antampatz

This final weathering update focuses on the torso, head, and custom auxiliary backpack.

These areas bring together many of the themes that have developed throughout the project. The salvaged armour panels, additional detail parts, metal head vulcans, custom backpack, fuel tanks, thrusters, and external cabling all contribute to the impression of a machine adapted and maintained under field conditions.

The final weathering helped reduce the visual separation between the original kit parts, donor components, and custom-built additions. This was particularly important on the auxiliary backpack, which combines a wide range of materials and construction techniques but ultimately needed to feel like a natural extension of the mobile suit.

The completed backpack remains one of the most significant modifications made during the build, increasing the machine's implied mobility, endurance, and weapon-carrying capability while supporting the broader Gatekeeper narrative.

With the final weathering now complete, the build is ready to move into its final presentation stage. The next update will be the project's final submission.

This second update focuses on the arms and weapons following the final weathering stage.

As with the rest of the build, the goal was not to depict extreme damage, but rather the appearance of a machine that has remained operational through continued use, maintenance, and field modification.

Particular attention was given to the weapons, where the combination of seam removal, painting, decals, oil weathering, Real Touch markers, matt coating, and weathering powders helped transform what started as simple two-part assemblies into equipment that feels more integrated into the overall machine.

The weathering also helps reinforce the operational role of the Gatekeeper concept. As a rearguard unit expected to maintain access to multiple weapon systems, signs of handling, dirt accumulation, and prolonged use help support the idea of a machine that is relied upon heavily rather than carefully preserved.

The photographs in this update focus on the completed arms and weapons.

With the oil wash, Real Touch marker weathering, and decals now complete, I moved on to the final weathering stage.

Before doing so, the entire model received a coat of Vallejo Mecha Color Matt Varnish. Up until this point, much of the model still carried the gloss finish required for decal application and oil weathering. While useful during those stages, it did not fit the intended appearance of the finished machine. The matt coat removed this unwanted sheen, unified the finish across the various materials and colours, and provided a better surface for the final weathering effects.

The final weathering was carried out using Tamiya Weathering Master sets. These were used to build up subtle layers of dust, dirt, staining, and wear on top of the work already established by the oil wash and Real Touch markers. Rather than introducing entirely new effects, the intention was to reinforce and refine the weathering already present while reducing the contrast between individual weathering stages.

Application was carried out using the supplied applicators, paint brushes, cotton buds, and melamine sponges where appropriate. These tools allowed the weathering powders to be blended and adjusted until the desired effect was achieved.

One of the key goals throughout the weathering process has been to unify the various donor components and modifications introduced earlier in the build. Although the machine is intended to be assembled from parts originating from multiple units, the accumulated dirt, staining, and wear help create the impression that these components have now served together as part of the same machine for an extended period.

The photos in this update focus on the completed lower body and shield. These are areas that would naturally experience significant wear, dirt accumulation, and operational abuse during prolonged ground combat, making them a useful showcase for the final weathering approach used across the project.

With the oil weathering stage complete and given several days to cure, I moved on to the next phase of the finishing process: weathering with GSI Creos Gundam Real Touch markers.

Ideally, I would have preferred to allow the oils to cure for longer before continuing. However, with the competition deadline approaching, a balance had to be struck between giving the previous layers sufficient time to stabilise and keeping the project moving towards completion.

For this stage, I used a combination of black, grey, dark brown, light brown, and green Real Touch markers. These colours were applied selectively across the model to increase visual variation, create additional grime accumulation, introduce staining and discoloration, and reinforce the impression of a machine that has seen prolonged service under field conditions.

A blending marker was then used to soften transitions, remove excessive pigment, and transform some of the initial markings into more natural-looking weathering effects. In particular, this proved useful for creating rust-like spots, streaking effects, and areas of accumulated dirt around panel lines, recesses, fasteners, and mechanical details.

Additional refining work was carried out using cotton buds, melamine sponges, and paint brushes. Cotton buds and melamine sponges were useful for removing excess weathering and reducing areas that had become too intense, while brushes provided greater control when creating directional streaks and other more deliberate effects.

