s very heartwarming to hear!

[@3mcu_]

Amazing tutorial. Been building gunpla for a year. I've done all grades but all of them are straight builds. I'm now going to try and explore and start painting my succeeding builds. This tutorial is a great help. Subscribed!

[@NicoSuratos]

Thank you for watching and subscribing!

[@Gaming_Groove]

Great video and beautiful work! I currently hand paint everything (no space for an airbrush setup), but it's still good to see how different people approach the test fit and cleanup phases. I'll add that Tamiya airbrush cleaner is essentially the same formula as their extra thin cement but much cheaper by volume. It can be used to melt runner into sprue goo that can be spread into seamlines for more effective filling than the "squeeze out" method. It can be messier, but I like it more than using putty.

[@NicoSuratos]

Awesome, thank you!

[@keiserkosti]

I have built models pretty much my whole life but never tried Gundam before. I quickly realised it's a very different way of building and painting models, and therefore found your guide to be very useful. Thank you very much for your tutorial. :D

[@NicoSuratos]

Well thank you for watching! I’m glad it helped! :)

[@3414mercury]

Great job on this vid. To the point, well organized, and perfect for the beginner. As I start my third year building gunpla (and really all plastic models) it is a great refresher for me. Plus, I love to watch you work, especially when you hand paint.

[@NicoSuratos]

Thank you for watching. I appreciate the feedback on the video as well! I’m glad you enjoyed :)

[@janettaselaar5673]

Awesome work! Love your paint job!!

[@NicoSuratos]

Thank you for watching!

[@baratiecook]

I've been building gunpla since the '95 no grade wing kits. This refresher course is very helpful.

[@NicoSuratos]

Thank you for watching!

[@galaxiii7459]

is this guide for lacquer or acrylic

[@NicoSuratos]

Works for both since I didn’t delve deep into the airbrushing aspect

[@thor3901]

Great video, Ive been building gunpla for 2 decades but have never gotten super detailed with it. I want to try it now. Links to the tools/paints/etc you use would be very helpful

[@NicoSuratos]

Thanks, I’ll consider adding links in future videos!

[@pet.sneakerspot]

Amazing work like always,I just started to paint in a airbrush and I like it but I'm interested in scribes the lines just I have to save some money for the tools because they are a little expensive but some day I'm going to do it. I hope to seeing more videos like this one.

[@NicoSuratos]

Go for it!

[@PartsTreeC]

Really good tutorial for gunpla with tips for any skill level, really!

[@NicoSuratos]

Glad you think so!

[@PartsTreeC]

@@NicoSuratos Definitely earned my subscription! :)

[@SifuBuilds]

Thanks for the tutorial! I just started building myself!

[@NicoSuratos]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@Sirmoshi1]

very nice video for beginners !

[@NicoSuratos]

Thanks for watching!

[@Sa3vis]

Would love to see a video breaking down color choices and what you do to plan painting your build. Also are you familiar with extending parts? Im not sure why people do stuff like waist extension.

[@NicoSuratos]

I’ll keep your video suggestion in mind! As for extending parts, I actually have a video about it, It’s mainly done to enhance the silhuoette of the model, making it taller or wider in combination with other customizations like adding extra parts, scribing and adding pla plates. Here’s the video if you wanna check it out - kzbin.info/www/bejne/navZZX6pnJlmhZIsi=KGvdMtGP7ZiGJkZb

[@ervinstankovic2462]

Absolutely awesome video! Very well articulated!

[@NicoSuratos]

Thanks for watching!

[@Jengjengshii]

Hello question about scribing. I'm newbie and plan to buy scriber but cant choose what chisel size should I buy 0.125mm or 0.15. If I just want to deepen the original panel lines and for edges to have panel line but no plans to add other panel lines and mod. What is your suggested size? Hope you notice me 🤗

[@NicoSuratos]

For HGs and some lines on MGs, 0.15 is what you want. Some lines on MGs are 0.2mm. 0.125mm is a bit small.

[@ferdiepalacios2622]

for a 1/144 scale HG, what sizes of scribers would you recommend (mostly/ commonly used)

[@NicoSuratos]

0.15 and 0.2mm

[@Dracobyte]

Btw I have heard you need to use Top Coat BEFORE panel lining, then apply another Top Coat. Is that true?

