How to Give Scale Models a Gloss Finish!

At this year's WonderFest, we sit down with modelmaker David "Blappy" Guertin to take a close look at his obsession with the iconic blue and orange Gulf Livery and his application of that colorway to a custom Maschinen Krieger model! Blappy walks us through his meticulous gloss finishing process that gives his models a stunning candy-coated shine. What's your preferred way to add a gloss finish to your models?
Learn more about WonderFest at www.wonderfest.com/
Shot by Josh Self and edited by Norman Chan
Music by Jinglepunks
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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman
Thanks for watching!
#modelmaking

[@Freddedonna]

That Gulf livery really looks good on everything doesn't it?

[@Mash229]

That 2021 Monaco McLaren livery, oh my.

[@thumpyloudfoot864]

Imagine a 24hr podrace at Le Mans...

[@OneofInfinity.]

That sky blue and orange ❤

[@thumpyloudfoot864]

Now I wanna know how many laps a podracer could make in 24hrs around Le Mans... 588mph ÷ 8.5mile lap = 69(nice) laps.... Considering most cars avg around 388-420(nice again) laps in 24hrs....

[@evilstans]

Lizards? actually it might look pretty good on lizards too.

[@paspitale]

Norm, I’m really enjoying this series of videos. These builders are amazing. Thanks for sharing.

[@duck853]

Seen "Blappy" starting decades ago on boards, usenet/AOL groups, forums, etc. Now I have a face to go along with the name!

[@paulbrooks4395]

This guy blows my mind. He’s a fantastic artist

[@f1matt]

Using Mr Hobby Leveling Thinner with Tamiya acrylics makes getting beautiful gloss finishes so dang easy and reliable.

[@ConfusedRaccoon]

That model reminds me of the vehicles in Redline. Fabulous. The polishing method is pretty much how you make a ring and bring it to a high shine.

[@DuhRake]

This was a great video, I hope to attend and see all these great models next year!

[@joseraul65]

Beautiful model! Thank you for the process description

[@malaudisa]

Way to go David!! That model has made the rounds eh?! Congratulations!!

[@Mark.G475]

Very Cool! Love the Gulf colors, light Blue and Orange.

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

Love the detailed build story. Looking forward to the stables new additions. More macro shots Norm! 😃 👍

[@Legacy40k]

We awarded this entry Best in Category a couple months ago at TORCAN in Toronto.

[@khronokraze]

Awesome to see and learn about the techniques...more cool and fun stuff again.

[@MorbinNecrim86]

Would love to come geek out at all this coolness! Top notch

[@jamiesellick4511]

Wonderful work! Who noticed the scout walker foot on the back of the trailer?

[@anon_y_mousse]

I definitely have to try that technique. Looks beautiful.

[@reeft]

Great interview, you're doing amazing work, guys!

[@proesterchen]

That looks awesome! 👍

[@shezmu24]

I've been seeing more falkes done in this sleek race style and I'm into it, might try my own hand at it. Also bless you for bringing more attention to ma.k!

[@Strateggo]

MaK models are just out of there. I also like Dougram and Patlabor kits a lot though they’re aren’t as cyberpunky as MaK.

[@davegaracci1043]

Amazing job from an amazing guy! His stuff always looks great!

[@willt9172]

Awesome, great stuff!

[@HaysClark]

Nice matching watch band. :D

[@ScottBarrettihq]

wow - just beautiful

[@DennisForbes]

Great interview. Awesome models.

[@marsgarage8217]

Really nice build.

[@TraitorVek]

Reminds me... I have a Nice 2CV in a box somewhere. And I've always Loved the GULF Paint Scheme. Hmmmm...

[@Strateggo]

2 thumbs up!

[@nathkrupa3463]

Great video norm sir

[@rays5163]

That thing is gorgeous

[@fellenXD]

Cool! Looks like a 60's WipEout ship.

[@Terp311]

I have a friend up in Milwaukee that’s a sci-fi “author”/model maker. He’s an amateur, I’ll show his this video to give him some inspiration

[@rey-o]

Really cool take on a Ma.k Kit!

[@thomasguycott]

The best description of SF3D/Maschinen Krieger I’ve heard is “World War II in the Year 3000.”

[@geraldbrooks2763]

BLAPPY!

[@greyarea6688]

More than Kaneda's motorcycle from Akira the shape, look and aesthetics of this craft resemble those of the Wip3out universe. Especially if you look at the shape of the Zone gamemode craft!