One of the advantages of this stage compared to the earlier oil wash is the level of control it offers. The oil wash established the overall layer of grime and shadow across the model, whereas the Real Touch markers allowed specific areas to be targeted individually. This made it possible to build variation gradually and focus attention on areas that would realistically experience more wear, exposure, or dirt accumulation.

The weathering also helped further unify the various donor components used throughout the build. Although the Gatekeeper is intended to represent a machine assembled from parts originating from multiple units, the accumulated grime, staining, and wear help reinforce the idea that these components have now served together for an extended period of time.

The photos in this update show the model following both the oil weathering and Real Touch marker stages. While the overall appearance is now much closer to the intended final look, there are still a couple of steps remaining before completion.

Next up will be the final protective matt coat, which will remove the gloss finish currently visible in the pictures. That gloss finish is a by-product of the decal and weathering process rather than the intended final appearance. This will be followed by additional finishing touches, e.g., using Tamiya Weathering Master sets, before the project is prepared for its final presentation.

With the painting stage complete, attention turned to markings, decals, and weathering. This is the stage where many of the individual design decisions begin to come together and the overall story of the Gatekeeper starts to emerge.

Before moving on to the markings, I made one final modification to the head. The vulcans on either side of the head were drilled out and replaced with metal IC sockets. This is a small change, but one that helps the vulcans stand out as functional components rather than moulded surface details. The metallic finish also provides some additional visual interest to one of the focal points of the model.

The kit itself includes a mixture of stickers and dry transfers, but no waterslide decals. Wherever possible, I used the markings supplied with the kit. However, following the modifications made throughout the build, it was not always possible to place them in their intended locations. Many of the custom armour plates and detail additions now occupy areas originally intended for markings.

To complement the kit markings, I also incorporated decals and dry transfers from other Gundam kits as well as aftermarket decal sheets. Rather than following any single marking guide, placement was determined by the physical modifications made to the model and by what felt appropriate for the Gatekeeper narrative.

For the waterslide decals, Micro Set and Micro Sol were used to improve adhesion and help soften the carrier film. This allows the decals to conform more closely to the surface and produces an appearance that is much closer to painted-on markings. The stickers obviously do not benefit from this process, but in many cases, they were applied to the additional armour panels and detail parts added during the conversion work. As a result, the carrier film is often visually separated from the surrounding armour and blends into the design more naturally.

Once the decals had been applied, the entire model received a coat of Vallejo Mecha gloss varnish. This was then allowed to cure for a couple of days before any weathering work began.

For the weathering stage, I used a custom mix of Winsor & Newton oil paints. Several colours were blended together until I arrived at a brownish tone that felt appropriate for a heavily used ground-combat machine. The mixture was then thinned with turpentine to a consistency suitable for airbrushing.

An automatic paint shaker would have been particularly useful at this stage. Something like Gaahleri's Voortex mixer would likely have produced a more consistent blend of the oil paint and turpentine. As I do not currently own one, I mixed the wash manually using a paint brush, followed by further mixing in a dropper bottle by hand. As expected, some separation of the paint and thinner still occurred, resulting in a mixture that was not perfectly uniform. Despite this, the final wash performed reasonably well and produced the overall effect I was aiming for.

The wash was applied across the entire model and left to sit for approximately 10–15 minutes before being removed from the raised surfaces using cotton buds, tissue paper, and cotton cloths. This left the oil paint concentrated in panel lines, recesses, corners, and other difficult-to-clean areas.

The effect helps create shadows and visual depth while also introducing the accumulated dirt and grime expected on a machine that has remained in continuous service. Importantly, this weathering layer also helps tie together the various donor panels, replacement components, and field modifications introduced earlier in the build. Regardless of where individual parts originally came from, they now appear to have served together as part of the same machine for an extended period.

One unexpected side effect was that the turpentine partially removed or damaged several of the dry transfers. While unintentional, the result has proven surprisingly convincing. Instead of looking freshly applied, some markings now appear worn, faded, or partially lost through operational wear. Although not planned, this additional layer of weathering arguably fits the Gatekeeper concept even better and provides opportunities for further refinement during the final weathering stages.

