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EDIT FINAL:

If you just came in, feel free to see this first post. This first post have the first version of the repaint, comparisons with the Hasbro originals, and my impressions of the toy itself.

To see the final and updated version, scroll down or click HERE.

EDIT 9/26/2022

Thinking about it, I'm really not satisfied. There's way too much copper/rust and not enough gray/green. I have to fix that. In around two or three days, this first post will be severely edited with the truly final results.

Let's hope 3P stuff can count here.

Unique Toys Desperado was a 3P DOTM Megatron that I waited for a long time. It was freakishly expensive but I traded-in some stuff that I no longer wanted at my local geek store. So, the financial blow was greatly lessened.

But here's the thing. The original has ZERO paintjob and it's an ugly green. Even the "battle damage" version suck color wise. Here, have a look:



GODDAMMIT, BING!

Google to the rescue:



That's the version I got. Not only there's nothing painted, the plastic feels soft to the touch like a blackboard! The thing BEGGED to be painted. So despite the high price of the thing, I want to have the PERFECT one. (I know about the Alien Attack version, but that thing is a nightmare to transform so nope.)

That plain green is bleh. Especially compared to the movie:



What I did was to apply several layers of watered-down acrylic paint for airbrush. I used silver, copper, and black. I used the natural green of the plastics to my advantage too. Then once the robot mode was done, I transformed it (Thank you EMGO!) and then I painted the vehicle mode. After some final adjustments, here's the result:









The vehicle mode is pretty bad-ass. But that's no tanker unfortunately. It's a thing. Meh, it still looks good. I painted the "trailer" an uniform silver to give the illusion that it's a separate part from the cab.













That is one HEAVY boy.



I dirtied up the tarp. But to place it on the vehicle, it's not easy. Especially for the chains that have nothing to latch on to. So they just rest there.







Comparison time with the official Transformers DOTM Megatrons. First the original voyager, then the Studio Series leader, and finally the 3rd party Unique Toy's.
Desperado is a BIG boy.





And now for that glorious robot mode!











Poseability is limited and those shoulder connectors barely hold the arms in place. But despite these flaws, the bot looks AWESOME. Especially with my paintjob.







The hood is not perfect, but it does the job.





I darkened Igor a bit:









Comparison with the originals:



So what do you think? Did my painting looks good?

Edit: No, it doesn't.

Scroll down a bit further to see the REAL thing.

Yes, that Megs actually looks like he spent the gap between Bayformers 2 and 3 roaming the desert, rather than patrolling a sandbox. Well done!

Bumblevivisector wrote:Yes, that Megs actually looks like he spent the gap between Bayformers 2 and 3 roaming the desert, rather than patrolling a sandbox. Well done!

Thanks! UT Desperado have the right shape and the right transformation for me and I was strangely attracted to the fact that it was a "custom class" figure.

After all their other beautifully painted "Movie Megatrons", I'm really baffled by UT's decision to not paint Desperado at all. And no, the initial "battle damage" one barely count. I wonder what they were thinking?

Yeah, my paint work was nice enough... for a day.

However, something was nagging me and I found that the colors were all wrong. It's nice on it's own, but it's NOT the "true" colors he's supposed to be. So I spent the whole week to make things right.

Now Megatron have his "proper" colors. Plus he now look truly battered and rusted.

You can look up the first post to see original version I came up with and my impressions on the toy itself. It was not easy to do but I think that NOW I got it right.

Enjoy the updated and FINAL pictures!

First, a reminder of the original vanilla toy:



Then, what I did at first for the truck mode:



And now the improved and FINAL version:



















The tarp and chains still can only rest there with no way for things to be solid. A design oversights.





And now for the robot mode.

First, a reminder of the CGI model from the movie:



Then, see my previous version who do not looks like the movie shot at all:



And then, here's the DEFINITIVE version that I came up with:





















By flipping the calve panels over, you can directly compare the unpainted plastic to the painted areas.



Now with the accessories. First the shotgun storage:



And the final completed look with chains and hood.









Final comparison, with the other two "Megatrons" from Unique Toys:



Now I think I got it right and everything is perfect. Do you think so too?

Now that's a damn good rusty look. Good work with the airbrushing.

You should try your hand at dry brushing some time. That would have worked just as good on this guy.

Burn wrote:Now that's a damn good rusty look. Good work with the airbrushing.

You should try your hand at dry brushing some time. That would have worked just as good on this guy.

There is zero airbrush on him. I only used some paintbrushes at first. So here's the first layers of acrylic paint:

Starting with the robot mode:
-- Very liquid copper as a base coat everywhere. Two times.
-- Then a black wash.
-- Silver wash.
-- Black wash again.

Then I transformed him into vehicle mode and I repeated the same as above with the exception of a double silver coat on the tanker part and the smokestacks.

After a day, I felt it wasn't finished.

So starting with the robot mode, I dried sponged a pale teal green all over. I thought it looked good enough, so I transformed him into truck mode.

Same dry sponge in teal green on the cab part of the truck.
....
But it wasn't over.... far from it.

So, I changed the teal green paint for a greenish gray. Then I dry sponge it over the green.

Then I dry sponge the red rust.

Then I dry sponge the black rust.

Another black wash.

Finally, some black on the tires to cover up the splotches that were of the wrong color, then some clear brown paint to dirtying up the tires.

I transform it into bot mode yet again. Note that after these repeated transformations, both pins holding the slider parts of the main tanker were sliding out. Just a dab of crazy glue precisely at the rough part of the pins, then knocking them back in, fixed the issue.

The bot having just the dry sponged teal green, I repeated all the same painting steps that I did for the truck mode.

Finalize with some red rust in the unpainted nooks and crannies that could still be visible.

Count around at least one hour of drying between layers. Plus, around half an hour each transformation. It took days to complete the thing.


If you see the comparison between the other UT Megs, you can see that they did bother to paint Nero and Dragoon. But their paint is relatively simple. So in the end, I'm glad they they made Desperado a "custom class" toy. A very hefty 330$CAN blank canvas.

I'm glad I didn't ruined it!

Spectacular work, he looks just like he does in the movie!

EvasionModeBumblebee wrote:Spectacular work, he looks just like he does in the movie!

Having you recognise my work is an honor!
No, seriously. I'm not sure if you consider yourself a pro, but I do. So having a "pro" say that I did a good job is a relief. Especially for the price of the thing.

I'm not sure if you collect the MPM scale, but if you do, I highly recommend that you get the vanilla Unique Toys Desperado. You'll have a blast painting that blank canvas!