Guide for beginners: Gunpla build process

If you are a total beginner in this hobby you may have trouble visualizing the build process in total. The amount of steps and the order that you must do them in can be overwhelming.
Let's take a deeper look into each of the steps and why they are done in the order that they are.

I made a handy flow chart to help you see where you are in your own build process. If you're lost just think about what you did last and follow the arrow!

Black arrows denote the next step, blue arrows denote a choice, green arrows denote do this if you haven't already.


Whether you decide to do a fully painted build or just a casual snap, the first step is always to inspect the kit.
Are all the parts present and in good condition? Is the manual undamaged? A cursory glance over your components may save you the trouble of having to return an opened and partially started kit. Reputable hobby shops will always take returns on kits missing parts but they may not take something half built.


Next you should cut your parts out and remove the excess plastic nubs. This is where your first choice comes in:
If you are doing a full painted build it is a good idea to trim some of the internal pegs that hold the model together to make it easier to dissasemble.
You may be asking, why would I build the model if I'm just going to have to take it apart?
The answer to that is knowledge, you'll learn where all the parts go as well as what you will need to modify or mask off later when painting.

It's always a good idea to test fit all the parts to make sure they not only fit but also move along their intended range of motion freely.

If you've already built the model you're working on or you feel confident enough to assemble it without a dry run, go for it! A hobby organizer can help you keep track of which part goes where, check out My Shop for my recommendations.

The unpainted build

For the basic snap build, the only real work to be done once the parts have been cut out is to line your panels and apply a protective top coat.
Lining can be done with pens or paint, if using paint, always put down a gloss clear layer to protect the bare plastic. Decals will also stick much better to gloss coat than bare plastic.


To check your work, look closely at your panels. Are the lines uniform thickness? Were you neat in the application of your ink?
Next look at your decals. Did they fog up and turn kind of grey?
If anything looks off now is the time to fix it.

Once all these things are to your liking you can apply a final top coat (I recommend satin or matte, gloss looks very bad on bare plastic) and allow your parts to cure for 24 hours. You are done!

You may have picked up on the theme of always using layers of clear gloss to protect your work. This is a habit I internalized in my years of weathering and I will never stop telling you to do it too.
Think of clear gloss as a save point. Any time you are happy with a step, save your progress!

The painted build

If you are doing a full painted build there are obviously many more considerations.

I advise you to wear gloves any time you are handling your parts. Even washed hands can ruin days of hard work.


The first step will be primer.

Apply a well covering layer and check to make sure there are no imperfections like lint, dust, or hair.
If anything sticks out, give it a light sanding with a medium (800) grit sponge or mesh and reapply primer.
One of the questions I am asked most is whether or not it is even necessary to prime. The answer is, not always.
If you want to paint dark parts a very bright color it is a good idea to use a grey or white primer with full coverage.
You can use a light mist coat of grey primer to help adhesion in parts you dont need fully covered but I find that this isnt much less work than simply doing a proper prime.

It's also super aesthetic to reassemble your primed model for a few workbench wip shots 😉
Stick with a low F number and lock your focus on the most detailed parts of the model for maximum effect.


Next step is base coating.

Always start with the darkest color as your base and work towards the light with multiple thin coats.
If you're just starting out with painting and shading check out This Post

A good rule of thumb for paint consistency is 50/50 paint to thinner for a base coat. You want to cover in 1 or 2 coats while maintaining a nice smooth surface.


After your base coat it's time to highlight.

At this point you want to start diluting your mix much more so that your mid layers dont completely cover your base.
I go by feel for my ratio but a good rule of thumb is 40/60 paint to thinner.
The way I test for consistency of paint is to block the flow of air to my brush to backflow the paint in the cup. If the paint bubbles readily like boiling water it is thin enough for highlighting.


Next comes detail painting (if by hand) or masking (if by airbrush)

I recommend waiting at least 6 hours for your parts to start curing before you mask over your work.
If you mask too soon you run the risk of pulling off chips of paint that have not yet set into the surface of the part, though this is much less of a concern with lacquers.
As always it is a very good idea to apply a gloss layer now before moving on.


At this point your kit is considered painted.
Now it's time to finish its detailing by lining the panels.
If you're doing a weathered build you can use filter effects to knock out your panel lining in one fell swoop.
When you are done, Gloss!


The final step is to apply decals and then distress them slightly if weathering.

You may be asking why you'd wait until after your base weathering to do decals.
The answer is enamel thinner completely destroys decals. I've had terrible experiences with decals coming undone even after multiple gloss coats so now I always play it safe and do them at the very end.
You CAN do your decals first but you do so at your own risk!


Now it's time to check your work again.

Go over each individual part and make sure there are no defects.
Unwanted chips, scratches, decal silvering, paint errors, etc.
If everything looks up to snuff it's time to apply your final matte or satin top coat and assemble your model.


Give the top coat 48 hours to dry and cure.

You've come a long way in preparing your kit, dont ruin it by playing with it an hour after top coating.
You may think its dry and ready but the thumbprints in your finish will tell you otherwise 😉

Now is also a great time to lay out your parts on a cutting mat for a wip shot. Pictures like this with a bit of staging (some tools laid out and a manual just out of focus) and some good lighting convert extremely well.


Once all this is done throw on a pair of gloves and get some pictures of your kit in dynamic poses.
Even the best build looks mediocre if improperly posed.
Here is some basic info from Dengeki Hobby.

Finally, tag me @mrnvl.art if youd like some feedback or just a post share. 

I'd be happy to help!