[@mstephens19]

Shame that he doesn’t seem to have any active online presence any more, would love to see more of his stuff, that “pod racer” is a beauty!

[@Legacy40k]

Thank you for not telling people to use floor polish for their gloss coats.

[@almerindaromeira8352]

@Tested should really visit the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany if/when you have a chance. It takes model-making to a whole new level.

[@Strateggo]

Beautiful models. Just wish it wasn’t in KY.

[@Games_and_Music]

That's pretty cool stuff, and yeah, Norm made a good point about Kaneda's bike, i love that movie and have recently rewatched it a couple of times, but yeah i had not connected the dots with the branded labels on that one and the ones on here. My brother used to have a model of that bike and it's definitely one of the coolest bikes in fiction in my opinion, and the branding on it made it extra cool, because it made you think that it was a plausible piece of technology. Having watched this video, and the other great video of Craig Dowell, now i really want to make my own vehicle as well. I think i need to start snooping around on eBay to see which kits i want to bash, and ideally i can make several pieces with the leftovers. But the main problem for me has always been the finish, not just because of the perfectionism/abandoning thing, but i really don't like painting apparently. Mostly because when i painted things, it was with the cheapest materials and the wrong tools, it would look horrible. But i love drawing and designing, so i just have to make it work for me at some point. But i also know that a lot of the fine details on the kits will lessen after some paint, so i would also have to keep redoing those, like David did with the panel lines, otherwise it's going to lose a lot of "immersibility" in my experience. So yeah.. not the part i am looking forward to, i'd rather recolor it in Photoshop, but yeah.

[@Hey_MikeZeroEcho22P]

'BLAPPY'...... What a SUPERIOR Build and Paint Job!!! You have inspired me to Probably do the same but maybe with one or two (1-2) AMT models with This Maschinen Krieger model!! 'Adam Savage' (person) [I know that you are not Adam (sorry, don't know your name...)] GREAT Interview!!

[@CubejamF1]

Gulf just works on literally everything! Maybe I'll have a go on something non race car too! Been making racing cars for a few years, still yet to get the perfect polished finish, getting there though! Lots of wet sanding and 2k clearcoat.

[@tay13666]

Blappy!!!

[@1337ethan]

RIP to Industria Mechanica!! The GOAT

[@rickhensley5734]

I’ve had nice results from using Future, an acrylic floor coating, to clear coat my projects. Self leveling. Can be diluted with water to take down the shine or sprayed straight from the airbrush for a nice gloss.

[@Strateggo]

Doesnt future chemistry eroding the paint eventually though? I’ve always used Future to polish / clear impurities from glass / cockpits.

[@rickhensley5734]

@@Strateggo I haven’t noticed any deterioration and some of my finished kits are over 15 years old. They are kept in display boxes and out of direct sunlight. Maybe that helps.

[@portland-182]

Lou Dalmaso wandering past in the background with his Doomsday Machine from Star Trek

[@theblaposphere3155]

🤣

[@RubyMarkLindMilly]

Got the Falke kit still going to do it combat style

[@chadnoles5671]

Adam I know this is a little off topic from the build but I've got to ask I haven't attended DragonCon since pre covid and hearing you were going to be there this year was one of my deciding factors to attend with the ongoing sag strike will you still be attending

[@jaw2112]

Is that a HOTD Syrax behind?

[@damonzap8659]

Man, this segment could have been an hour long and I would have been cool with that 🖖

[@Bucketroo]

I thought this was a WipEout sled at first!

[@artfx9]

Needs som3 slow chill reggae in the BG. Would make the video complete.

[@microMobilidade]

It deserves more b roll please guys

[@superkaboose1066]

that finish is perfect! need a deeper talk through slash guide on how he did it!

[@Strateggo]

Slash guide? Is that a website?

[@superkaboose1066]

@@Strateggo haha nah like, talk / guide / tutorial I meant, don't know why I said it like that lol

[@1337ethan]

Is that engine a scratch build with a Yakult Bottle??

[@chungin955]

its a part of the ki, but the OG kit bashes from the 80s used a Yakult Bottle

[@HankMegens]

pzkpfw III or IV wheels in the cast resin hubs

[@ARDIZsq]

I can personally vouch for the quality of Tamiya products and using an airbrush. I've got a small Spear of Longinus from an Evangelion model kit, hit it with some Tamiya Gold and Clear Red, and it looks incredible, way better than I expected. You don't even need a super expensive airbrush either. Mine is a relatively cheap kit from Amazon that came with a few paints and some cleaner (though the paints are some of the worst I've ever used, just stick with Tamiya).