At this point, the model is beginning to move beyond a collection of painted parts and into something that feels like a cohesive operational machine. The combination of markings, weathering, donor panels, and field modifications is finally bringing the Gatekeeper story to life.

With the construction, clean-up, and major modifications now complete, this week also marked the beginning of the painting stage.

As with most projects, the first step was priming. The model initially received a coat of Tamiya grey primer from a spray can. This helped reveal any remaining surface imperfections from the earlier preparation work. Once these areas had been identified, additional clean-up and sanding were carried out where necessary before a second primer stage using Vallejo Mecha Color black primer applied through an airbrush.

After allowing the primer sufficient time to cure, the entire model received a coat of Vallejo Metal Color Duraluminium. This served two purposes. Firstly, it provided a bright and reflective surface beneath the subsequent paint layers, helping support the vibrancy of the final colours. Secondly, it created a metallic underlayer that could remain visible in areas subject to friction and wear during assembly, posing, and handling. While paint wear cannot be eliminated completely, exposing metallic tones beneath the paint is far less distracting than exposing bare plastic and fits naturally within the weathered aesthetic planned for the Gatekeeper.

From there, the project moved into the main colour application stage. The majority of the painting was completed using an airbrush, although some smaller details were painted by hand where appropriate. Vallejo Model Air, Vallejo Mecha Color, and a number of vintage Badger Air Opaque colours were used throughout the build. Despite the paints originating from different manufacturers and product lines, they mixed and sprayed well together when thinned using Vallejo Mecha Color thinner with added flow improver.

The colour choices were driven largely by the project narrative. Most of the armour was painted in a warm sand-white tone, representing the original Ez‑8 armour and matching the overall military aesthetic of the 08th MS Team setting. In contrast, the beam rifle, machine gun ammunition drums, shield details, and other selected components were painted in a cooler white tone to preserve some of the colour distinctions seen in the original design.

Additional armour panels were painted green to represent salvaged components originating from a Ground GM Sniper. To reinforce the story, these colours were applied only to armour panels that already exist on both machines rather than to the newly added armour plating. This helps the panels read as genuine donor parts rather than later field modifications.

The custom auxiliary backpack was painted in a distinctive orange colour. Within the project narrative, I imagine this unit as having originally been developed for use on a Ground GM before later being adapted for integration with the Gatekeeper's backpack rack. The external cables linking the backpack to the mobile suit help support this interpretation by suggesting a degree of field adaptation rather than a purpose-designed installation.

Several areas required masking during the painting process. This included sections of the custom backpack, where yellow markings and details were added, as well as portions of the shield and beam rifle where the age of the kit and part breakdown made colour separation difficult without masking. Additional masking was also used for various yellow and red details across the mobile suit.

The eyes were painted using a reverse-wash approach. The eye component was first painted in the final eye colour before a black Real Touch marker was applied around it. Any paint that encroached onto the eyes themselves was then removed using a cotton bud, leaving the surrounding areas dark while preserving the brighter eye details.

Throughout the painting process I also made use of Gaahleri Color Lab as a colour-matching reference tool. By uploading manual artwork and colour guides from the Ez‑8 and several potential donor units, I was able to use the colour picker to estimate the relative proportions of colours required to achieve the effects I was looking for. Although I ultimately used paints already available in my collection rather than sourcing the exact recommended colours, the tool proved very useful when planning mixes and evaluating different colour options.

With the base colours, highlights, and masking work complete, the Gatekeeper concept has finally begun to emerge visually. The contrast between the original armour, salvaged donor panels, and custom backpack now helps tell the story that has been guiding the project since the very first update. The next stage will focus on bringing those elements together further through decals, weathering, and final assembly.

This week marked the transition from preparation and clean-up work into the more creative side of the project, focusing on customisation and finalising the auxiliary backpack that has been gradually evolving throughout the build.

A wide range of materials and aftermarket parts were used during this stage, including option parts from Bandai, Kotobukiya, and Wave, together with metal wire, beads, and heat-shrink tubing. The latter were particularly useful for creating cables and connection points between the backpack and the mobile suit, helping reinforce the idea that the unit has been modified and upgraded in the field.

