New to modeling with a few questions.

[Scott]

I'm getting interested in modeling now, even though I haven't done it before. This is primarily because there's a certain anime I love and am now obsessed with, but there's only one (non-scale, to boot) model for the mecha it features. So I was wondering what alternatives you guys might suggest.

Also, while browsing through the forums, I kept coming across the term 'kitbashing' - what does this mean?

 

[vaderbreath]

If there's a model you want to build and it doesn't exist, build it yourself. Kitbashing is taking parts from other models to build your own. This is a pretty common practice among modelers...the trick is tracking down the correct kits to bash!

 

[rayra]

'scratchbuilding' and 'kitbashing' go hand in hand.
IF there is no kit of the object you want to model, you can attempt it from 'scratch', using all manner of materials to fabricate the object.
Kitbashing can be used to add already-existing shapes or details to a scratchbuild, or your project could be almost entirely kitbashed, with just enough putty / filler to blend everything together.
There's an almost total overlap of techniques between modeling and prop building.

 

[vaderman1701]

I would recommend you visit CultTVMan's website (and link to his forum) and Starship Modeler. They are two of the best resources for tips on modeling. Not to mention they display alot of models built buy people like you and me. They have some great mecha models displayed there.

Scott