[@bladerj]

the information you are looking for starts at 7:30

[@KooperTrooper]

Is that an AT-ST foot?

[@southerndime333]

This guys pretty interesting

[@originaldarkwater]

Pretty sure the front bumper on the trailer is made of the landing gear off a Darth Vader TIE fighter.

[@theblaposphere3155]

You are correct! Good Eye! :)

[@JWbrasser]

5:46 is the answer

[@dr.dspoptartpool6167]

The Empire- Our Ships are flying triangles 🃏 ❤🌌🔻🌚🔻🌌❤

[@goodvideos.113]

I like and watch it from A to Z, dear friends.

[@phil4193]

It's a mistake for Norm to call anything shiny a "candy" finish. Candy paint has transparent colour layers in addition to layers of clear.

[@Nderak]

0:10 what show is this fromn

[@pguth98]

That's the "Quad Jumper" from The Force Awakens.

[@thirdeyenz]

This sounds like it has audio from Adam working in the cave in it.

[@jeffomalley6015]

Lol right when he said Japan he pointed at the Asian dude lol.

[@orien2v2]

And what about matte finish?

[@eligebrown8998]

😮😮😮😮❤❤❤❤

[@richbuilds_com]

The gloss is absolutely spot on, but those metallics look flat. I hope it's the lighting, but there's no detail painting in the engine block. I have massive gloss envy though

[@jack0cat]

Future floor polish works the same.

[@captianmorgan7627]

Any thoughts on the Allen Pan vs Discovery/Turner Mythbusters trademark story?

[@user-tt2kz2gg5z]

I would have gave it a thumbs up but that 'Drilling" sound in the background is harsh!

[@marcusshaner7066]

Dip it in Future floor wax.

[@livingglowstick1337]

Very risky with applying thick layers of the spray it can frost very easily at that point

[@KarlRoyale]

It is much easier to use future floor wax, now sold as Pledge Floor Gloss. Just let the model dry in a plastic container afterwards to keep dust off while it dries over night. Gives a very hard finish, do the decals first though.

[@Strateggo]

How do you apply it? Dry brush?

[@ICKY427]

based gulf livery enjoyer

[@Theexplorographer]

Right?! "Art is never finished, only abandoned." Actually have it on a t-shirt.

[@RubyMarkLindMilly]

Vital especially when your building car model kits

[@jaimeworld3679]

Sup

[@johnhorchler667]

I like it but I stopped because I have seizures even the blue thing of glue gave me seizures so I stopped 😢 and gave them to the guy up the street from me every thing I had a table 📦 full of paint and other things in it I was ok but yeah on to other stuff.ohh what is Adam working on..

[@gregwilliamson3001]

It's obviously too late now, but I wished they had a decent camera person, that knew when to zoom into the parts of the model that they are discussing? I've watched a few of these videos and it's the same in all of them. The model stays in the ONE position and the camera stays in ONE different position, so rarely do we see other views of the model. Wasted opportunity 👎🏻

[@gullyfoyle2615]

First. Yippy!

[@ILSRWY4]

He does amazing work, but he's REALLY irritating to listen to. He said "right" 46 times (before I stopped counting), 5 times in 30 seconds. Examples “I learned this from a friend of mine at a local IPMS club… right?” or “so I’ll just set it over here… right?” and "So the first gloss finish I did was this ford race car…right?” What the fuck did you say right for when right never needed to be used once in that conversation? And by the way number 13 is used in racing,... Indycar and NASCAR both have fielded #13 CARS.

[@CharlesFlahertyB]

Real race cars are never that shiny.

[@waytospergtherebro]

People who wear tie dye shirts always talk way too much.

[@clpxm39]

Why is the camera work on these videos always so awful?

[@Solarstar10]

It's literally fine.

[@clpxm39]

@@Solarstar10 The definition of fine is "good enough, but not excellent". What gets me is the way the camera moves around, zooms in randomly without autofocus. A lot of the time it doesn't even focus on the part being talked about. Unfortunately it's the same on all of Adam's videos, in my experience.

[@thirdeyenz]

@@clpxm39 That bugs me a lot too, someone will be discussing something and we see B roll of something else entirely. That's on the editor or a lack of B roll being shot. It happens so often I'll put it down to the editor just not caring.

[@CrankyQuokka]

*yawn