The Energon Pub

This is my most recent project. I am excited how it is turning out after having another disastrous problem with acrylics once again. (anyone who remembers my red movie Ironhide project will know what i am talking about)

So i had to strip all of the awful acrylic off again and start from scratch and this time im doing things my way.

You might be wondering "why didn't you just do it "your way" from the start?" well i was trying to give acrylics a second chance, and i figured lightening couldn't strike twice....oh how wrong was i...

Anyway, enough of dwelling on the past, here is what i have so far:






I have primed Prime (haha) in automotive primer, it has held up really well and more importantly NO CHIPPING. I love how the primer has brought out all of the tiny details that you usually miss. I have a new found respect for this mold after seeing how detailed it really is.

Im going for a movie-accurate look, so the final product will have an accurate paint job with yellow fading into orange and then red, with metallic blue on the sleeper cab section and red and blue flames. The grill, side steps fuel tanks and exhaust pipes will all have a chrome-look to them.

As you can see i have modded the head to look more movie accurate as well, with longer "ears" on each side of his head. I have also added a ball joint to the neck and obviously replaced those ghastly hands he had with a set from an Alternators Sideswipe (i bought them from someone who had a junker, so no mint Alts were harmed to make this) and i am really pleased i bought them as they really set this off and make all the difference!

I cant wait to finish him, this phoenix will rise from the acrylics yet!


UPDATE

I still have a few things i need to add, mostly chrome paint apps plus i want to make sure the paint is fully hardened before i mess about taking proper pictures of it but this is basically what it'll look like.










EDIT:

Ok here are some more pics for ya. I dont have a lightbox or any good lighting so i kinda half-assed them.

I think i might re-do this though, i like how it looks but i just dont feel entirely satisfied, like something is missing.
Im not entirely happy with how some of the paint turned out, but then again i did use what was basically old recycled paints so it didnt cost me anything to paint so maybe if i invested in some fresher paints that will help next time. Who knows?

All i know is im not happy with this, i feel like i can do so much better and i KNOW i can so i'll probably get another voyager Prime one day and revisit this. For now this will have to do ya.

HOLY CRAP!!!

Dude that is AWESOME. The Primer really does bring out the detail in the figure. Im loving the paint scheme, the chrome is wicked.

Can't wait to see this piece finished.

Wow, best custom I've seen out of you.
Like laways, I gotta know what chrome paint you used.

Awesome!
I kinda would buy a new one and just leave it in the primer, it looks so much like a proto!

That paint on him looks good, digging the metaliks!

Sherade wrote:Wow, best custom I've seen out of you.
Like laways, I gotta know what chrome paint you used.

I wouldnt recommend it as it seems to wear off rather easily. Just mocking it up to show it off like this has created some wear and dulled the finish a bit so its not the most practical or hard-wearing paint out there but what i have used is made by a company called Humbrol, its part of their "Projekt paint" range. It just comes in a small spray can with a chrome cap.

Best custom? Heh, its not even finished yet mate! Hopefully if things go the way i plan this should look 10x better when its finished.

Do you (or anyone else here) think that the chest needs to be modded though? I mean does he need some extra bits of detail like scratch built doors to hand on each side of his chest like the movie version had?

Here what i im trying to describe is best seen in this pic...

I gotta strip a fig I was doing in testors... absolute disaster. I can paint in acrullics better than the oil based sludge... good luck, looks really nice primered.

this is going to look good its my fav movie Prime mold and metalic paints just going to show how good this can look as for the doors on the chest where do his go when he transforms i havent opened mine yet to find out

DJs in Disguise wrote:this is going to look good its my fav movie Prime mold and metalic paints just going to show how good this can look as for the doors on the chest where do his go when he transforms i havent opened mine yet to find out

Ive found out the doors on the chest cant be done because there isnt enough space. His legs form the sleeper cab of the truck mode, and that sits right up close to his bot mode chest when you transform him. However, the chrome sun visor he has just under his chin, as well as chrome smoke stacks on each side of his head as well as windshield wipers and pistons around the arms are all making their way into mine for an ultra-detailed look that no one has done before!

I cant wait to start painting it!

sounds like im gonna like this one imo this is a better Prime than leader class he looks taller and more lean than the big one and with the extra detailing your doing and one of your smooth paint jobs this should kick ass

Sonray wrote:

Sherade wrote:Wow, best custom I've seen out of you.
Like laways, I gotta know what chrome paint you used.

