04: SS-44 Optimus Prime (DOTM)
"For today, in the name of freedom, we take the battle to them."Presenting a project several years in the making, my custom Studio Series SS-44 DOTM Optimus Prime!
While I did publish an upload of this figure in the past, I wanted to be more ambitious with my paint work and make a truly definitive Optimus Prime. I've spent most of that time trying to perfect the flames, which were all hand painted (besides the ones the figure already had, which I traced over). I did make a stencil for the flames on the truck cab roof, but all the others were painted freehand.
Update: I've now finished my work on Prime's trailer, jetpack and weapons! Thiswas a huge project, back when I started I never thought I would actually pull this off at this level, particularly with the flames! I'm extremely proud of this custom, and I hope you enjoy!
- Robot Mode -
To start off with Robot mode, I first wanted to get the right base color down. I used a new gloss red and a darker gloss blue to replace my original work, and used a mix of silver and gunmetal for the mechanical sections. I opted for the brighter acrylic gold this time since it stands out a little more and doesnt wear as easily as the enamel, and added it throughout, makign sure to pick out the details particularly on the head sculpt and arms. I also used model wash to help bring out some of the detail on the head, abdomen, and legs.
Now, this is where the fun begins: the flames.
I'm not sure if I knew what I was getting myself into when I started painting these flames, but I do know that I started with the shoulder pads. The flames there are fairly large and not as complex as some of the other patterns, so it seemed like a good startign point. It took several retries to get something I was happy with, and the really difficult part was not painting it once - it was trying to paint it symmetrically on the other side. Eventually though, I was able to get somethign I was happy with, and that success spurred me on to continue the flames. The small chest doors were probably the most difficult to get in this mode, since the pattern is more complex and its a small area. By the end with numerous retries on each section though, I got flames and a robot mode that I am very proud of!