Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

So I always really liked G1 Tailgate, who unfortunately hasn't gotten much love toy wise after G1 (I was working on this last year when the episode of TF Prime aired where he got mentioned at least ) . I decided I wanted to do a classics version of him since I figured Hasbro never will. I know G1 Tailgate was a repaint of Windcharger, but when I started this last summer Windcharger was hard to come by. I liked the mold of Hubcap from the Hunt For The Decepticons line and grabbed an extra one on clearance(also inpired by Skyfire77's custom seen here frame-rail-t78473.php ). I liked Hubcap, but really wanted to see him in some new colors, so his rebirth as Tailgate began.
I ended up sanding him down and using Krylon Fusion white for the base of his exterior car sections after pulling apart all the pins I could get out. The rest of his bot sections got Testors enamel metallic blue and steel with a brush. Painted the face section of the head battle grey and the rest steel and gave him a light blue visor. I painted the tread surface of the tires flat black and left the sidewalls gloss and then painted his exhaust pipes flat black as well. A Reprolabels chrome outline Autobot emblem on his hood completed him. I know he pales compared to the works of most others on the forums, but he is my proudest effort so far and I am very happy with him as an updated Tailgate in my collection. Got a few pics of him alongside Hubcap and Windcharger also

So the goal was to make this guy:




out of this guy:


So here we are:





















And the rest are here:
http://s1092.photobucket.com/albums/i40 ... %20Custom/

As always, thanks for looking!

Hey, good job on the white! It looks really smooth. I don't think the black works on the pipes but if you like it that's all that matters.

OK, maybe it's not the most amazing custom on the forums but it's well done. I look forward to seeing more.

Mykltron wrote:Hey, good job on the white! It looks really smooth. I don't think the black works on the pipes but if you like it that's all that matters.

OK, maybe it's not the most amazing custom on the forums but it's well done. I look forward to seeing more.

Thank you! I figure if I learn and progress with each project then I'm moving in the right direction. Looking back at the KO Mirage I first started on last year I see a lot of mistakes I made in technique. Thanks to practice and all the information all of you on the forums provide I've been able to figure out what works best for me, or at least what I screw up less with

I'll admit, the flat black exhaust pipes are an odd choice. I've always liked flat black exhaust pipes on old hot rods since I was a kid and my Dad had a 1970 Chevy Nova SS that was bright yellow with black racing stripes and had flat black headers and side pipes. Probably explains why I like movieverse and TF:P Bumblebee's look so much as well

Not bad, not bad at all! I like that metallic blue on the 'bot mode. The black pipes and headers do look a bit off, but I think it's more to due with the dark background than anything else. They do look nice in some of the 'bot mode shots. Maybe a light drybrush of silver to add some definition? Still and all, I like!

Skyfire77 wrote:Not bad, not bad at all! I like that metallic blue on the 'bot mode. The black pipes and headers do look a bit off, but I think it's more to due with the dark background than anything else. They do look nice in some of the 'bot mode shots. Maybe a light drybrush of silver to add some definition? Still and all, I like!

Thank you! Also thanks for the suggestion on the silver drybrushing. I have an old junker figure I'd like to try practicing drybrushing on. Its a technique I really do need to learn. Hopefully if I get some time this weekend I can have a go at it. I also really need to work on my photography skills some, the black background wasn't the best choice for these, especially with the lighting in the area I was taking them

KnightStrike wrote:I'll admit, the flat black exhaust pipes are an odd choice. I've always liked flat black exhaust pipes on old hot rods

I've never seen these. It seems you've made a valid choice so I approve. If you post a pic of an example maybe people will view this work with more of an educated eye.

I don't think the background was a bad choice. For this figure white wouldn't work but perhaps light grey would be best. What I really don't like is black figures on a black background!

Drybrushing: less is best. Put the tiniest amount of paint possible on the brush and then wipe most of it off with light flicks over clean paper, then paint the item.

Mykltron wrote:

KnightStrike wrote:I'll admit, the flat black exhaust pipes are an odd choice. I've always liked flat black exhaust pipes on old hot rods

I've never seen these. It seems you've made a valid choice so I approve. If you post a pic of an example maybe people will view this work with more of an educated eye.

Here are a few examples. Now I need to dig around and see if I have any pics of Dad's old Nova

Mykltron wrote:I don't think the background was a bad choice. For this figure white wouldn't work but perhaps light grey would be best. What I really don't like is black figures on a black background!

I found that out the hard way when I took some pics of my Ultra Magnus and put Kold's Black Konvoy next to him. He fades into the background like a Predator!

Mykltron wrote:Drybrushing: less is best. Put the tiniest amount of paint possible on the brush and then wipe most of it off with light flicks over clean paper, then paint the item.

Thanks for the tips. I will be trying this out this weekend for certain, along with toying with the airbrush.

The robot looks nice well done but the pipes in alt should have been silver.