Last weekend I asked my audience across social media if they had any questions and I sure did get a response!

If I didn’t get to respond to your question then I apologize. I got so many that I decided to do another community Q&A in the future.

How do you break a mental block so that you can “get weird with it” and make cool unique stuff?

I’ll often hit burnout once a year depending on what’s going on in my life. School, work, and whatever pops up in between. I’ll start to feel stagnant in what I’m doing. Bored. Unmotivated. Bleh. If I notice this happening I tend to do a few things. The first is taking a break. Forcing myself to do something when I don’t want to won’t work out well for me. The second thing is I’ll go into a mini-research session.

This usually involves art history. Last time I spent a month with my face in several books. One is fashion history. I got really into learning about Gucci and Prada. The next is just learning about Artists such as Picasso and Kahlo. Looking at art on a canvas starts getting the little hamster in my head to wake up. I then dive into abstract art (this is a personal preference). I’ll look at sculptures and different mediums.

This is typically enough for that little hamster running. I’ll try to apply what I learned during this month on gunpla aka me getting weird with it.

So for others, I suggest taking a step back. Give yourself room to breathe. Spend time working on another hobby or interest. Sometimes people just need a break. 

What are your motivations when building and what gives you motivation?

I love making things that are abstract and unique. When I create something it’s personal, meaningful really. It’s a little sliver of myself and how I think or feel. It’s a form of self-expression that motivates me to build and create.

What motivates me? A lot! I get inspiration from art. Seeing other art often dings a little lightbulb in my head that says “hey what if we did THAT on a kit?”. Colors and forms catch my eye and mind like no tomorrow. Sometimes I get motivated by books too!

Recently it’s been Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. It’s a super interesting blend of ecological horror and just plain weirdness. I highly recommend it. It’s been the recent motivation behind my funkier builds lately.

All of these factors motivate me to create!

How do you put on stickers? (and don’t get me started on waterslides)

I’m not so sure about stickers. I typically toss them because I don’t use them. I’ve attempted waterslide decals about three times (semi-successfully) now and the best advice I got was to have a good gloss coat before applying the decal. Also, when applying decals, use a decal setter and a softener. I recommend this tutorial for decals.

Why haros?

Haros are just a blank canvas for possibilities. You can test on them and do all sorts of funky stuff to them. Plus they’re pretty affordable.

How to block elitists and mansplainers to women in Gunpla?

Honestly, the best thing to do for elitists is to literally block them and ignore what they’re saying, and keep on doing what you’re doing.

As for troubles with being a woman in this hobby, it can be difficult. There have been many instances of sexism in the hobby. The condescending little comments or even actions (inappropriate messages, hate, unwanted body images) are draining. I usually just block folks like this now but it used to really upset me. It took a while to gather that go-pound sand mentality. Not everyone is going to be able to do that.

We need to make this hobby fun for everyone in it. It should be a welcoming hobby and it’s not all the time. This applies to gunpla, Warhammer, and scale models in general. Women don’t want to be talked down to or made to feel like they aren’t welcomed.

There’s really no need for these attitudes. Women aren’t ruining the hobby.

If you’re a lady and interested in joining a rad group called the GunplaGirlGang, hit up my pal (respectfully please) at @TexMerquise on Twitter and Instagram!

Best kit for a buck for beginners?

I know this is a list for kiddos but it can also apply to beginners. I talk about some easy and affordable kits to build. I also suggest HG kits as most seem to be cost-friendly. The same can be said about SD kits as well.

The best paint to use: acrylic? enamel? or chaotic both?

I like acrylic paints because I didn’t have the ventilation for enamel for a long period of time. I find they have a better range of colors but the downside is that they often can cause dry tip when airbrushing and can be chunky (pigment wise). I use these the most.

Enamels and Lacquers can adhere better to models and can often spray better than acrylics. They can be sanded and polished. You do need to wear a respirator when painting with these. I don’t spray with these but I do dotting details with them on occasion. 

The biggest challenge working with models of different scales?

Time consumption and building in general for me. I prefer HG models due to them taking less time to build and often being easier to build as well. Some might require a little more TLC than others but I find them to fit my needs. I do not like real grades because, in my experiences with them, they took a long time for me and felt very flimsy afterward. It’s going to take more time to build and assemble a PG kit (looking at you Mr.Unicorn) then disassemble to paint while then reassembling to finish it. 

If anyone has any more questions feel free to drop them in the comments or message me on any of my social media accounts!

Have a warm Monday and best regards,

-J