The end of 2022 has come, and so has my yearly recap of sorts. Once again I find myself writing this at the 11th hour, having just finished my 22nd and final build just a few hours ago.
After a turbulent 2021, I’m glad to say things are finally feeling normal again, and I’d even go as far to say things are the best they’ve ever been in terms of what I do for work and the hobby.
Gaming
Despite having the PS5 / Series X, again I spent most of my year playing on PC using Games Pass, catching up with old friends playing through the entire Halo series co-op.
Zero Escape series
AI Somnium 1 & 2
Back for Blood
Shenmue (again)
Crisis Core
Wasteland 3
I still haven’t gotten a chance to play any of the new PS5 games like God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West etc, I still find PS5 games a tad too expensive :S
Gunpla
This year I clocked up a total of 22 builds, setting a new personal best. I finished the last build (Miorine) on New Years Eve, leaving me just a few hours to update this post.
I was pretty buried with many job interviews at the start of the year and I didn’t manage to finish anything until February! However, once I had my job sorted out in around June-ish, I managed to pull off a whopping 17 builds in the space of 5 months, though admittedly, they were padded out with more smaller HG and 30MS builds. But you know what, I feel great and energized, and that’s what keeps me going.
Having said that I still feel the 20 in 2020 was the most productive year, since I did 12 MGs then compared to just 2 this year. Again, if I wasn’t so bogged down with interviews it might be a different story. I think the key is to have multiple builds going at the same time and to always know what you are doing tomorrow.
I also finally got back into building musume kits this year, with almost half of my builds this year being non-mecha. Now that I’ve learned how to shade skin tones properly it’s really opened up some new doors.
- Figure-rise LABO Fumina (18th February)
- 30MS Tiasha (17th March)
- Crossframe Girl Gao Gai Gar (18th March)
- RG Hi-Nu Gundam (13th May)
- HG Try Burning Gundam (3rd June)
- MG Virtue (28th June)
- HG Gespsenst (15th Aug)
- MG Blaze Zaku Warrior (Rey’s) (24th August)
- FM Raider (7th September)
- HG Alteisen (15th September)
- Figure-rise LABO Asuka (4th October)
- Figure-rise Diver Ayame (8th October)
- 30 MS Rishetta (7th October)
- HG Efreet (14th October)
- 30 MS Far Farina (19th October)
- 30 MS Alka Carti (19th October)
- HG Dragonar-1 (23rd November)
- HG Lauda’s Dilanza (9th December)
- HG Chu Chu’s Demi Trainer (14th December)
- HG Lfrith (15th December)
- HG Aerial Gundam (28th December)
- HG Figurerise Miorine (31st December)
My WIPs carrying over to 2023 are:
* RG God Gundam
* Nuke Matrix HARPY
* RG Hi-Nu Gundam
* HG Gaplant 2
Most masking – Far Farina
Favourite build – Rishetta / Asuka Labo
Least favourite build – I hate to say it, but Alteisen
Fastest build – Chu Chu’s Demi Trainer (3 days)
Other stats
Best Purchase – Iwata Power Jet Pro, having this thing has saved me so much time swapping out airbrushes while painting. Yeah I could’ve just bought a Y adapter but my the pressure gauge on my Power Jet Lite stopped working and I also kept getting heaps of moisture build up for some reason. After upgrading to the Pro the excessive moisture buildup went away leaving me to believe there were some issues with the trap on my old compressor.
Worst Purchase – H&S Infinity, nothing against the airbrush itself but I still haven’t used it! I cheaped out and didn’t get the larger cup not realising how small the default one was.
Patreon
I want to give a shout out to my Patrons who once again supported me throughout the year:
Hugo F.
Fong Y.
Ace Pilot Gunpla
LoBakGo
AI Paintworks
JishanF
Nick M.
Brandon J.
Raith
Jesus M.
The Sanc Kingdom
granzon2
Eric
Corvus Oculum
Devin Chadwick
I hope I will do you guys proud again next year!
2023
One of the goals I’ve had for quite some time now is to publish my own art book. I think by the end of 2023 I should have a good backlog of works to photograph. The problem is now finding the time for photoshoots :O
Bandai have already announced some pretty cool things that I’m looking forward to next year. looking forward to working on include:
Huckebein
FM Forbidden
I’m really looking to finally finishing off the 00 team, so I would like to re-do the MG Exia to cap off this crew. I’m also hoping to get back into some MG builds, I will definitely be doing the MG Testament again as well as the MG Nu Gundam for commission builds.
Gaming-wise, there is there Resident Evil 4 Remake, Street Fighter 6 but apart from that I can’t quite remember anything else on the horizon.
Thanks again and here’s to 23 for 2023 (!)…maybe. Peace!
YJ