[@NicoSuratos]

Okay so first, Topcoat is Varnish. It’s called Topcoat because you apply it on TOP of everything else as the final step, otherwise, it’s just called Varnish, if you’re doing more steps after it. You gloss VARNISH before panel lining to create a smooth surface for the liner to run through, makes it easier to clean up after as well. After that, when you’re done with your build and you want to display it already, that’s when you TOPCOAT with whatever finish you want - Gloss, Satin, or Matte.

[@lionsandmags]

@@NicoSuratoswhat product do you recommend for the first coat and for the top coat?

[@Dracobyte]

Nice tutorial!

[@NicoSuratos]

Thanks for watching! 😊

[@Bilalibrahim71]

Can I hand brush top coat? Could you help me understand which varnish to use from Vallejo for this? Also which Vallejo primer do we use, does it need to be the mecha one or can I use the normal one? Thanks!

[@NicoSuratos]

Vallejo's Mecha Color line was specially formulated for Plastic Model Kits, it's more durable and scratch-resistant than any other Vallejo Paint Lines. You can handbrush varnish sure, I do think however that it's a bit tricky to get a nice smooth finish with it. You can use Mecha Varnish or any other, it's fine. Same with primer.

[@noji-san604]

If you’re not painting your gunpla (just using the base colors) do you still need like a base coat before applying a matte finish? Or do you apply matte coat first before panel lining and weathering?

[@NicoSuratos]

If you just want to give a Matte finish on your unpainted gunpla, you can apply Matte varnish directly to the bare plastic. Never apply Matte coat before panel lining, it will be hard to clean the excess, leaving you with a dirty and stained finish. But, you apply Matte coat before weathering so that the weathering products can grip to the matte coat. Here’s an article I wrote about how you can make your gunpla look good without painting - finescale.com/how-to/articles/2022/12/anyone-can-learn-how-to-build-great-looking-gundam-model-kits

[@pakheifung4450]

Hello I’m I enjoyed ur video and felt that this was very helpful. I was wondering what kind of spray can did you use to make this kind of misty effect on your gp03

[@NicoSuratos]

Not sure but I think you’re asking about the Matte varnish

[@datpaul2259]

Great video! I learned a lot from this 2 Questions though. You panel line after waterslides? I always do it before otherwise panelliner ruins my decals. Am I doing something wrong? and Question 2: what gundam is that?? looks cool! love your end product keep up the good work!

[@NicoSuratos]

I would say it's up to your preference. I do panel lining after decals, because some decals go over panel lines. (Common on shoulders) If I do it the other way, those areas will not get panel lines. If I'm not mistaken this is the GPO3? (It's the Gundam that come with the HG Dendrobium.

[@foulspud3258]

Could you use a small amount of black wash paint or speed paint instead of panel liner if you do not have it? If not what is the difference?

[@NicoSuratos]

You can try this method if you don't have panel liner. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXvKdZ6nm6yCn9Esi=oDwInHhcaVMzNcY7 Black wash can work, it can just be too transparent to work properly. You might have to do multiple layers just to make it solid enough. Speed paint might work too, I just think it stains the parts too much as it's kinda harsh so might be hard to clean it up. Could also scratch the paint underneath while attempting to clean it.

[@JerimiahContreras]

Thank you for the video. I have a question about sanding. Would it be necessary to sand the entire part before painting.

[@NicoSuratos]

Not really but I recommend doing it especiallyif you’re painting with water-based acrylics. It also removes dips in the plastic making the model look more refined and professional looking

[@bluemechr0n0]

Is tamiya accent panel liner good with water based acrylics?

[@NicoSuratos]

Make sure to let the acrylics cure first and apply a gloss varnish before using it. Be careful during cleanup too since lighter fluid is a bit of a strong solvent, it can potentially smudge the acrylic layer beneath if not careful.

[@megaman00331]

Cool video as always! Are there any issues I need to be aware of when trimming the male pegs for easy disassembly? Will it not affect articulation later on? Also, if you can link your runner stand, that would be great. Thanks a lot!

