Customizing a 1/100 MG Gundam EZ8

Disclaimer: The following are the in progress shots and methods that I use to build my 1/100 MG Gundam Ez8. Only use this as a reference at your own risk.

Out of the Box Vs Detail-Up
The following photos shown the EZ8 built right out of the box. This old Master Grade does not comes with a lot of details offered in the newer MG.

I am doing some modifications to spice-up this kit. Almost all modification done here is putty work and Modeling Support Good (MSG). The following photos are the final look for the modifications that I have made.

The following are the summary of modifications and details added:

  1. Lengthen neck by 2 - 3 mm
  2. Added a cap to the head
  3. Shoulder extrude out by 3 mm
  4. Added 1 round mold and 2 rectangular mold to chest
  5. Added 1 rectangular mold to pilot cockpit
  6. Added raised stripes on both arm
  7. Added 2 bolts to shoulder handle-bar and another 2 at leg handle-bar
  8. Added 2 round mold and sculpt the crotch area
  9. Lengthen front skirt armor by 5 mm
  10. Added handle bar at both beam-saber compartments at its legs
  11. Added 2 round mold (extra parts from AC mirage) to the ankle
  12. Added detail parts to the lower leg armor (inner side)
  13. Added detail parts to the side of the chest (near shoulder joint)
  14. Added detail parts to the feet protective armor
  15. Added sculpted pattern on front and back of its feet
  16. Added gritty plastic stripes at rear skirt

Head Unit

Neck extended by 2 - 3mm. Snip off the ball joint. Insert wire. Superglue and apply putty.

Adding cap on head for my Captain Newbie. Apply putty, sand, apply putty and sand and on and on.

Shoulder & Arm Unit
Apply putty to extrude out the armor by 3 mm.

Added raised stripes on arm. Lip balm applied to lower part so it can be detached later. Sand off flat and square off.

EZ8 has some problem holding its machine gun. By having the raised bar helps to stabilize the gun.

Note that the round mold at the crotch.

Chest Unit
Creating a crevice on the chest by using a rotary tool. Round mold added. That should be an additional sensor device.

Note that 2 Rectangular molds are added on the top part. This gives extra armor to the Captain Newbie who afraid to die.

Leg Unit
Added putty to extend the feet. Sanded down.

Add pattern by using rotary tool.

Added handle bar at leg beam saber compartment. The surface is not even so putty is used.

Small pin hole added by burning a compass with lighter.

Skirting
The skirting is too short for my taste. The EZ8 look like a boy scout with such a short skirting and I decided to lengthen it. Front skirt are dissected into 2 halves. Putty is use to lengthen it.

The putty work is left overnight to dry and sanded down flat.

Cut out a stripe from a cheapo styrene sheet and attached using putty. The styrene sheet is gritty in nature thus it add some nice texture.

Who say size does not matter? Extra armor added to the crotch to pad up Shiro's ego. Putty added to the crotch and sanded down. Rotary tools used for sculpting the pattern.

Wash & Priming
The kit is washed to remove all those grease and powder.

Later primed with Mr. Base Surfacer 500, repair and prime again before painting.

Painting
I prefer anime color scheme and I mixed the same color for this EZ8. I am using white and flesh with a few drop of black for the EZ8 white where gradation is using mixture of white, flesh and orange yellow. EZ8 blue (cyan) is a mixture of blue and green. Gradation is post-shaded with clear black. I could not remember the ratio as this is an eye ball process. I am using 2 gray on this kit. My mixture of gray (flat black:white, 1:1) and dark gray 2. Metal black is use for the barrel on the chest and its beam rifle.

The following are the photos my my painted EZ8.

Detailing
Notice that the painted EZ8 looks no different from the original out-of the-box built. The magic comes in detailing your Gundam. This is a very tedious process and completely hand-brushed.

First, I applied Gundam Real Touch Marker for panel lining and for some dirt effect. I am lazy to do masking so I hand-painted the small details, engine and the handle bars. Next, I applied decals and then apply a flat coat. Lastly oil paint is use for the rain marks and armor highlight. I am using Gundam Weathering Marker for the dirt effect on its feet.

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Document Date : 18.08.2006


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