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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!

- Alt Mode -

Painting up Prime's alt mode carried with it the same general plan from robot mode - replace the flat red with a gloss, and the blue with a darker, glossier version. Besides the flames, I also added some new details, picking out the window frames on the sides, the numerous lights found around the front of the truck, and even the rear lights!

I did some modding as well, adding on the 3 central roof lights that the mold was originally missing and using some paintbrush covers as new, thinner smokestack extenders!

For the flames in alt mode, I started by creating my own stencil of the cab roof flames using a silhouette of the flame pattern and model paint tape. I then traced over the existing flames in the new reds and blues, and freehand painted the flames on the doors for alt mode, which was probably the most challenging part to paint, but also the most rewarding - I'm very proud of how those sections in particular turned out!

- Alt Mode with Trailer -

Now taking a look at the trailer, I did completely repaint it from my prior attempt! I started with a new shiny silver base coat since the original was a little duller and had some scratches, then did the blue trim like I did before. I picked out the lights in gloss white and red (an improvement from the flat paints I used initially), and added some all-new detailing with the blue lights along the trailer borders! Some gunmetal around the wheel bases and supports concluded my paint work, and I finished it all up with some model wash to pick out the Autobot logos a bit more!

Very nice job! It shows what a difference a full-service paintjob can make.

Thank you, Zelda! Glad you like it!

- Weapons Platform -

Man, Prime's trailer in DOTM is awesome. So much functionality! Even though we only saw it briefly, it had an amazing transformation sequence.

While most of the paint you see here was really for other modes (either the trailer in alt mode or the weapons by themselves), there was some paint added just for the platform! I did a gunmetal base with a dark gunmetal stripe mirroring the stripe on the outside of the trailer, with some silver accents!

- Weapons -

In addition to the new weapons I got from the DNA design upgrade kit, I took the opportunity to refresh most of the old ones!

The shields were spray painted silver, given some gold and gunmetal detailing in the center, and weathered up with dry brushing and model wash! The shield Prime uses in the scene at Chernobyl has an asymmetrical red stripe, so I added that detail but mirrored between the shields. The SS-05 swords saw some additional gunmetal detailing on the front of the blades to be more screen accurate, and some model wash for weathering. The new Energon swords and axe saw detailing with two different shades of gunmetal and some model wash as well. For the tribarrel blaster, I added new copper and gunmetal detailing to be more accurate and to break up all the silver it has going on. Finally, for the spike knuckles I added detailing in red and gunmetal, again with model wash weathering. The Ion Blaster and hooks remained unchanged from their prior iterations.

- Flight Tech -

Concluding my work on DOTM Prime is the jetpack and accompanying weapons! I started off by spray painting both portions the same silver I used for the trailer. For the wings, I added gunmetal detailing throughout, and then added the red and blue sections before continuing to add flames! I then added the silver detailing on top of the red/blue sections, and then some additional gold sections based on screenshots. For weathering, I did some dry brushing followed by the usual model wash.








If you're still reading, thank you for checking this out! This project is the culmination of several years of work that I'm super happy to have complete.

Paint used:

Testor's enamels:
- Gloss dark blue
- Gloss red
- Gloss tangerine
- Gloss white
- Flat gunmetal

Acrylics:
- Craftsmart gunmetal
- Decoart gunmetal
- Decoart emperor gold
- Decoart silver
- Decoart gloss black
- Folkart metallic sapphire + Anita's craft paint metallic turquoise mixed for lights.

Other:
- Krylon gloss coat
- Testor's extreme lacquer silver (spray paint)

This just gets better and better. Beautiful work. That jetpack looks stunning. You've done absolute wonders to bring the sculpted detail to life, and I hope to do even half as good for my Bayformers.