The most talked-about Gunpla product of the first half of 2022, 'RG 1/144 God Gundam', finally went on sale in Japan on August 13th. Many Japanese modelers rushed to assemble the kit on the release day to enjoy the RG God Gundam series' strongest articulation in history. However, a gold leaf craft modeler, Mossan (@tkmotsu1), was even more incredibly fast, completing the world's first "RG God Gundam Meikyo Shisui Ver." made with gold leaf craftsmanship just one day after the model's release!
Mossan describes himself as a gold leaf artisan who applies gold leaf to everything except liquids, gases, and rubber. In the past, he gained attention for creating models like the Unicorn Gundam Unit 3 "Phenex," Reborns Gundam, and Millennium Puzzle using gold leaf craftsmanship. He utilizes pure gold leaf, silver leaf, and even iridescent foil with elaborate patterns to elevate the originally dull plastic molded colors into dazzling metallic textures. This time, the "RG God Gundam Meikyo Shisui Ver." garnered 34,000 likes and 12,000 retweets in just two days.
However, don't assume that applying foil is simple just because Mossan completed it in such a short time; the actual work requires considerable meticulousness and patience. Mossan first evenly sprays adhesive onto hundreds of parts, then individually wraps each one by hand with a layer of gold leaf. He uses a brush to adhere the foil to the part while simultaneously brushing away excess gold leaf. After repeating this process, he must then carefully assemble each part, avoiding scratches, to finally complete the "RG God Gundam Meikyo Shisui Ver."
While it's unclear how the articulation might be affected after the foil application, the exterior truly radiates a magnificent golden luster. If you're interested in trying this gold leaf application technique, you might want to follow Mossan's YouTube channel. He has uploaded videos of the production process for most of his past works, documenting his preferred foil application methods and tools, which should serve as a very practical reference!
Mossan's YouTube channel 'tkmotsu-gold leaf craft man': https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgznOfk8gvm5j1WxrKsrvqQ
via： もっさん@金箔工芸モデラー