One of the main goals of this phase was adding additional armour and detail parts to support the Gatekeeper narrative. To achieve this, I made extensive use of keys from an old, decommissioned keyboard, combined with modelling bricks and aftermarket detail parts. These were used to create improvised armour panels and additional protective plating across various areas of the model.

An unexpected discovery during this process was that the modelling bricks bonded surprisingly well using plastic cement. I had assumed they would not react in the same way as styrene, but testing on spare parts showed that the bricks, keyboard keys, and Bandai plastic could be combined successfully. Whether this is due to the material itself or because the absorbent surface helps retain the softened plastic produced during cementing, the result was stronger than expected and proved useful throughout the build.

Work also continued on the auxiliary backpack. Earlier in the project, I used lego bricks as a fast way to explore shapes, layouts, and proportions. This week that structure was finalised and further refined using additional detail parts, custom-made tubing, pen caps, pla-plate, putty, and cyanoacrylate (CA) glue.

Because the backpack is primarily built around the lego core, significant refinement work was required to smooth transitions between the various components and create a more cohesive appearance. The goal was to move away from the underlying construction method and towards something that feels like a purpose-built piece of mobile suit equipment.

Magnet installation also formed a major part of this stage. Magnets were incorporated within the backpack structure both to attach it securely to the backpack rack and to provide mounting points for the various weapons. As these magnets would become inaccessible once enclosed within the structure, additional care was needed to ensure the polarity was correct before final assembly. Installing them also required modifying and hollowing out several of the internal components to create the necessary space.

From a design perspective, the backpack was developed around the operational requirements of the Gatekeeper concept. The aim was to increase both mobility and endurance through the addition of extra thrusters and fuel capacity. The final layout includes four thrusters: two directed downward to provide additional upward thrust, and two angled rearward to improve manoeuvrability. Fuel capacity is provided by a large central tank supported by two additional cylindrical tanks mounted either side of it.

Particular attention was paid to integration with the planned weapon loadout. Thruster placement, fuel tanks, and weapon mounting points were arranged to ensure that none would interfere with one another during operation. The bazooka can be mounted on the right side of the backpack, while the beam rifle or the machine gun can be carried on the left side when not in use.

Unfortunately, I failed to photograph the model with all of the additional armour and detail parts installed before moving into the priming stage. However, these modifications will still be visible in the later updates as the project moves into painting, weathering, and final assembly.

This is one of the more significant milestones of the project so far. Many of the ideas first discussed during the concept and planning stages are now physically present on the model, helping transform the standard Ez‑8 into a machine better aligned with the Gatekeeper narrative: a field-modified rearguard unit built for mobility, endurance, and sustained defence.

With the bazooka completed, the remaining seam removal work focused on the beam rifle, machine gun, and the three machine-gun ammunition drums.

The overall process was the same as before. The weapon halves had already been bonded together using plastic cement and allowed to fully cure. Once the plastic had hardened again, the excess material squeezed out during the cementing process could be removed and the surfaces refined.

Although neither weapon was as extensive a project as the bazooka, both presented their own challenges. Like many older kits, the seam lines pass directly through visible details and changes in surface geometry rather than along natural panel breaks.

The beam rifle proved particularly challenging around the scope and several of the smaller recessed details. These areas are difficult to access using conventional sanding tools without affecting the surrounding surface. Once again, the custom sanding sticks proved particularly useful here. Being able to tailor the width and length of each sanding stick to the specific area being worked on made it much easier to remove the seam lines while preserving nearby details.

The machine gun presented similar issues, with several seam lines passing through small features and tighter spaces. While not especially difficult, it required a more deliberate approach than some of the larger and more accessible components elsewhere in the kit.

The three ammunition drums were considerably more straightforward. Their geometry is made up largely of flat surfaces and distinct edges, making them much easier to clamp during cementing and much easier to clean up afterwards. Once the excess plastic had been removed and the surfaces refined, the seams disappeared with relatively little effort.

As with the bazooka, the clean-up work relied on a combination of sandpaper, metal and glass files, scraping tools, and the back of a hobby knife blade. The custom sanding sticks continued to play an important role, particularly in confined areas where larger tools simply could not reach effectively.