[@NicoSuratos]

Good question! It generally has minimal impact on the articulation if done correctly. Here's why: A proper 45-degree cut removes a small portion of the peg, not a significant chunk. This ensures the peg can still fit snugly into the corresponding hole. And The main factor maintaining articulation is friction between the peg and the hole. As long as the peg fits securely, the pose should hold. The runner stand is something like this, can’t remember the exact one I got as it’s been awhile. - www.amazon.com/Shelves-Organizer-Figures-Accessories-Container/dp/B09P4VCL2V?th=1

[@ferdiepalacios2622]

hi! just asking . i saw you using a Bosny primer before airbrushing it. is it "safe" to use the Bosny on plastic? a lot of vidz tell that its harmful on plastic. But its cost effective at Bosny is cheaper and contains more than Tamiya/Mr Hobby primers

[@NicoSuratos]

I wouldn’t be using something if it’s harmful for the plastic of model kits. Been using Bosny for awhile now and have no problems with it so far so I’d say it’s safe enough

[@ferdiepalacios2622]

​​@@NicoSuratos finally an alternative to the Mr Hobby /tamiya primers canisters which cost a lot (for a 400 ml ).

[@shamploo777]

Hello great video!! I saw that you didn’t mask the joints when you painted, does that make articulation and fitting harder?

[@NicoSuratos]

Not for me. I don’t paint the ‘insides’ as much as possible so the fitting stays almost the same. In some cases, simply scraping the excess off the pegs is not too much hassle for me.

[@rays.86]

Great learning video! Did you spray any gloss varnish on your model kit before panel lining? Having a coat of gloss varnish helps the flow of the panel line smoothly better according to several Gundam builders. Thanks!

[@NicoSuratos]

I did, mentioned it around 14:45

[@mattcappelli5822]

Very helpful video! I’m on my third Gundam kit and cant seem to get good results scribing. Part of it is my technique and the other part is the scriber I’m using. What brand do you recommend and what sizes? Thanks!

[@NicoSuratos]

I have other tutorials about scribing, could be helpful if you want to check it out 😊 as for the brand, SAB Panel Liners are something I swear by, but they can be pricey for others, a more wallet-friendly option is Dspiae or Madworks, you get what you pay for in terms of quality. The sizes, you can get 0.15 and 0.2mm for starters

[@mattcappelli5822]

@@NicoSuratos thanks for the reply! I don’t mind spending extra for a quality tool that will last. And I need more practice! Can’t quite get smooth lines and I always mess up somewhere.

[@NicoSuratos]

Definitely recommend the SAB Panel Liners then! Muscle Memory is a huge part of scribing I think, so practicing consistently is really one of the best ways to get better at it

[@kennethjulia8581]

How to avoid paint chipping and scratching when posing painted kits? I really want to paint my mg kits, especially the inner frame. Do i need to prime the inner frame? Btw i'm using tamiya spray cans, another question, do i need to clear coat my painted kit first before panel lining?

[@NicoSuratos]

Yes, you should prime first. You should gloss coat before panel lining too

[@kennethjulia8581]

@@NicoSuratos i tried it once but when i'm posing it the paint chips especially the painted parts near the joints when its already clear coated.

[@NicoSuratos]

It’s not advisable to play or continually change the poses of painted kits since chipping will be inevitable on high friction areas like the joints. Being careful and topcoating is almost the only way to avoid it.

[@kennethjulia8581]

@@NicoSuratos oh i thought i can change it anytime i want, now i know. Thanks a lot. 😁

[@RideOrDieSB]

whats the tools you used for Rescribing the panel linings? at 9:56

[@NicoSuratos]

SAB Panel Liners by Samawangu

[@RideOrDieSB]

@@NicoSuratos Hey! THANK YOU

[@astaroth_sasazaki_yt]

Idk if I just missed this, but I still want to confirm. How many coats do you do for primer and base colors?

[@NicoSuratos]

This depends on the opaqueness of the paint and how strong you spray, as well as on the consistency of the paints so it varies a lot, like for metallics it can just be one full coat while for other more transparent paints it can be as much as 4-5 coats. So the best way to see if you got enough coats of paint is if you’re happy with the coverage and you think it’s even enough. Personally, on average I end up doing 2-3 coats

[@astaroth_sasazaki_yt]

@@NicoSuratos so it all depends on your preference oki oki thank you :)

[@KSo-t6j]

Teach me sensei 😂

[@Ryhillchibulls]

Like the video please Subscribe if you haven't yet

[@Shinnz2007]

Tinuli ang male peg 🥺😆

[@NicoSuratos]

HAHAHAHAHA oo nga, parang ganun 🤣

[@jonaldariestuy1215]

Do you spray Top Coat on each part before assembling your kit? Thanks for this kind of videos by the way. It really helps! 🫡

[@NicoSuratos]

I do sub-assembly (per limbs) then varnish, not every single part. Thanks for watching my videos!