Completed Build: HGBD Mobile Doll Sarah - Flameseeker

 

Summary

Here's another build for this quarter - I wanted to finish something out of my backlog for Zakuaurelius' mecha musume contest, where the theme was girl kits. I had used Mobile Doll Sarah's head for another build, and my Qubeley's head for the Zealot, so I figured I would create something out of the leftover parts. The curves on the Qubeley reminded me of a cloak, so that's how I ended up with this fantasy-themed mage-cavalry.

I allocated about 4 weeks total to complete the build, and I did end up having to cut some corners, like skipping the decals and not getting as much colour separation as I wanted during painting. She made it as a finalist, but didn't place in the contest - the other builds were really amazing - but I am happy to have crossed off another item from my active backlog.

Check out my IG for more regular updates: @yulongsgunpla

Prep

I made very few surface modifications for this kit, but the main challenge was joining the Qubeley parts with Mobile Doll Sarah's thin frame while still maintaining some articulation. The most complex joint was attaching the Qubeley legs to Sarah's shoulders - which was done by drilling and inserting a brass pin through the entire structure. It was then covered up by the round detail part via superglue. 

The rest of the structure was fairly straight forward - all done by neodymium magnets for ease of attachment and brass pinning to secure Sarah to her horse. 

List of the kitbash parts:

• Hat: 1/144 Qubeley front skirt
• Face: 1/144 Mobile doll May (Mechapartsguy's store - RIP)
• Staff: 30MM Witchcraft weapons
• Cloak: 1/144 Qubeley legs
• Shoulder: 1/144 Qubeley knees
• Skirt: 1/144 Qubeley shoulders
• Waist: Kotobukiya cape
• Mount: 1/144 Master gundam's Fuunsaiki
• Saddle: 1/100 NG freedom foot
• Fire: 1/144 Build burning effect part (Yellow-submarine in Japan)
• Flame nozzle: 1/144 Qubeley wrist parts

WIP front view

WIP side view

Painting

I did struggle with the colour choice here. Originally my plans with the Fuunsaiki and flame effect parts was to create an undead rider (like a wild hunt horseman) in a black with green fire scheme. but that would require creating surface details, which wasn't going to work within this timeframe. I also didn't have bright green lacquer on hand, and had no time to stop by the hobby store. 

With the change to essentially a fire-mage, I wanted red as the accent colour, and had to find something that would complement it, which ended up being white for the cloak, and dark grey for the horse.

• Primer: Mr. Surfacer black
• Blacks and greys: Nazca Frost Matte Black + 2 grey mixes by titrating Nazca Warm White 
• Whites: Nazca Warm White 
• Skin: Nazca Joint Grey
• Accents: Gradient of Mr. Hobby Hermann red + Mr. Hobby Orange-yellow
• Panel line: Mr. weathering colour black, Tamiya accent colour grey
• Matte coat: GX144

WIP painted

Gallery

Staff close-up

Left side

Left close-up

Right-front side

Face

Mount

Back view

Fire and cape

Front view

Side view

Remarks

Overall, I think there's several more things I could have done to improve the kit, especially for a competition where things will come down to the small details. 

My fire effect painting could have been a lot better; surface detailing of the cloak and Fuunsaiki could be improved; there were voids and connectors in Sarah's body that I could have filled; and my colour choice could have used an extra week or so of planning to get it to where I would be satisfied.

But in the end, I entered contests like this to push myself to finish a build, and it was a good test to see the amount of time I needed to commit to build something that I would be satisfied with in terms of quality. This particular build fell a little short.

My next completed build is something I've been working on for a long while for the Original Mecha Contest 2022 - stay tuned!

- Y