None of these changes dramatically alter the appearance of the individual weapons, but together they make a significant difference. Instead of looking like assemblies built from two separate halves, the beam rifle, machine gun, and ammunition drums now read as single manufactured components.

With the weapon seam removal work now complete, one of the most prominent clean-up tasks on the entire kit is finally behind me. The weapons are now much better prepared for the detailing, painting, and weathering stages that will help bring the Gatekeeper concept to life.

With the plastic cement fully cured, the next step was removing the excess material squeezed out of the seams and restoring the surface finish of the weapon components.

This stage focused primarily on the bazooka, which was by far the largest and most complex of the three weapons. Because the bazooka is designed to be dismantled for storage in the kit's original rear container, it consists of multiple sections, each split into two halves. As a result, it contains significantly more seam lines than either the beam rifle or machine gun.

The removal process followed much the same approach used throughout the rest of the build: a combination of sandpaper, metal and glass files, scraping tools, and the back of a hobby knife blade. The objective was to remove the hardened plastic squeezed out during cementing while restoring the original contours of the parts.

To help with this process, I made a series of custom sanding sticks using old plastic cards and double-sided tape. Sandpaper was applied directly to the cards, creating rigid sanding tools of whatever length and width was required for a specific area.

I generally prefer this approach over many commercially available sanding sticks. Not only does it allow the size of the sanding tool to be tailored to the task at hand, but the rigid backing also makes it easier to maintain flat surfaces and crisp transitions. Softer sanding sticks and sanding sponges tend to conform to the part being worked on, which can make it difficult to preserve sharp edges and can gradually soften surrounding details.

The bazooka provided several examples where these custom tools proved particularly useful. The larger cylindrical sections were relatively straightforward to clean up, as the seams ran along continuous surfaces that were easy to access and restore.

Other areas were more challenging. The scope, in particular, contained seam lines running through small recessed details and around subtle surface features that were difficult to reach with conventional sanding tools. Having the ability to create narrow sanding sticks of specific dimensions made it much easier to work in these confined areas while minimising the risk of damaging surrounding detail.

Although the work was time-consuming, the improvement is already noticeable. The various sections of the bazooka now read much more like single components rather than pairs of parts joined together, bringing them closer to the appearance of a real piece of equipment rather than a model assembled from two halves.

With the bazooka largely cleaned up and refined, the remaining seam removal work can now focus on the beam rifle, machine gun, and their associated accessories.

With the weapon retention modifications now complete, I turned my attention to another well-known feature of this kit: seam lines.

As noted earlier in the project, the weapons are among the biggest seam-line offenders in the entire kit. Unlike many of the armour and frame components where seams could be incorporated into the design, the majority of the weapon seams run directly through otherwise continuous surfaces and are difficult to justify as panel lines.

Because of this, the decision was made to remove them.

The first step involved bonding the weapon halves together using plastic cement. This was carried out on the beam rifle, machine gun, bazooka, and the three machine-gun ammunition drums.

As the cement softens the plastic, pressure can be applied to force a small amount of molten plastic out of the seam. Once cured, this squeezed-out material effectively becomes a filler made from the kit's own plastic, helping eliminate the join without introducing additional materials.

To achieve this, the parts were carefully clamped together after cementing. Depending on the shape of the component, a combination of clips and a modelling vice was used to maintain even pressure along the seam while the cement cured.

The bazooka was by far the largest undertaking. Because it is designed to be dismantled and stored within the original equipment container, it consists of multiple sections, each split into two halves. As a result, there were considerably more seams to address than on the other weapons.

The beam rifle and machine gun were more straightforward, although both still contained several prominent seam lines running through highly visible areas.

The three ammunition drums for the machine gun also required seam removal, but their geometry made them comparatively easy to deal with. Their predominantly flat surfaces allowed pressure to be applied more evenly during curing, resulting in good squeeze-out along the joins.

At this stage, the goal was not to remove the seams themselves, but rather to prepare them for the next stage. Once the cement had fully cured and the plastic had hardened again, the excess material could be removed and the surfaces refined.

The result may not look particularly dramatic yet, but this step lays the foundation for achieving much cleaner-looking weapons later in the build.