I mean does he need some extra bits of detail like scratch built doors to hand on each side of his chest like the movie version had?

Oh hell yes! This is the kind of stuff I like to see. Not that other overrated stuff. Sonray, I think you know what Im talking about.

I suggest putting the head on a ball joint before all is said and done.

Sonray wrote:Best custom? Heh, its not even finished yet mate!

It doesn't have to be, I just know.

Optimus_Prowl wrote:I suggest putting the head on a ball joint before all is said and done.

Already done that as i said in my OP. :p

LL Cool VF-1J wrote:Oh hell yes! This is the kind of stuff I like to see. Not that other overrated stuff. Sonray, I think you know what Im talking about.

Im not quite sure what you mean..it sounds suspicious though so if you could PM me what you mean that would be great.

I am about 85% sure i wont be able to add the chest doors now but i cant tell for certain until i transform him and see if theres any clearance issues which i cant do yet. Tomorrow we'll know for sure! But i just dont think there will be enough room for them BUT i might be able to get away with some truck-looking side mirrors sticking out instead, just like the movie render.

Oh yeah, and theres the little matter of a certain energon axe making its way into this project too.

Good point on that haha. If your looking for a thing to replace his backpack of a truck cab you can always steal the back off the Robot Replica's OP. It looks amazing. I need to find the pic of it again though.

Optimus_Prowl wrote:Good point on that haha. If your looking for a thing to replace his backpack of a truck cab you can always steal the back off the Robot Replica's OP. It looks amazing. I need to find the pic of it again though.

This will hinder the transformation somewhat though, and i dont want to create a "partsformer" as im not really a fan of those things. If i cant do something right, i dont do it. Partsformers to me never look right and IMO are lazy ways out of complex problems.

And TBH, i dont mind his backpack that much anymore. It used to bother me but now i almost dont notice it.

Updated with new pics guys, enjoy!

Sonray... that's just sick man. That's one of the best repaints i've ever seen. Completely better than the original.

Blurrz wrote:Sonray... that's just sick man. That's one of the best repaints i've ever seen. Completely better than the original.

Thanks mate! Theres still a few things left that i need to do before i can take more pictures, but hopefully i'll have a full gallery up once ive completed the final touches. Hopefully i can get them done before xmas and get a gallery of pics uploaded for you all before the big day.

THAT'S THE BESTEST MOSTEST WONDERFULLEST OPTIMUS PRIME THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN!!! You outdid yourself and Hasbro on that one. Can't wait to see the rest.

Omega Charge wrote:THAT'S THE BESTEST MOSTEST WONDERFULLEST OPTIMUS PRIME THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN!!! You outdid yourself and Hasbro on that one. Can't wait to see the rest.

Thanks a bunch!

SWEET MERCIFUL CRABCAKES!

That Prime looks pure win! Although the black windows look out of place in robot mode, they work well in alt mode. Will you be changing their colour to a lighter shade, or leaving them as is?

And by partformers, you mean ones that you basically dissasemble to transform ala G1 Starscream? I hate those too. Accessories are fine, but the basic robot should have no parts that come off for transformation.

If Voyager Prime looked like that (but with lighter windows) I would certainly pick one up.

Insurgent wrote:SWEET MERCIFUL CRABCAKES!

That Prime looks pure win! Although the black windows look out of place in robot mode, they work well in alt mode. Will you be changing their colour to a lighter shade, or leaving them as is?

And by partformers, you mean ones that you basically dissasemble to transform ala G1 Starscream? I hate those too. Accessories are fine, but the basic robot should have no parts that come off for transformation.

If Voyager Prime looked like that (but with lighter windows) I would certainly pick one up.

You point out the one thing i am not too sure of either. Im not really sure what color to do them so i just did them in black as black goes with anything. I might try and whip up a concoction of paint and see if i cant get a decent shade to use that looks both realistic and pleasing to the eye without being too distracting. Just so you know though, i havnt touched the windows in alt mode The alt mode windows dont form the chest on the toy, they stay on his "backpack".

Anyway glad you like it. Thanks for pointing out the windows, now im certain they dont quite work so i will change them.

That puts leader class Prime to shame. You know how much you could get for that on ebay? Neither do I by I bet it would be a LOT