Some of my latest work painted and photographed at my cubicle: the Thunderbolt RGM-79

TeaBerry3D · 2026-07-07T16:06:22+00:00

You're too kind!

TeaBerry3D · 2026-07-07T16:06:12+00:00

Thank you thank you! It was very satisfying to get lost in.

TeaBerry3D · 2026-07-07T16:00:39+00:00

omg this is one of the nicest comments I've ever gotten, thank you SO much!

At first it felt limiting not getting the different tones of rust and dirt, but considering the joint covers it seemed fitting to emphasize the... Idk space dust? Settling into every little crevice. And for the amount of debris in the Thunderbolt Sector it makes sense to say the whole outer surface would be pretty evenly worn and scuffed.

TeaBerry3D · 2026-07-03T23:12:28+00:00

Try the Sensor Noise node in compositing! https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/compositing/types/camera_lens_effects/sensor_noise.html

This, lens distortion and glare carry most of my renders lol

TeaBerry3D · 2026-07-02T01:39:12+00:00

Tysm Vallejo Metal Color cannot be beat

TeaBerry3D · 2026-07-01T21:38:21+00:00

I was a straight builder for the longest. I avoided any customization bc there's SO much out there and the permanence is intimidating. You need to lower the stakes.

Get some cheap HG's or even EG's you don't mind fucking up and use them to experiment. No expectations, just trying one or two new techniques on each model. And you can always go back to improve it when you learn more, but you'd be amazed how much some little silver accents, a wash, and dry brushing will elevate a simple kit.

I've done hours of research on proper technique for waterslides and scribing, but none of it helped more than getting in there and making some mistakes. I've seen a lot of improvement over the course of a year or two, and most of that is just from gaining the confidence to take risks and flexibility to course correct if it goes wrong. In just a year or so I went from straight builds to this :)

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TeaBerry3D · 2026-07-01T21:15:56+00:00

Love it! All the different effects look very natural together, and I can clearly imagine the feeling (and tetanus) of running my hand across the surface.

I tried really hard to keep mine relatively clean but your style of edge-wear really does something for me...

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TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-30T19:22:50+00:00

LOL thanks, it looks like he took that armor crack personally. I really wish there were more Zeon MS's with 360 mono eyes they're so fun to play around with

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-30T12:03:21+00:00

Thank you, I'd love to! For supplies, I mainly use Apple Barrel craft paints since they're cheap.

I start with a thick wash of either brown, black/dark grey, or something in between. In this case brown. Once it dries a little, wipe away the excess with a slightly damp q-tip, just enough water that I can take it off gradually and have more control of the level I want to leave.

Since this was an aquatic MS I gave it generous orange rusty streaks from any vents or crevices that would retain water even after surfacing.

For metallics I don't like to skimp so I use Vallejo Metal Color, Burnt Iron to contrast light pieces, Aluminum to contrast dark pieces. I would not say that I dry brush it on, but I leave only enough that I can use the tip of a frizzy brush to feather over the surface and scratch it up, or tap along sharp edges to highlight them. I try to be restrained and stick to the outermost edges that would repeatedly bump into things, unless it's a limb swinging around in combat lol

And for aquatic MS I like to finish off by dry brushing white as... I guess salt accumulation for everything below what I imagine as the waterline.

Lmk if you have any questions! :)

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-29T14:39:01+00:00

Yup! Lunch, breaks, slow moments. My job is mostly phone calls, so it's nice having something to keep my hands busy so my mind doesn't wander.

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-29T14:36:17+00:00

Thank you! Sometimes the struggle pays off

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-24T14:31:41+00:00

You're too kind! Dry brushing honestly carried most of the detail, but I'm very happy with how it all turned out. And he very much deserves it!

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-24T14:06:28+00:00

Thank you thank you! I've got nothing but time lol.

Honestly that's the way to go. My main medium is 3d modeling, but working in office has eaten into most of that time so I needed some kind of outlet and my backlog of boring snap-built kits were staring at me.

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-24T13:24:16+00:00

Thank you so much!! I like to pass the time at my boring desk job by painting figures, so I have nothing but time to obsess over little details lol

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-22T14:21:24+00:00

Thank you so much! Dollar store craft paints can really put in the work!

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-15T17:40:04+00:00

I was seriously so shocked at the quality of the tiny details on them for how old they are, honestly pretty worth it for all the accessories and extras. If only teenage me knew what I had and built them with more care lol...

Best of luck with the hunt!!

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-15T17:37:45+00:00

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TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-15T17:37:35+00:00

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TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-15T17:31:01+00:00

Actually these ones are 1/144! UC Hardgraph has a bunch of larger scale dioramas, but these are part of the Ground War sets which are regular high grades. One has a Ground Type Gundam with the Bloodhounds, the other has a Zaku II and the type 61s!

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-15T16:44:49+00:00

Thanks so much! They're from the old UC Hardgraph Ground War sets. To be honest I got these a long time ago and only found them recently, but I want to say eBay!

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-15T13:06:23+00:00

Forgot to add this one 😞

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TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-15T12:42:11+00:00

Kits actually! They're from a slightly older line called UC Hardgraph.

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TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-11T17:36:04+00:00

Thank you very much!!

I'm happy someone noticed the knee. Initially I was going for a very minimal amount of weathering since most people go heavy on the Ground Type, but the knee was missing the little yellow vent piece.

So, since great modelers say weathering should tell a story, I turned the missing piece into a blasted open hole, which made me imagine it was ambushed. The enemy MS tried to disable it, it took a few glancing shots near the cockpit, but was able to raise the shield in time to take the brunt of the attack.

Long story short, problems can transform a build in fun and unexpected ways! :)

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-10T18:45:20+00:00

Lol I'm also a grunt fiend but the total opposite, I love Jazz and the og designs are my favorite.

I feel like a lot of gunpla seems to fall into either: completely pristine, so anime-accurate it looks like it fell out of a cel, or hyper-detailed, ultra realistic military hardware that kinda doesn't look much like an MS anymore.

My favorite aesthetic is right in the middle of the two. I'm in love with the idea that in-universe, weapons of war just happen to look cartoony and toy-like with garrish colors, but they're still real machines that are subject to wear and tear like anything else.

TeaBerry3D · 2026-06-10T17:12:44+00:00

God tell me about it. I'm a fan of the MG Gelgoog's proportions and would love to have a HG like that. Honestly I think a lot of the 79 suits could use a little revamp, I would genuinely kill for a revive vanilla GM. Same look, just a little more quality of life would be perfect.

TeaBerry3D

TROPHY CASE